The Fox Valley Bicycle & Ski Club

Subject: Public Comments on DuPage Co. On-Road Guidelines

Posted by Deborah Fagan on August 26, 2006 at 12:26:14:

Dear Club members,

We are seeking bicyclist’s comments on two draft reports approved by DuPage County Board’s Environmental Committee for public distribution and comment on August 22nd. Public comments are due by Sept. 29th. We are especially interested in comments from bicyclists who frequently use the roadway network for travel.

These two documents will also be posted on the DuPage County website at www.dupageco.org/bikeways shortly. Any assistance you can provide in getting the word out to interested people like your members would be appreciated.
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DuPage County On-Road Bicycle Facility Guidelines

In late 2004, DuPage County contracted with Teng and Associates, Inc. to provide recommendations for accommodation of bicyclists on the street network. The County has several miles of multi-purpose paths or trails which are off-road facilities like the Illinois Prairie Path. But we are also working with communities to establish on-road bikeways as part of regional trail projects and on-road improvements to implement DuPage County’s Healthy Roads Policy.

On-road bicycle facilities include

1. signed bicycle routes where bicyclists ride with the flow of traffic on a paved outside lane or shoulder, and
2. striped bicycle lanes where bicyclists are allocated a small striped lane adjacent to the outside travel lane.

In order to determine which roads are suitable for an on-road bicycling facility (or to determine what improvements are needed to make sure roads are suitable), we have developed criteria to guide this evaluation. The criteria are outlined in the draft report attached and include roadway geometry factors such as pavement width, parking conditions, etc.; pavement condition; vehicular traffic criteria (for example, posted speed limit, daily traffic volumes); accident/crash history; and bicyclist’s perception (as measured by ratings for Bicycle Level of Service and the Bicycle Compatibility Index; two methodologies for determining bicyclists’ comfort and safety).

DuPage County On-Road Bicycle Connection Guidelines

The DuPage County On-Road Bicycle Facility Guidelines document discussed above sets out criteria under which bicycle routes and lanes can be established (or modifications could be made to roadways to make them suitable for establishing a bicycle route or lane).

There are locations, however, where connections may be needed for bicyclists along roadways which do not meet these guidelines for a bicycle route or lane but which would provide a safe connection for experienced bicyclists without modification. An example of such would be a very low volume residential neighborhood street that was narrower than the recommended standard.

Attached is a report which describes these bicycle designated facilities which we call “Bicycle Connections” and the conditions under which DuPage County would consider a bicycle connection.
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The purpose of the public comment period is to allow the DuPage County Department of Economic Development and Planning to seek input from interested bicyclists and particularly those bicyclists who use the roadway network. We would welcome and appreciate your review of these two draft publications and submission of comments to me by email or at the address below by September 29, 2006.
Thank you for your time and assistance.

Deborah Jan Fagan, AICP

Chief Planner and County Trail System Coordinator
DuPage County Department of Economic Development and Planning
421 N. County Farm Road
Wheaton, Illinois 60187

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