DOWNTOWN — Bicyclists can expect a smoother ride Downtown later this year.
Road work that ripped up some of the city's busiest bikeways this year will be done by the fall, city officials said.
And once complete, bicyclists can expect a new protected bike lane on Randolph Street, and upgraded ones on two of Chicago's oldest bike paths: Kinzie and Dearborn.
"Anyone who's been riding knows there's some bumpy sections," said Mike Claffey, a spokesman for the Chicago Department of Transportation.
The new Randolph lane is part of the city's Loop Link project aimed at easing congestion Downtown. Like its eastbound counterpart on Washington, the westbound Randolph lane will be painted green and protected by either plastic bollards or concrete from Michigan Avenue to Clinton Street. The lane will open this fall, though stretches between State and Dearborn and Wells and Franklin will be delayed till next year due to high-rise construction.
Kinzie, the city's oldest protected bike lane, will receive new bollards and striping from Desplaines to Wells streets after utility work is done this fall, Claffey said.
Dearborn's bike lanes, the city's first with traffic signals, will also get their first facelift since debuting four years ago, Claffey said.
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