Clybourn protected bike lane project starts Monday

Construction is set to begin Monday on protected bike lanes along Clybourn Avenue and Division Street on the Near North Side.

The project will involve building a raised concrete median to separate bike traffic from vehicular traffic along Clybourn between North Avenue and Division and along Division between Clybourn and Orleans Street, according to a statement from the Illinois Department of Transportation.

The first phase of the project will involve construction on the east side of Clybourn and the south side of Division, IDOT said. The second phase will add the protected lanes to the west side of Clybourn and the north side of Division.

Daily intermittent lane closures will be required for the duration of construction, which is expected to finish in early August, according to IDOT.

The Clybourn project will be the first protected bike lane on a state-controlled roadway in Illinois and the second in the city to use a concrete barrier, according to Jim Merrell, the campaign director for the Active Transportation Alliance.

The first curb-protected bike lane in the city debuted in May along Sacramento Drive through Douglas Park on the Southwest Side.

“We’re really excited to see this groundbreaking project move forward,” Merrell said.

He said the group hopes the project will lead the way for the continued expansion of protected bike lanes throughout the city.