DuSable Lake Shore Drive was a little quieter and whole lot more peaceful Sunday morning.
Thousands of cyclists took part in the 25th Bike the Drive, a once-a-year chance to (legally) bike down 30 miles of state highway and revel in the city’s lakefront. Some cyclists said the ride, absent the car noise and congestion, shows how Chicago’s streets could be designed safer for walkers and cyclists.
“It’s an opportunity to be able to enjoy the full view of Chicago uninterrupted, and it’s always a nice day,” said Lakisha Tanner, a returning participant who rides her bike regularly around Chicago.
The ride is a fundraiser for the Active Transportation Alliance, a non-profit advocating for better conditions for walking, biking and using public transit throughout the Chicago area. About 20,000 participants come out each year.
Riders had five hours to do the entire 30-mile loop or stick to one section. They could also enter and exit from one of five spots on the route, including the northernmost part at Bryn Mawr Avenue and the southernmost turnaround at 57th Street by the Griffin Museum for Science and Industry. Riders celebrated with coffee, beer and pancakes at a festival in Grant Park.
Mante Eckert, who lives in Dyer, Indiana, came out to Bike the Drive for the third time. Cycling has become an important part of her life. She started riding bikes for her mental health when she was going through a divorce. She bought her first bike back in February after borrowing one for years.
“I love that this event is just a bunch of people doing the same thing together that they love. And everybody is so happy here,” said Eckert, 36, sitting in Butler Field after completing her ride. “I cannot think of a better hobby.”
Eckert and her sister sometimes spend a weekend day biking the lakefront trail together. She also takes her son out for bike rides. But she wishes Chicago’s streets felt safer whenever they ride their bikes off the trail.
She “100% supports” Active Transportation Alliance’s mission to improve safety on the road for pedestrians and cyclists.
City transportation officials say they’re making the streets less car-centric and safer for cyclists by adding several miles of bike lanes and neighborhood greenways over the last three years.
Advocates say they want those principles applied to the ongoing redesign of the northern leg of DuSable Lake Shore Drive, which was part of Sunday’s route. City and state officials released tentative plans to rebuild the eight-lane, lakeside highway generally as it looks today.
But some want planners to consider dedicated bus lanes that would make the highway less driver-focused.
John Draughon also wants to get more people on bikes in Chicago and show them it’s possible to get around without a car. He’s using a puppet named Zane to spread the word.
The 31-year-old came out for Bike the Drive with Zane strapped over his front wheel. He’s working on a YouTube channel, “Zane on the Go,” to promote urban mobility and teach people how to navigate public transit.
Draughon wants people to know they don’t have to default to driving. When a colleague recently griped about how expensive an Uber is from O’Hare to downtown, he asked why they didn’t take the Blue Line. The coworker said they didn’t know how.
“I want to encourage people to reduce their car dependency,” he said, ” and just show them how fun it can be to get to different activities without a car.”