New bike lane brings big changes to Illinois Street: what drivers and cyclists should know

Cyclists and motorists heading north out of Downtown on busy Illinois Street have likely noticed some changes, changes that may take some time to get used to ensure safe travels for all. 

Vehicle lanes have been reduced from four to three. A new two-way bike lane on the west side of the one-way street now runs from Washington Street to 18th Street. New intersection lights reserved for cyclists have created some confusion for motorists.

"I don't really feel comfortable yet riding southbound," cyclist Matt Duffy said. "I'm waiting until people get used to the configuration."

The new bike lane is part of IndyGo's Red Line bus rapid transit service that begins Sept. 1. Although the Red Line is not running on Illinois Street, bike lanes were removed from nearby Capitol Avenue to accommodate the raised platforms and dedicated bus lanes that will help keep the Red Line moving quickly. 

"When we removed the bike lane from Capitol for the Red Line, it was important for us to replicate infrastructure on another street," IndyGo spokesperson Lauren Day said. 

About 40 percent of the $96.3 million Red Line budget was used for infrastructure projects including installing storm sewers, paving roads, upgrading traffic signals, replacing curbs and building bike lanes.

Features of the new bike lane on Illinois Street include: 

• Two-way travel: The lane can be used to travel north or south.
• Protection: Bollards, or short posts, separate the lane from traffic and parked cars.
• Green paint: Blocks are painted at intersections and driveways in and out of businesses and parking lots.
• Signage: Signs throughout the corridor alert drivers to yield to bike riders.
• Dedicated traffic signals: At major intersections, cyclists have their own traffic signals indicating when to stop and when to proceed. 

A safer ride for cyclists

Day said the the new bike lane will help keep both cyclists and motorists safe. 

"Having both a visible and a physical separation between cars and cyclists allows both operators to know what space they are to be in and helps reduce potential collisions," Day said. 

On Illinois Street, there is the added barrier of parking spaces, putting both the bollards and parked cars between cyclists and moving vehicles.

Matt Hygema, 38, lives in Broad Ripple and commutes both by bike and car throughout the week to his job at Methodist Hospital. He called the new lane a "well-designed cycle track" and likes how it is protected from both traffic and doors opening from parked cars. 

"It's much more comfortable than the old painted bike lane, and it is encouraging more people to ride or use those scooters," he said. "It also provides a great connection between the Cultural Trail and some big employment centers."

Danni Harrison, 40, rides daily from New York Street to Arsenal Avenue to Michigan Street and up to Illinois Street to get to her job at IU Health. 

"I feel more protected from traffic than I used to," she said. "I also like that the pylons make it harder for delivery and construction vehicles to use the bike lane for unloading."

The two-way lane is 'intimidating' 

Damon Richards, executive director for Bike Indianapolis, a bicycle advocacy group, said the bidirectional feature of the bike lane will likely take some getting used to. 

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"I think cyclists will eventually use it, but don't know if the numbers will get back to what you used to see on Capitol," Richards said. "It seemed an intimidating ride for me. The idea that you go the wrong way on the street has an intimidating feel to it."

There are a number of similar bike lanes throughout the city, including:

• Shelby Street from Prospect Street to Pleasant Run Parkway.
• Michigan Street from State Street to College Avenue.
• New York Street from Arsenal Avenue to Rural Street.

A bike lane on 22nd Street from Dr. Andrew J. Brown Avenue to Capitol Avenue is in the proposal stage, according to DPW. 

Harrison said as with any changes, the switch will take some time. 

"I feel safer going north than south, but based on my experience with the two-way bike lane on New York, I think it will get better with time," she said. "Motorists just have to get used to the two-way traffic."

Getting used to the new configuration

One potential hazard that has cropped up is the traffic signals for bikes, which are at major intersections. Some motorists mistake the signals for their own green arrow and turn left at the intersection, which could be dangerous for riders.

Duffy, 31, lives in Meridian-Kessler and bikes to his job as a civil engineer  Downtown. He said he has seen cars turn left on the bike lane green light "at least once per day" during his commute. But since construction was completed, he said it is slowly improving. 

Harrison hopes drivers catch on more quickly so an accident — or worse — doesn't occur.

"If you turn left on a red arrow, the cyclist may be turning into his green light and is probably going full speed," she said. 

Another issue is cars pulling out of driveways. There are plenty of warning signs alerting motorists to look for cyclists on the path, but since Illinois Street is one-way, the motorists might not think to look for riders traveling south.

Duffy encourages cyclists to ride defensively and make eye contact with motorists, but he urges riders to obey traffic laws, too. 

"There’s a shared responsibility when using a public space," he said. "Operating a motor vehicle negligently can permanently alter someone else’s life, whether by serious injury or death. Be aware of your surroundings, new road configurations, and drive at a safe speed." 

Possible changes down the line

As a driver too, Hygema sees how the changes to Illinois Street can be frustrating, especially when traffic is backed up and not enough cars can turn left onto I-65 during rush hour. He hopes DPW considers making some changes down the line. 

"I'd like to see DPW adjust the timing of the left-turn lights on Illinois to allow cars more time to turn left across the bike lane," Hygema said. "Right now it seems way too short — only long enough to let a few cars through — and frustrated drivers are just running the red light, and that's very dangerous to the cyclists who think it's their turn." 

Richards said Bike Indianapolis spoke to the city when officials were discussing adding the new bike lane. 

"We suggested using Senate (Avenue) as opposed to using Illinois, at least temporarily, because there is less traffic on it, but there were parking lane issues," he said. "I have not seen as many riders go south on Illinois as did went south on Capitol." 

While the bike lane may seem to be creating extra congestion, Day said "significant construction" happening on the interstates and across the city are adding to the traffic for drivers. 

Betsy Whitmore, chief communications officer for DPW, said the department will consider additional changes, including traffic signal patterns. 

"As with any other newly installed traffic configuration, DPW will monitor the new patterns closely in order to make adjustments to traffic as necessary," she said. "We have already met with property owners along Illinois Street and will be recommending changes to IndyGo before the project is declared complete."

Day said IndyGo has been educating the public, primarily the cycling community, about the changes. She said IndyGo may consider adding additional signage down the line.

Kellie Hwang is a reporter at IndyStar. Contact her at 317-444-6032 or kellie.hwang@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter: @KellieHwang.