A group of us cyclists met on Sunday, 3/20/05 to investigate a missing bridge.

Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet,

When Rudyard Kipling penned these lines in his Barrack-Room Ballads of 1892, I don't think he had in mind the North Shore Channel Recreational Path. 

But he might have.

From the south, heading north, the trail starts around Lawrence Avenue, and just north of Argyle it proceeds along the east side of the river.  Over the past several years a series of "underbridges" have been constructed - routing the path under the bridge carrying heavy traffic.  First Bryn Mawr Avenue, then Foster Avenue, and as of March of 2005 the underbridge going under both Peterson and Lincoln Avenues. 

All this along the east side of the river.  A minor problem arises north of Lincoln Avenue: the trail proceeds north along the WEST side of the river.  It's a very enjoyable ride, all the way north to Green Bay Road.  However, at some point you must cross the river.

The original plan was for a pedestrian/bicycle bridge north of Lincoln, crossing the river at at angle so that the waterway would still be navigable without making the pitch of the bridge excessively high. 

It appears as if the plans for this bridge have been stopped.  We'll have two paths - one on the east side and one on the west side - and they won't meet.

Here's a series of pictures that possibly might make the problem clear.  Without the bridge, the only alternative is to double back to Lincoln, or proceed north to Devon and cross the river - both heavily traveled streets - to get from one path to the other.

Looking north, east side of river
This is the view from the Lincoln Avenue bridge, looking north, standing just west of the traffic light at Kedzie, which is a smaller street goes north from Lincoln, but doesn't go south from Lincoln.  The underbridge is current (3/20/05) nearing completion and this is the path leaving the underbridge, going north.  The path just simply ends - and empties out onto Kedzie Avenue.

Looking north from the bridge
Standing in about the same location as the first picture.  You can see the trail continuing on the west side, but you can't get there from here.  If you're riding this east side trail when the summer foliage is in bloom you may not even be aware that there is a continuation of the northbound trail on the other side of the river.  Even if you knew it existed, you might not be able to discern how to get there and continue your trek north.
Sidwalk across the Lincoln Avenue bridge
Lincoln Avenue, looking east over the bridge.  Note the narrow sidewalk, and the light poles mounted on the sidewalk, on the sidewalk side of the guard rail.  This isn't a very inviting route for two-way bicycle traffic along with pedestrian traffic as well.  As we stood there and contemplated the situation were were passed on the sidewalk by a few cyclists and several pedestrians as well.  Moreover, the curb drop-off is about 6"-8" and this route isn't very desirable if you were traveling with younger children.

The alternative, not pictured, is to proceed north on Kedzie to Devon Avenue and make a left turn over the bridge over the river.  There is a left turn arrow on the traffic signals at this intersection, but can you imagine a younger child trying to navigate this maneuver?  Even if you make a "chicken-left" you still need to cross over the bridge, probably using the narrow sidewalk, since the roadway is two-lane and no shoulder on the bridge.
From the Lincoln Ave. Bridge, looking north
Looking north from the Lincoln Avenue bridge, you can see the construction activity and what will be the continuation of the trail.  The ramp pictured here leads down to the riverside where a canoe launching facility is being built.  The western side of the bridge was planned to be several hundred feet north of this launch, as the bridge was to cross the river at an angle.
West Side, looking north
Here you can see where the trail continues north, with the segment on the left coming to Lincoln Avenue, and the segment on the right is part of the switchback leading down to the canoe launch.
West side, again looking north
The paved portion has already been completed on the west side.  From about where the canoe launch is, this paved path runs behind the guard rail from the parking lot of the shopping center.  The lights have already been installed. 
Looking south, along the west bank
This scene is looking south, along the switchback section, at the Lincoln Avenue bridge.  Can you see the connecting trail on the east side?  No?  I couldn't either.
Looking south, along the west side
Again looking south, including a portion of the paved section that's completed all the way (almost) to the Devon Avenue intersection, where the trail continue north, along the west side of the river.
Devon and McCormick
Still a minor problem:  the paved path will need to cross a part of the entrance/exit of the packing lot for the Lincoln Village Shopping Center.  This can be very busy. and it's adjacent to the :Loew's Theater located right there too.  The end of the path leads to the sidewalk, you need to make a sharp left then cross Devon at the light.  North of Devon, the path continues - all the way to Green Bay Road.

Before you suggest another underbridge under Devon there's a minor political problem: this is Lincolnwood, not Chicago.
Deer in the city, dear!
Map of the area, the blue line was added showing the east-side path and the west-side path, with the obvious gap where the planned bridge was supposed to be.

An overhead view of the paths along the river - and the location of the missing bridge (from Brian Sobolak)
As of this writing, it's pretty certain that the bridge construction has been halted, even though it's been funded.  The bridge construction has been halted by Alderman Bernard Stone of the 50th Ward.  However, after a meeting with Ald. Stone, writing or calling him is not recommended so as to not further solidify his opposition to this project.  His mind is pretty well made up.

If you live in any other Ward, you might want to write to your Alderman and inquire as well.  You can find your alderman by going to City of Chicago Ward Links

Additions, corrections, comments to: www.neiu.edu/~rkastiga