Chicago Proposes Permanent Outdoor Dining—But at Whose Expense?

During the height of COVID-19 restrictions, many cities allowed restaurants to make accommodations in order to stay open and keep their businesses afloat. At the very beginning, takeout orders skyrocketed. However, once the weather started to break and residents grew a little more antsy to get outside, outdoor dining took over. Cities all over the country granted temporary permits that allowed diners to safely enjoy a meal in parking lots or on the sidewalks—and the city of Chicago was certainly no stranger to this.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot acknowledged that this shift was incredibly important as it allowed hundreds of local businesses to keep their doors open throughout over a year of uncertainty. The city also extended the temporary permit until the end of this year but recently had a change of heart. No, the temporary permit will still remain in place. However, the mayor recently proposed a plan that would make this temporary solution permanent every May 1 through October 31. She strongly believes that this will help Chicago’s local restaurants get their feet back on the ground and even exceed their pre-pandemic sales numbers.

Realizing that there were minor flaws in the system before, Mayor Lightfoot mentioned that tables will now flow onto the curb lanes, which is between the travel lane and the curb itself. This will clear up space for pedestrians to safely walk around Chicago, but the city may not be aware of exactly how it is putting others at risk.

Expanding into the curb lanes could be problematic

The waiters and waitresses who will be taking orders and serving diners will need to constantly step in and out of the foot traffic with hot meals and heavy plates. They will also sometimes need to step off the curb in order to effectively do their job. And the risks don’t stop with servers, either.

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of cyclists that travel around Chicago daily who would like the same safety precautions to be taken for them. It is written clear as day in the Illinois “Rules of the Road” handbook that cyclists should always ride on the right-hand side of the road at the right-most curb or edge of the roadway to maintain safety. However, if the majority of that right-hand side is now overtaken by restaurant diners, cyclists will need to travel within the main roadway, which comes at a great risk.

The handbook also states that riders must avoid the “door zone,” which is a 4-foot area between the cyclist and a car door. This is to ideally avoid being hit by someone opening up their car door as a cyclist is passing. Again, with Chicago’s city street parking on top of diners being seated in the curb lane, this would be nearly impossible to steer clear of for maximum safety. If the “door zone” cannot be avoided, it is suggested that cyclists ride within main traffic.

Over 100,000 bicyclists are injured every year

It sounds like the common “fix” to all of this is to just have those on bicycles ride in the full travel lane. It is perfectly legal, but it still is surprising that more people are not seeing this as potentially dangerous. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 130,000 cyclists are injured and 1,000 succumb to their injuries every year with most of these accidents occurring in urban areas. With so much traffic in such heavily-populated areas, there is a greater chance of accidents happening, which is what is raising concerns for people in the city of Chicago. With most injuries being caused by cyclists being hit by a car, forcing them to ride in the face of danger seems illogical.

Type of injuries caused by bicycle accidents in Chicago

Falling off a bicycle as a child and scraping your knee is one thing, but it becomes a whole different ball game once moving vehicles get involved. A minor knee scrape can very quickly turn into a broken bone or something even worse. Some examples injuries cyclists can sustain are:

• Broken bones
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Neck or back injury
• Spine and spinal cord trauma
• Disfiguring facial fractures

Chicago motor vehicle drivers need to share the road

In order for this permanent permit idea to work, those driving cars need to do their part in sharing the roadway, especially in busy areas. Of course, this seems completely doable in a perfect world, but there are a few factors to take into consideration. One of the biggest factors to consider is road rage. If drivers are in a hurry, having a cyclist take up an entire lane meant for cars can be frustrating.

Bicycles obviously cannot keep up with the speed of cars, so slowing down the vehicles behind them could lead to road rage for drivers, causing them to attempt unsafe swerving to get around the cyclist or riding too closely behind them. This is extremely dangerous for the drivers, cyclists, and even diners who are seated in the curb lane. With one slight wrong move, a driver can accidentally clip the cyclist or those trying to enjoy their meal outside.

Outdoor dining is a fantastic way to enjoy the city, explore new restaurants, and relish in the beautiful weather all at the same time. Regardless, there are some safety factors that the city of Chicago may be overlooking with their new proposed plan. Pushing tables away from the sidewalk definitely makes things safer for pedestrians walking around the city. But taking away the curb lane only makes it more dangerous for cyclists.

If you have been injured in a Cook County bicycle accident, you could be entitled to financial compensation. Struggling with painful injuries as a result of an accident in Chicago can be devastating, and you may feel like you have nowhere to turn. But our experienced Chicago injury attorneys at Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers can help. Call our office at 312-600-9585, or complete our contact form today. Our consultations are always free.