Chatsworth Street

Mission

Chatsworth features a bicycle/Pedestrian bridge over Interstate 94, enabling cyclists and pedestrians to cross this major impediment. Because cars can’t cross it, the I-94 bike/ped bridge also keeps street traffic volumes low, both north and south of I-94, while providing cyclists and pedestrians with excellent connectivity. Except for one gap, Chatsworth Street is a great north-south bike route, from Saint Clair Avenue all the way to Lake Como.

Chatsworth Street

posted 04.08.2013

Proposed improvements:

1. Bridging the gap where Chatham St. crosses the BNSF railroad

If this one, short gap (across the BNSF rail line) was bridged, the street could provide a new north-south route for minimal cost and little or no political conflict. This is because no parking would have to be removed and no other street alterations would have to be made. Chatsworth is already a safe, low traffic, low speed street.

Where

Here's a map of the area in question:

And here's a picture of Chatsworth St. where it crosses the BNSF rail line:

2. Install a traffic light where Chatsworth St. crosses University Ave

The problem

Currently, it is hard for bicyclists and pedestrians on Chatsworth to cross University Avenue. There is no traffic light at this point, and University is a busy, 4-lane boulevard that carries over 26,000 cars per day.

Where: Chatsworth-University Intersection

Here is a preliminary draft of what the Chatsworth-University intersection will look like with once the Central Corridor Light Rail Line is completed and the traffic light is installed :

The Solution

When the Central Corridor Light Rail Line is completed, however, the plan is to put a traffic light at University and Chatsworth. This will enable cyclists and pedestrians to easily cross University, increasing the street’s north-south connectivity.

Here is a preliminary draft of what the Chatsworth-University intersection will look once the Central Corridor Light Rail Line is completed and the traffic light is installed :

These changes will enable cyclists and pedestrians to easily cross University, increasing the street’s north-south connectivity.

3. Bridging or providing a safe turning point at the Burlington Northern Santa Fe main line

Where

Chatsworth and the Sante Fe main line (and private truck access road). Here is a photo of Chatsworth, several blocks south of Pierce Butler on a typical weekday afternoon :

The Problem

The one gap that needs to be bridged or crossed is the Burlington Northern Santa Fe main line (and private truck access road), just north of Pierce Butler Avenue. This photo is looking north at that gap. Crosswalks, signs and perhaps a bike/ped actuated flashing light would need to be added here to help get people across Pierce Butler at rush hours, because Pierce Butler has high traffic volumes for brief stretches of time during the day.

Here is a close-up photo of the gap :

It’s hard to see, but just in front of the double-track main line is a private truck access road that has a decent volume o tractor-trailer trucks going to a nearby BNSF loading facility. Thus, a crossing could be made at grade but a bike/ped bridge might be safer and better.

The following is a view of the gap from the north side, looking south :

Note the well-worn paths through the grass. Lots of people already cross, illegally, at this point. I saw several kids do it while taking these photos.

And here is a picture of the Chatsworth-Santa Fe intersection from the South side looking North :

Once North of the BNSF line, Chatsworth continues up to Lake Como, as a quiet, wide, pleasant residential street. Note the graveyard on the east side of Chatsworth. There are almost no homes immediately near the crossing point so political opposition to a bike/ped crossing (if any) would be almost non-existent.

Here's a picture of the same location from a little further North :

If we Bridge this one small gap in Chatsworth, we can create a great new north-south bike route. I urge the city to draw up plans for a crossing, negotiate something with the railroad and apply for funding.

Here's a map of the trouble spot where Chatsworth meets Santa Fe :