(The Center Square) – The Illinois Supreme Court is considering a case where a cyclist in Chicago is looking to hold the city accountable for injuries they received after hitting a pothole on a city street.
In the summer of 2019, plaintiff Clark Alave was riding his bicycle on a Chicago city street and allegedly hit a large pothole, causing him to fall and be injured. He sued the city for damages, saying the city should have maintained the road.
Defending the city in front of the Illinois Supreme Court this week, attorney Steven Collins said the street wasn’t meant for bikes.
“The city uses street signs and pavement markings to specify which of its roadways are intended for bicycle use,” Collins said. “There were no such signs or markings at the location of Mr. Alave’s bicycle accident.”
![TCS - ILLINOIS ATTORNEY FOR CITY OF CHICAGO STEVEN COLLINS1](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/3d/53d7e29a-5724-11ee-97bc-2f7a67faf87e/6509f9781c5e6.image.png?resize=150%2C76 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/3d/53d7e29a-5724-11ee-97bc-2f7a67faf87e/6509f9781c5e6.image.png?resize=200%2C101 200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/3d/53d7e29a-5724-11ee-97bc-2f7a67faf87e/6509f9781c5e6.image.png?resize=225%2C114 225w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/3d/53d7e29a-5724-11ee-97bc-2f7a67faf87e/6509f9781c5e6.image.png?resize=300%2C152 300w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/3d/53d7e29a-5724-11ee-97bc-2f7a67faf87e/6509f9781c5e6.image.png?resize=400%2C203 400w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/3d/53d7e29a-5724-11ee-97bc-2f7a67faf87e/6509f9781c5e6.image.png?resize=540%2C274 540w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/3d/53d7e29a-5724-11ee-97bc-2f7a67faf87e/6509f9781c5e6.image.png?resize=640%2C325 640w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/3d/53d7e29a-5724-11ee-97bc-2f7a67faf87e/6509f9781c5e6.image.png?resize=750%2C380 750w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/3d/53d7e29a-5724-11ee-97bc-2f7a67faf87e/6509f9781c5e6.image.png?resize=990%2C502 990w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/3d/53d7e29a-5724-11ee-97bc-2f7a67faf87e/6509f9781c5e6.image.png?resize=1035%2C525 1035w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/3d/53d7e29a-5724-11ee-97bc-2f7a67faf87e/6509f9781c5e6.image.png?resize=1200%2C609 1200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/3d/53d7e29a-5724-11ee-97bc-2f7a67faf87e/6509f9781c5e6.image.png?resize=1333%2C676 1333w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/3d/53d7e29a-5724-11ee-97bc-2f7a67faf87e/6509f9781c5e6.image.png?resize=1476%2C749 1476w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/3d/53d7e29a-5724-11ee-97bc-2f7a67faf87e/6509f9781c5e6.image.png?resize=1920%2C974 2008w)
City of Chicago attorney Steven Collins.
BlueRoomStream
Representing Alave, attorney Erron Fisher said there was a bike rental station “within throwing distance.”
“With Divvy signs on every single bicycle in their customary colors,” Fisher said. “What other purpose could putting a bicycle rental location have at that location other than bicycle rental?”
![TCS - ILLINOIS ATTORNEY AARON FISHER FOR CLARK ALAVE2](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/7c/b7c55192-5725-11ee-858b-270ce36e070f/6509fb85719a4.image.png?resize=150%2C84 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/7c/b7c55192-5725-11ee-858b-270ce36e070f/6509fb85719a4.image.png?resize=200%2C113 200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/7c/b7c55192-5725-11ee-858b-270ce36e070f/6509fb85719a4.image.png?resize=225%2C127 225w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/7c/b7c55192-5725-11ee-858b-270ce36e070f/6509fb85719a4.image.png?resize=300%2C169 300w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/7c/b7c55192-5725-11ee-858b-270ce36e070f/6509fb85719a4.image.png?resize=400%2C225 400w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/7c/b7c55192-5725-11ee-858b-270ce36e070f/6509fb85719a4.image.png?resize=540%2C304 540w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/7c/b7c55192-5725-11ee-858b-270ce36e070f/6509fb85719a4.image.png?resize=640%2C360 640w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/7c/b7c55192-5725-11ee-858b-270ce36e070f/6509fb85719a4.image.png?resize=750%2C422 750w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/7c/b7c55192-5725-11ee-858b-270ce36e070f/6509fb85719a4.image.png?resize=990%2C557 990w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/7c/b7c55192-5725-11ee-858b-270ce36e070f/6509fb85719a4.image.png?resize=1035%2C582 1035w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/7c/b7c55192-5725-11ee-858b-270ce36e070f/6509fb85719a4.image.png?resize=1200%2C675 1200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/7c/b7c55192-5725-11ee-858b-270ce36e070f/6509fb85719a4.image.png?resize=1333%2C750 1333w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/7c/b7c55192-5725-11ee-858b-270ce36e070f/6509fb85719a4.image.png?resize=1476%2C830 1476w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thecentersquare.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/7c/b7c55192-5725-11ee-858b-270ce36e070f/6509fb85719a4.image.png?resize=1920%2C1080 2008w)
Clark Alave attorney Erron Fisher.
BlueRoomStream
Collins said that doesn’t mean people can ride bikes anywhere.
“A person, a Divvy user, is free to ride a Divvy bicycle on any of the many streets where a bicycle is permitted,” Collins said.
On top of the nearby bike retinal station, Fisher argued the city promotes itself to cyclists.
“A person who gets on a bike in Chicago does so with all the advertising and all the notice that Chicago is a bicycle friendly city,” Fisher said. “They do so with Chicago claiming to be the most bicycle friendly city in the country.”
Justices took the case under advisement.