I work dinner rush (4–7 pm) in the Chicago Loop on a single-speed, and I stick to Dearborn northbound to ride the green wave at about 15 mph, then cut east on Lake to slip past the bus pack. What routes or timing tricks are you using when the apps double-stack and Michigan turns into a parking lot?
When Michigan freezes, I swing to Wabash southbound and cut east through Garland Ct to Randolph, then pop back onto Michigan at the light — it keeps me rolling when the apps double‑stack. Your ‘green wave at about 15 mph’ on Dearborn is money; only caveat is the bus squeeze by Lake after 6:30, so I’ll sometimes time Monroe instead — does that play for you?
On stacks, I take State for the N/S leg, hop east on Washington’s protected lane, then drop to Stetson to run parallel to Michigan and cross clean at Randolph — like threading a needle without stopping. The Washington signals pace close to your ‘green wave at about 15 mph’; you ever use Columbus as a relief valve when Grant Park or Navy Pier traffic pops off?