Chicago’s streets are at a crossroads, and the path we choose will determine the safety and vitality of our city for generations to come. We’ve seen how thoughtfully designed bicycle infrastructure can transform neighborhoods, connecting communities and breathing new life into our urban landscape. We’ve seen a growing number of protected bike lanes, and we’ve seen many of them given concrete protection.
The Chicago Department of Transportation’s community-driven approach to expanding the city’s bike network has brought new bike infrastructure to neighborhoods that historically have had few bike lanes, such as Belmont Cragin, Hermosa, Austin, North Lawndale and South Lawndale. Despite pockets of progress, our city’s overall efforts to create safe, accessible cycling networks are falling dangerously short. The harsh reality is that this piecemeal approach to bicycle infrastructure is costing lives.
Bike infrastructure is only effective when it truly delivers on its promise of safety. The reality in Chicago is far from ideal. Too often, drivers illegally park or stop in bike lanes, forcing cyclists to suddenly swerve into traffic — a potentially life-threatening maneuver.
Fortunately, there’s hope on the horizon. The city’s forthcoming Smart Streets program will crack down on these violations, using technology to enforce parking rules in bike lanes, bus lanes and no-parking zones. In addition to creating safe and effective infrastructure for biking, we must a.
