http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/portalEntityHomeAction.do?entityName=

Chicago+Bike+Program&entityNameEnumValue=127

http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/portalDeptCategoryAction.do?deptMainCategoryOID=

-536884027&deptCategoryOID=-536884027&entityName=

Chicago+Bike+Program&topChannelName=SubAgency&contentType=

COC_EDITORIAL&Failed_Reason

=Session+not+found&com.broadvision.session.new=Yes&Failed_Page=

%2fwebportal%2fportalDeptCategoryAction.do

Updated - 2006-09-14, 17

General Impressions - Cycling Facilities Encountered

 Chicago has serious intend to improve cycling for transportation through an extensive program from cycling infrastructure to intermodal (cycling and transit) commuting, to education, and marketing.

  At this time, their infrastructure on the ground includes some lengthy bike paths that maybe more recreational than commuting oriented, some bike lanes , and streets identified on the bicycling map which will be upgraded in the future for cycling.

  Chicago has a cycling dream supported by some good cycling infrastructure designs that should appeal to people who may wish to cycle. They also have a good plan which does recognize that marketing is needed to draw people away from their cars and cycle or cycle-transit instead.

  They also have a starting backbone of cycling lanes in place, mainly in the north-south direction. The bike lanes are supported by the 30 kilometres Lake Shore Drive Trail, an effective commuting route for north-south travel and a very pleasant recreational and exercise trail.

  The city has taken the approach of doing the easily implementable bike lanes and work on the rest next. This may result in bike lanes that would appeal to a wider cycling base. The heavily biked roads may not receive treatment until later.

  The city also sees bike lanes on all collector streets and many arterial streets. So, what the city has done is produce a cycling map that lists all cycling facilities in place today and shows as preferred cycling roads all those streets that will have bike lanes or shared road arrows in the future. This will help centralized the current cyclists to select roads and built up the demand base.

  The network implementation is far enough allowing cyclists to travel extensive distances within the city on bike lanes or on the Lakefront or other trails. Cycling across half of the city on wide bike lanes is feasible. Unfortunately, at this time, these bike lanes serve only some communities and usually leading towards downtown. Crossing east-west is especially short of any quality cycling facilities.

  What the city has is outsourcing the cycling program and cycling resources to an organization that is strictly cycling focused at this stage, the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation.

  Now the issue they face is similar to that of about every other city. That is moving from a plan or a vision to reality, i.e. cycling facilities on the ground. They face the issue of implementing a plan without watering down the plan or the designs.

The City

Accomplishments

Cycling Network

Cycling Infrastructure Design

 Bikes are allowed on these trains except for specific rush hour times. Bikes are restricted to the cars with sliding doors, not folding doors. Two bikes are allowed per car. Trains tend to have four cars, at least.

Cycling Contribution to the Economy