Bicycling in Chicago continues to grow year after year with more Chicagoans biking than ever. This boom in cycling has been a result of the City’s investment in more and better bike infrastructure alongside a growing interest in biking as a safe, affordable, sustainable, healthy, and fun way to get around. 

This page provides information about the following topics:

• Expanding and enhancing bike infrastructure
• Active project highlights
• Existing bikeway network
• Additional programs supporting biking
  

Expanding and Enhancing Bike Infrastructure CDOT has rapidly accelerated the pace of building bikeways through the Chicago Works Capital Improvement Plan, averaging 37 miles of bikeway investments per year since 2020, compared to 23 miles of investment from 2011-2019. Chicago’s network of bicycle infrastructure includes over 400 miles of protected bike lanes, neighborhood greenways, off-street trails, and other on-street bikeways. A primary focus for expanding the network is to increase the number of low-stress bike routes (protected bike lanes, neighborhood greenways, off-street trails) in the City so that all Chicagoans and visitors feel comfortable riding a bike in our City.

The CDOT Strategic Plan, sets the vision to “make cycling a safe, affordable transportation option for more Chicagoans.” The Chicago Community Cycling Network Update establishes specific approaches CDOT uses to organize bikeways investments, including the following:

• Network Expansion – 110 miles of bikeway improvements are currently funded and planned for implementation in 2022 and 2023. In 2021, CDOT achieved the largest annual growth ever in bikeways miles by installing approximately 45 miles of new infrastructure. This followed 30 miles of new installations in 2020. Bicycle infrastructure has more than doubled in the last decade and Chicago now has over 400 miles of on-street and off-street bicycle infrastructure. Bikeway network expansion has largely focused on neighborhoods not well served by the bike network. Three-quarters of bikeway network expansion has occurred on the south and west sides since 2019.
• Protected Bike Lanes – Incorporating concrete curb will be the standard for new protected bike lanes in Chicago.  Chicago expects to add 25 miles of concrete-protected bike lanes – approximately four times the current total – this year and plans to upgrade all existing protected bike lanes with flexible delineators to concrete by the end of 2023, providing significant safety and comfort improvements for all road users. Among the bike lanes that will receive concrete barrier curbs this year include: Kinzie Street (Milwaukee to Wells); Lake Street (Pulaski to Damen); Logan Boulevard (Rockwell to Diversey); Milwaukee Avenue (Addison to Irving Park, Chicago to Division, and Kinzie to Ohio); Independence Boulevard (Douglas to Harrison); Douglas Boulevard (Independence to Sacramento); and 119th Street (Ashland to Halsted and Major Taylor Trail).

• Neighborhood Bike Networks - In 2022 CDOT is building a Neighborhood Bike Network in South Lawndale, including the Little Village and Marshall Square neighborhoods! A Neighborhood Bike Network is a series of connected bike routes which allow neighbors to easily get to all the places they want and need to go by bike. In 2021, CDOT started a two-year process of building 45 miles of connected neighborhood bike networks in Austin, Belmont Cragin, and North Lawndale, and installed 17 additional miles of bikeways on the Far South Side building upon the neighborhood network process from 2020. The League of American Bicyclists featured the Neighborhood Bike Networks process in their 2022 Benchmarking Bike Networks Report as a model approach to expanding bicycle infrastructure and increasing ridership.
• Design Innovation – CDOT is identifying opportunities to pilot enhanced infrastructure designs at several locations including bus stops and intersections to increase cyclist comfort and safety. For example, we are currently designing 50 floating bus stops, which route the bike lane behind the bus stop, that will begin to hit the ground in 2022. The floating bus stops improve comfort for people biking by eliminating conflicts with buses and other vehicles, help improve the experience riding transit, and function as pedestrian curb extensions making it easier to cross the street. Floating bus stops will be implemented on several corridors, including 87th Street (Damen-Halsted), Clark Street (Hollywood-Devon), Belmont (Kimball-Western). Additional locations will continue to be identified and designed. 

Active Projects Highlights - Find more information on active projects here.   

Augusta – Western to Milwaukee CDOT is working to upgrade existing buffered bike lanes to concrete protected bike lanes on Augusta Boulevard from Western Avenue to Milwaukee Avenue. The Augusta protected bike lanes will include shorter pedestrian crossings, a new 20-mph posted speed limit, and connections to bike routes on Damen, Wood, Noble, and Milwaukee.
	Clark – Irving Park to Montrose CDOT is developing new protected bike lanes on Clark Street from Irving Park to Montrose. The project will also include shortened pedestrian crossings, bus improvements, and a 20 MPH speed limit. The City is coordinating with the ward offices and community stakeholders on a planning process for Clark Street north of Montrose. Extending the protected bike lanes north of Montrose is being evaluated as part of that effort. Learn more about this project.
Clark – Hollywood to Devon CDOT is upgrading the existing protected bike lane on Clark Street in the Edgewater neighborhood to concrete curb and adding many new multi-modal improvements, including new pedestrian refuge islands, a bus-only lane for southbound CTA buses, and nine new bus-priority boarding islands. Learn more about this project.
	Milwaukee – Addison to Irving Park CDOT will upgrade the existing protected bike lanes on Milwaukee Avenue between Waveland and Irving Park with new pre-cast concrete curb and extend the protected bike lane south to Addison. Installation of the curb will be coordinated with ongoing construction of the Metra viaduct. Learn more about this project.
Central Park – Madison to Franklin CDOT will implement protected bike lanes on Central Park between Madison and Franklin Blvd. Additionally, increased pedestrian refuge space will be installed at the main entrance to the Garfield Park Conservatory. The new protected bike lanes will connect to existing protected bike lanes on Franklin Blvd. and Lake Street providing a comfortable route for biking to the Garfield Park Conservatory, Field House, and Park Space. The new protected bike lane is part of a growing network of bike infrastructure in the Garfield Park and Austin neighborhoods.

Chicago's transportation network includes over 400 miles of on-street bikeways and off-street paths. CDOT produces an official Chicago Bike Map every spring. Hard copies of the Chicago Bike Map are available upon request.

Bike Chicago
CDOT has set an ambitious vision to make cycling a safe and affordable option for more Chicagoans. In addition to connecting bike networks and increasing the number of low stress and protected bike lane miles in the city, CDOT will facilitate more residents cycling through a bike distribution program. CDOT will distribute 5,000 bicycles, as well as safety and maintenance equipment, over the course of 4 years to eligible residents. Visit www.chicago.gov/bikechicago for more information.

SAFE Ambassadors

Since 2001, CDOT has promoted safe cycling and walking through the City of Chicago’s SAFE Ambassadors. SAFE stands for Streets Are For Everybody, and the Ambassadors’ goals are encouraging and educating cyclists and pedestrians, reducing traffic crashes by working with all road users, and making Chicago a safer place for active transportation. Learn more about the programs offered by the Ambassadors or request their attendance at an event.

CDOT is excited to offer our Learn to Ride series at no cost to Chicago residents. The two-hour classes are taught by the SAFE Ambassadors and allow adults and children to learn, based on their experience level, the skills they need to be comfortable riding a bike. This year the Ambassadors are offering instruction in both English and Spanish to better meet the needs of city residents and serve more people. There are three class levels being offered: (1) Beginner Learn to Ride, (2) Skill-Builder Learn to Ride, and (3) Road Ride.

Questions? For general inquiries, suggestions and requests, please contact us here (cdotbikes@cityofchicago.org).

If you are a reporter or journalist working on a bike-related story, please contact CDOT News (cdotnews@cityofchicago.org).