The City of Chicago began construction this week of 70 miles of new
Bikeways. The city is also introducing colored bike lanes at confusing
intersections that would give bikes the right-of-way.
Four types of bikeways will be installed:
Colored bike lanes
Green bike lanes will be established at eight locations for the first time in
Chicago. Colored bike lanes alert motorists and bicyclists of conflict
areas assigning the right-of-way to bicyclists. Increasing the visibility of
bicyclists helps to reduce the
number and severity of conflicts between motor vehicles and bicyclists.
Bike lanes
4.5 miles of new bike lanes will be installed
bringing Chicago's total bike lane network to 113 miles. Bike lanes
provide bicyclists with five to six feet of dedicated space on the
roadway for safe bicycling.
Marked shared lanes
Eight miles of new marked shared lanes will be installed bringing
Chicago's total marked shared lane network to 19 miles. Shared lane
markings, installed on roads too narrow for bike lanes, identify wide curb
lanes for bicyclists and motorized vehicles to
share.
Signed bike routes
Sixty miles of new signed bike routes will help identify the best streets
for bicycling, providing distance and directional information to major
destinations. These new signed routes will increase Chicago's existing
network of signed bike routes to over
225 miles.
The new colored bicycle lanes will be installed at the following locations
this summer:
1. Northbound approach of Dearborn south of Chicago
2. Northbound approach of Elston south of Division
3. Southbound approach of Elston north of Division
4. Southbound approach of Halsted north of Roosevelt
5. Southbound approach of Lincoln north of Webster
6. Southbound approach of Milwaukee north of Augusta
7. Westbound approach of Roosevelt east of Damen
8. Eastbound approach of Roosevelt west of Damen
"With this project, Chicago continues to be a leader in providing safe
and convenient streets for bicycling," said Mayor Daley.
"Chicago's bikeway network
is one of the longest, best designed, and most innovative in the United
States," said CDOT Acting Commissioner Cheri Heramb. "By providing
bikeways and promoting bicycling, Chicago is reducing traffic
congestion, conserving energy, increasing safety, and promoting
healthy physical activity."
Installation of these bikeways is the latest of the strategies of the
City's Bike 2015 Plan to be implemented.
For more information on bicycling in Chicago, visit the CDOT website at
www.ChicagoBikes.org. The Bike 2015 Plan can be found online at
www.Bike2015Plan.org.
