CDOT Launches New Online Clearinghouse: “Complete Streets Chicago”

The Chicago Department of Transportation has so many balls in the air nowadays when it comes to sustainable transportation and livable streets projects, it can be hard to wrap your head around all of them. The department’s recently launched Chicago Complete Streets web portal is good starting point for getting a handle on the many current initiatives and resources intended to promote safe, efficient and pleasant conditions for everyone on the street, not just drivers.

“The new website is part of recognizing that complete streets is a part of everything we do,” said Commissioner Gabe Klein. Earlier this year the department was reorganized, with a new “complete streets group,” headed by Project Director Janet Attarian, which combines most of the functions of CDOT’s bicycle, pedestrian and streetscaping sections.

“Nowadays we don’t feel like we need to have bike, ped, and transit projects broken out into separate sections,” Klein added. “But a lot of times people don’t know where to find information about our different programs, so the website consolidates the info.”

The site is organized into four main sections. “Your Streets” includes links to design guidelines, plans and reports, pedestrian programs, bike facilities, the Make Way for People and Make Way for Play public space initiatives, off-street trails and more. “Your Safety” features programs like the Safe Routes and Bicycling Ambassadors, bike safety enforcement, the “It’s Up to You” safety campaign, and the child safety zones and traffic camera initiatives.

“Your Ride” includes info about bike maps, Divvy bike-share, bus rapid transit projects, and trip planners like Google Transit and the Regional Transit Authority’s GoRoo. And “Your Environment” features CDOT environmental initiatives like the Center for Green Technology and Greencorps, as well initiatives to promote the use of vehicles that run on alternative energy sources and sustainable infrastructure like water-permeable alleys.

Unlike other CDOT webpages, which look clunky and institutional, the new site, spearheaded by staffer Carlin Thomas, has a stylish, modern appearance, inspired by the several splashy-looking plans and reports consultant Sam Schwartz Engineering has put together for the department. “Our old website uses the standard city format but the Complete Streets site let us be a little more creative,” Klein said. “We hope it will encourage people to check out our design guidelines and plans and get more involved in the community input process.”

When I asked Klein whether his background in marketing played a role in the slick design of the new site, he replied that a lot of thought was given to making it user-friendly. “It’s always important to look at a project through the eyes of the customer,” he replied. “In this case it’s the Chicago residents that we’re here to serve. Our goal is to attract as many new people into the city as we can and keep existing residents as happy as possible. It’s that simple.”