Sharon Hoyer

The talk featured representatives from Elevated Chicago, the CTA, the Department of Planning and Development, People for Community Recovery, and the Greater Roseland Chamber of Commerce.

A new report from the Chicago Department of Transportation has some encouraging news about the effects of roadway improvements on traffic safety. Thanks to investment in traffic calming and bike/pedestrian safety infrastructure, Chicago recorded a 27 percent decline in traffic deaths in 2023, down from a peak of more than 180 roadway fatalities in 2021. 

As in 2023, the Chicago Department of Transportation has been busy installing new bikeways across the city this year. As of this writing, the city’s website that tracks the installations lists 42 completed segments this year so far, with 20 more underway. Two of them are part of my return commute from a workplace in Englewood to my home Logan Square, and they're a welcome bit of infrastructure on a ride that includes the some of the best and worst aspects of biking in our city.

No word yet on whether a contraflow bike lane would be added to facilitate eastbound cycling from the path on the west side of rider to the east side.

And a few blocks away, CDOT is installing a Neighborhood Greenway on Long Avenue, where drivers recently injured and killed teens on bikes.

The project also has lots of other nifty Complete Streets features, like raised crosswalks, bus islands, and the conversion of a dangerous slip lane to a new plaza.

Photographer and interviewer Viktor Köves talks to residents he meets all over the city about their cycling habits, with the goal of getting more folks on spokes.

The study's findings contrast with People for Bikes studies that repeatedly ranked Chicago as one of the very worst large U.S. cities for cycling.

The Active Transportation Alliance, Commuters Take Action, and Equiticity weigh in on the proposed legislation.

Five proposed projects would improve walking and biking safety - and beautify - the IMD.