Berteau Greenway

The Chicago Department of Transportation continues to expand its role in building livable streets with the introduction of the Sustainable Urban Infrastructure Guidelines [PDF]. These guidelines address much more than transportation – including issues like water quality and economic development – because streets are not just for moving people and goods. CDOT intends this document to guide its own staff, sister agencies, and utility companies to incorporate green and sustainable components into all projects.

Berteau Avenue from Lincoln Avenue to Clark Street is en route to becoming Chicago's first neighborhood greenway. The project resembles a "bike boulevard," allowing two-way bike traffic where car traffic is one-way only and adding traffic calming elements like curb extensions at intersections. Construction started in late August, a couple of months later than projected.

It's been a long time in the making, but it looks like the Berteau Neighborhood Greenway, albeit a somewhat watered-down version, will be debuting this summer. On Friday 47th Ward Alderman Ameya Pawar announced that in June the Chicago Department of Transportation will begin construction of the greenway, a traffic-calmed, bike-priority street, known elsewhere as a "bike boulevard," on a one-mile stretch between Lincoln and Clark. The work will start immediately after the city's water department replaces a 100-year-old water main on Berteau between Ravenswood and Ashland.