Chicago Riverwalk
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The de-facto ban on riverwalk biking is back. What should we do about it?
In the short term, new signage is needed to designate legal areas for cycling on the path. In the long term CDOT should build the proposed Wacker Drive protected bike lane.
April 25, 2024
Closing trails during pandemic, without opening streets, is misguided and inequitable
If the closures are going remain in effect, the mayor should at least follow New York's lead by creating more space for safe, socially-distanced recreation elsewhere.
March 26, 2020
Victory! The right to bike on the riverwalk is preserved. Now about those “No Biking” signs…
Thanks in part to Streetsblog's advocacy on the issue, Alderman Reilly never followed through on his threat to ban cycling on the promenade, and the city is looking at ways to accommodate biking. Now the no biking signs need to come down.
October 8, 2019
Citizens, including noted author Greg Borzo, urge the city to keep the riverwalk open to bikes
Borzo proposed said he supports limiting the riverwalk bike ban to peak hours. “This is how bikes are handled on the ‘L’ — and it works perfectly well."
September 5, 2019
Friday’s Chicago Critical Mass Route Highlighted Dickens Greenway, Riverwalk Issues
Hundreds of cyclists rolled the entire proposed greenway route and ended the ride with a flash mob appearance on the riverwalk, where an alderman is trying to ban cycling.
September 3, 2019
No, Alderman Cardenas, Your Southwest Side Ward Doesn’t Have “Plenty of Bike Lanes”
In some alternate-universe Chicago, Cardenas' 12th Ward is crisscrossed with bike lanes, and his ally Brendan Reilly hasn't done multiple things to block downtown bike and pedestrian access.
August 20, 2019
Friday FOIA Fun: More Interesting Info on Ald. Reilly’s Riverwalk Bike Ban
City emails reveal that riverwalk planners made conflicting claims about whether the promenade was designed to be bike friendly or not, and an official referred to John as a "militant biker."
August 2, 2019
Deconstructing Ald. Reilly’s Radio Interview About His Riverwalk Bike Ban Ordinance
Although Reilly's claim that the riverwalk was intended as a pedestrian-only space is revisionist history, his comments about the need for a road diet on Upper Wacker are spot-on.
July 26, 2019
Emails Show CDOT Pushed Back on Reilly’s Riverwalk Bike Ban as “Too Extreme”
The transportation department rightly argued that the ban would violate the spirit of Chicago's promise to the feds that the riverwalk would be available for bike commuting.
July 11, 2019
Pencil It in: Reilly’s Riverwalk Bike Ban May Get a Committee Hearing Next Thursday
Although the bike ban isn't on the agenda for the next meeting yet, two aldermen recently said it will get a hearing, and Ald. Reilly could add it to the docket next week. We'll keep you posted.
July 5, 2019
