David Smith
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At celebration of Long Greenway, alders Cruz and Sposato praise traffic calming, explain why they voted against a safer speed limit
The serious and fatal bicycle crashes that spurred the City of Chicago to build the Long Avenue Neighborhood Greenway were tragic. But Thursday's celebration of the recent traffic safety upgrades, held at Portage Park Elementary School, was a hopeful and inspiring event.
August 29, 2025
Backstage at the Dickensian drama: What CDOT’s FOIA response did and didn’t tell us about the planning for the plaza removal
Plus the mainstream media breaks its silence on the Dickens plaza removal issue, with a good article and a great letter to the editor in the Chicago Tribune
October 17, 2024
Huge turnout for Granville Avenue Traffic Safety project meeting to hear CDOT’s proposal to change the road from a “cut-through” to a safer street
The department proposes adding traffic calming infrastructure, one-way segments, and contraflow bike lanes on the nearly three-mile, two-way side street, where speeding and crashes are common.
October 16, 2024
CDOT Complete Streets czar David Smith discusses new projects at ATA Advocacy Connect session
During the Q & A, Smith responded to the question, "What cities in the U.S. and around the world does CDOT use as inspiration for what you want our streets to look like?"
May 20, 2024
CDOT is extending Avondale’s popular Belmont protected bike lanes west to Milwaukee
New PBLs, crosswalks, sidewalk extensions, and island bus stops will be installed on a 0.6-mile stretch of Belmont between Milwaukee and Kimball.
May 17, 2024
At Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee hearing, CDOT reports that bike infra construction, encouragement is shifting into high gear
Bike and pedestrian program czar Dave Smith discussed the agency’s strategy for improving bikeways and encouraging more people to ride.
January 11, 2024
Fifth and Final Day of SBC’s Bike Lane Week: Near Northwest Side, Far West Side, Near West Side, Near North Side
I have ridden a heck of a lot of bike lanes, and had the pleasure of visiting many of our city's diverse neighborhoods.
December 8, 2023
2 months after I suggested CDOT simplify their bike map, I mapped 2023 projects myself. 1 week later CDOT released a simplified map.
Streetsblog created a version of the CDOT bikeway map that only shows bikeways that were constructed in 2023, with an easier-to-understand color scheme.
November 20, 2023
CDOT Complete Streets director David Smith: 2023 was Chicago’s busiest bikeway installation year ever
Streetsblog recently caught up with Smith for a recap of what bike infrastructure, much of it protected lanes, was built in our city this year.
November 1, 2023
At Chicago Mobility Collaborative meeting in Belmont Cragin, CDOT says 2023 has been a big year for walk/bike/transit
"2023 has been a really incredible year in Chicago when it comes to complete streets and safe streets infrastructure," said David Smith, Complete Streets director.
September 15, 2023
