Chicago Adding Protected Bike Lanes to Appeal to Young Professionals

Cyclists, rejoice! This past Sunday, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced plans for a network of protected bicycle lanes that he hopes will appeal to local tech company workers who favor cycling over driving and have been fleeing the city for more bicycle-friendly areas. The mayor stated that once the project is completed, he hopes "the type of companies that have been leaving for the coast will stay in the city of Chicago."

The proposed project will include buffered bike lanes and bicycle signals to ensure the utmost safety for cyclists and drivers. Writes Golab, "by the end of the year, Chicago will have 22 miles of protected bike lanes, bringing the total to 33 miles. The cost," according to the city Transportation Commissioner Gabe Klein, "is about $140,000 a mile."

Other street infrastructure projects in the works in Chicago include a new "Neighborhood Greenway" on Berteau Avenue Between Lincoln Avenue and Clark Street on the North Side, and a "road diet" expansion of pedestrian and bicycle areas along part of South Chicago Avenue on the South Side.