Community Groups and Organizations Call for Protected Bike Lanes on Lincoln Avenue

A group of community groups, organizations, and local businesses are calling for protected bike lanes to be implemented in the imminent Lincoln Avenue Streetscape and Plaza project, which calls for a variety of improvements to Lincoln Ave. between the Ainslie Arts Plaza (Western Ave.) and Catalpa Ave. in Lincoln Square. This is a crucial opportunity to significantly improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians as outlined in the 2019 Lincoln Square Master Plan, and we believe protected bike lanes must be a key component of the project along Lincoln.

While we are encouraged by the increasing amount of support Aldermen Vasquez (40th) and Martin (47th) have shown for improving Chicago’s pedestrian and bike infrastructure, we remain concerned that CDOT continues to exclude critical upgrades from this streetscape project’s final design. In a letter, we’ve outline our demands for this project and hope to reinforce their support for protected bike lanes on Lincoln by communicating to CDOT and IDOT what we expect of Chicago’s transportation infrastructure.

Residents have made their desire for improved bike infrastructure clear, and CDOT must become a proactive partner in that effort and honor calls from them to build protected bike lanes in the final plans for the Lincoln Avenue Streetscape Plan.

We are living through a series of crises, from cost-of-living and traffic violence, to congestion and the climate crisis. Building a network of protected bike lanes is essential to address these challenges, allowing more people to take advantage of low-cost transportation options, reducing congestion and emissions, and increasing safety by reducing the number of people who drive.

If your organization or business would like to add your name in support, email us at info@betterstreetschicago.org