Bike Lanes: Chicago, IL
This case study details the implementation of bike facilities in the City of Chicago under the Bike 2000 Plan, beginning in 1992. As of 2004, the date of the study, over 100 miles of bike lanes have been established. This case study details the planning process funding sources, results and recommendations for implementation.
When Chicago began building bike lanes in the mid-1990s, there was little public involvement and no comprehensive plan to guide decisions. Upon the approval of the Bike 2000 Plan, the city hired a Bicycle Program Coordinator, who quickly secured $125,000 to hire a professional consultant to prepare a plan identifying the best streets for installing bike lanes in Chicago. The consultant ensured that the selected streets were safe, had adequate traffic crossings and were wide enough, so that the bike lanes would not impact traffic. Funding was secured through the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program. The plan has been so successful that engineers have made the inclusion of bike lanes standard in road improvements.
This case is a good model for larger cities because it demonstrates the coordination between several actors and agencies, and how they worked together to form a comprehensive bicycle lane plan. One strength of this case study is the easily identifiable success factors, which are within the seven steps to implementation.
Because it is the most energy efficient form of travel, bicycling is a highly sustainable transportation method for people traveling within cities. Bicycling reduces the amount of gasoline used, the amount of emissions released into the atmosphere and the amount of air pollution in cities. Additionally, bicycle lanes reduce congestion, sprawl and deadly accidents. By installing bike lanes, cities promote "Smart Growth," which better allocates resources around urban centers.
The ability or potential of a physical body to do work. The most common forms of energy are heat, light, mechanical (moving parts), and electrical.
