Year One Bikeways officially begin

The City of Chicago's construction of Year One Bikeways Projects officially began this past Friday with the installation of buffered bike lanes on Roscoe Avenue (see photo) and Campbell Avenue.

The first order of business in celebrating these new lanes is to give a huge thanks to 32nd Ward Ald. Scott Waguespack and 47th Ward Ald. Ameya Pawar for funding these projects with menu money.

After three successful pilot protected bike lane projects in 2011 (Kinzie Street, Jackson Boulevard and 18th Street), the city is now working on 21 miles of protected and buffered bike lanes and a neighborhood greenway.

With the first of the 2012 projects getting started on Roscoe Avenue, we expect to see new projects popping up regularly.
This marks an incredibly exciting time for the City of Chicago's goal of creating a world class bicycling network that will make bicycle transportation an option for all Chicagoans.

But it's critical that as advocates we remain aware that with every new protected bikeway that goes in, we have a responsibility to voice our support to the community and to our locally-elected officials.

Thanking your alderman for his or her support of bikeway projects is critical, and Active Trans will be regularly encouraging you to do so. We ask that you join us in that effort and encourage your friends, family and neighbors to do the same. (Find out who your alderman is.)

Another great way to make your voice heard in support of bikeway projects across the city is to join Active Trans' Neighborhood Bikeways Campaign.

Chicago is poised to become the most bicycle-friendly city in the country, but achieving that goal depends on our ability as advocates to ensure that new projects are well received. Active Tran is proud to be leading the charge, but we can’t do it without your help.