To the Chicago 2016 Committee:

Part of the excitement of hosting the Olympic Games is embracing the fact that the whole world’s watching.

We have a vision that would leave a lasting legacy and dramatically increase Chicagoans’ quality of life by expanding transportation options and rethinking the way we use public space. Those are some big ideas; but we are, after all, living in the city where Daniel Burnham suggested that we make no small plans.

Our vision would allow us to welcome visitors with a transportation network filled with options and convenience. Tourists and new Chicagoans would know that they could count on fast, clean transit; they could feel at ease knowing that Chicago offers public bikes and vast transportation options for everyone, regardless or age or ability.

We have reviewed the bid the Committee submitted to the International Olympic Committee, and we have some key proposals to add to the bid that would ensure this legacy.

                                                                                                 Illustration by Taylor Ekena

Pedestrian Plazas
Imagine streets filled with people walking through busy areas of restaurants, local stores and public art without impediment by car or taxi traffic. The creation of two to three pedestrian plazas in the city will reinvigorate local shopping, encourage physical activity, and reduce air pollution. Let us also pilot several home zones where local, residential streets or small business streets are designed so that pedestrians, bicyclists and transit riders are fully prioritized. These models are working wonderfully throughout Europe.

A true transit explosion
We envision a time when, instead of reaching for the steering wheel, people automatically reached for their transit fare card. This would require a transit system that is so accessible, dependable and fast that driving would be a chore. Our transit systems currently carry almost 2 million people every day. During the Olympics, anywhere between 1.5 million and 2 million additional transit trips are taken. This is the perfect moment to invest in the future of Chicagoland’s transit.

We urge the Committee to consider new funding for transit. No new Olympic transit funding is included in the bid. Transit agencies estimate that $1 billion per year is required just to maintain our region’s system at its current capacity. Without new revenues, our transit system won’t be able to carry the same number of people that it does today, much less the increased Olympic ridership.

Bus rapid transit
We applaud the Committee for including express buses (or bus rapid transit) in its bid. These buses will transport athletes and Olympic personnel. However, the lanes would then be removed after the Olympics. We propose that the city use these lanes to launch a world-class bus rapid transit system: 100 miles of routes that would share space with bicyclists, creating 100 miles of protected and semi-protected bicycle lanes through the use of raised lanes or other forms of physical separation.

Bike sharing
Our proposed legacy includes the creation of a citywide bicycle sharing system that rivals that of Paris. We would like to see 5,000–10,000 bicycles at more than 1,000 stations throughout the city. The city has been talking about it for years; let us use the Games as way to finance this public capital project. New portable models would allow us to create stations near Olympic venues and move them to other areas of need after the Games.

Accessiblity
The goal is to make this the most accessible Games ever, and we are excited to hear CTA commit to making all 144 stations accessible to people with disabilities. At the moment, 54 stations aren’t yet accessible. We urge the Committee to match this commitment with the necessary funding. Each overhaul could cost $5 million to $50 million. That number could increase, however, especially when one considers stations that will be expected to accommodate thousands of people on their ways to the Olympic stadium.

We are not the only ones kicking ideas like these around; so our vision also includes bringing the best brain trust together to fine-tune these proposals, explore other best practices and take the steps to create a long-lasting legacy of which we all can be proud.I invite you to share this vision and utilize the advocates in this world-class city to make the 2016 Olympics the best thing that ever happened to Chicago.

Yours in cooperation,

Rob Sadowsky
Executive Director