On a Roll: Partnering with CDOT for a Bike-Friendly Chicago

By Stacey Meekins, National Director of Planning; Siddharth Shah, AICP, Senior Planner; and Mark Bennett, AICP, Senior Planner

The numbers are in—biking is soaring in Chicago!

According to a new analysis by Replica for the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), which Sam Schwartz helped coordinate, biking is up 119% since 2019, the biggest increase among the 10 largest US cities over this period. Crucially, this expansion in biking has been broad-based; every neighborhood in the city has seen an increase, as has every age group. Trips are up 166% among non-white cyclists and have more than tripled for zero-auto households.

These numbers are no accident; they are a testament to CDOT’s dedication to making biking a safe, enjoyable option for more Chicagoans. For our team, they are also an encouraging milestone in a long-term, wide-ranging relationship with the Department (and key partners like Replica and Lyft) which has spanned data analytics, policy, design, outreach, and education.

Below, we review some of the core elements of CDOT’s cycling work, as well as ways we’ve partnered with the agency on sustainable mobility.

Chicago Cycling Strategy + focus on low-stress bike facilities:

At the heart of Chicago’s work to expand biking is its Cycling Strategy, published in 2023. Focused on building a safe transportation system to equitably provide mobility across Chicago, the Strategy has 3 pillars: a continuous, citywide network of bikeways connecting neighborhoods to regional destinations; inter-neighborhood bikeway networks facilitating local trips; and low-stress options (trails, greenways, protected lanes) that ensure safe, convenient travel. To realize this vision, the City plans to implement 150 miles of new bikeways in the coming years, most of which will be low-stress facilities. The City has also converted most of its protected bike lanes to concrete to provide a higher degree of safety and comfort.

In support of this focus on better facilities, Sam Schwartz has contributed to the design of bike lanes across Chicago. Key corridors have included Randolph St.—part of a comprehensive multimodal overhaul of this iconic thoroughfare in the rapidly-transforming West Loop neighborhood—and Central Park Ave., which runs past the main entrance to the Garfield Park Conservatory, one of the city’s premiere recreational facilities and tourist destinations.

Divvy Bikeshare:

The Divvy bikeshare system is now the largest by area in North America, encompassing over 800 stations and 15,000+ bikes and scooters. Users took 6.6 million trips last year, a 70% increase from 2019. In addition to installing new stations to extend the service area, Chicago is expanding Divvy’s reach by adding thousands of new bikes and converting e-bike only parking stations to provide both electric and non-electric options. The City has also continued to grow the Divvy for Everyone program, which offers heavily discounted memberships for income-qualifying residents and now has 5,500+ participants.

Sam Schwartz has worked with CDOT on bikeshare for over a decade, helping the City plan system expansions, manage data, and coordinate station installations and moves. Our team helps CDOT locate bikeshare stations using a layered data approach using various criteria including current bikeway infrastructure, transit connectivity, traffic safety, and incorporating existing demand data. Additionally, our team has supported CDOT in developing updated system service-level agreements to enhance operations and customer experience.

Bike Chicago + SAFE Ambassadors:

As part of one of the largest bike distribution programs in the country, by 2026 Bike Chicago will distribute 5,000 bicycles, as well as safety and maintenance equipment, to age and income eligible residents. Demand has far exceeded supply; more than 19,000 applications for bikes were sent in 2022.

The Bike Chicago program has been a perfect complement to the SAFE Ambassadors’ Learn to Ride programming. Learn to Ride, managed by Sam Schwartz, is a progressive series of on-bike trainings, including a training program for kids and for adults in a secure environment, followed by on-street skills building classes.

Stakeholder coordination:

Credit: Replica

Sam Schwartz facilitates the relationship between CDOT and private-sector partners like Replica.

Based on our long experience with CDOT, we helped guide Replica’s analysis of cycling data to zero in on the metrics most relevant to the Department’s goals, including those centered around safety, equity, and multimodality.