Types of Bikeways

There is no one-size-fits-all design for Chicago’s bikeways. Each segment of the bike network is planned and designed with consideration for neighborhood context, surrounding land use, connectivity to other bikeways, and access across large barriers like expressways and arterial streets.

Corridors with higher motor vehicle traffic need separate spaces for people to bike comfortably. Quieter side streets can be made into neighborhood greenways by calming motor vehicle traffic with speedhumps and curb extensions. The different types of bikeways in Chicago are described here.

Protected Bike Lanes

Dedicated space for people biking that is physically separated from vehicles on higher traffic streets. Lane separation can be created with concrete barriers, plastic curbs and bollards, and by shifting parking lanes further from the curb.

Person riding bike towards viewer in curbside bike lane with concrete curbs separating bike lane from vehicle travel lane.

North Broadway Avenue

Adult and two children riding a cargo bike on a bike lane painted green, separated from the vehicle travel lane by a low concrete barrier and plastic bollards

West Roscoe Street

Person riding towards viewer on a blue Divvy bike in a bi-directional protected bike lane with concrete separating them from the vehicle travel lane

West Grand Avenue

Neighborhood Greenways

With a few simple upgrades, residential streets can become low-stress alternatives to arterial roadways. Priority for cyclists is created with traffic calming for motor vehicles, enhanced signage, special pavement markings, and sometimes facilitating two-way bike travel on one-way side streets.

Adult and three children riding a cargo bike with a neighborhood traffic circle in the background

North Glenwood Avenue

Traffic Calming

Traffic calming infrastructure, including neighborhood traffic circles and curb bump-outs, may be installed as part of Neighborhood Greenways. These treatments improve crossing distance for people walking, better-organize traffic, and promote safer speeds at intersections.

Street with green painted bike lane and bike symbol leading up to signalized intersection

West Dickens Avenue

Raised Treatments

Many Neighborhood Greenways include raised treatments like speed humps and raised crosswalks. This infrastructure serves to slow down drivers and cyclists, emphasizing the presence of people walking in the neighborhood and improving safety along the greenway.

Person biking on road in advisory bike lane with dashed lines and cars in background

West Erie Street

Advisory Bike Lanes

Advisory bike lanes are found on narrow two-way streets where drivers must slow and move to the right to pass one another. Drivers must check for cyclists on the right, slow and let them pass before moving into the dashed lane. After the cars pass each other, they move back into the center lane. Watch this video to learn more.

Off-Street Trails

Off-street trails are car-free spaces for walking and biking. Chicago has over 50 miles off-street trails including the Major Taylor Trail, the 606, and the famous Chicago Lakefront Trail.

Line of people biking away from viewer on a trail with trees and flowers surrounding

North Shore Channel Trail

Person biking towards viewer on elevated trailand person walking with stroller away from viewer with trees surrounding

The Bloomingdale Trail at the 606

Lakefront Trail

Bike Lanes

Dedicated on-street spaces for cyclists demarcated with signs, striping and pavement markings.

Person biking away from viewer in bike lane on street lined with cars and trees

North Winthrop Avenue

Striped Bike Lane

North Clark Street

Dashed Bike Lane

Person biking away from viewer behind CTA bus

West Chicago Avenue

Shared Bike-Bus Lane

Buffered Bike Lanes

On-street bike lanes flanked with additional space to give cyclists more clearance from the door zone and moving traffic.

Person biking in green bike lane with building in background

North Milwaukee Avenue

Person biking towards viewer in bike lane with CTA bus in vehicle travel lane

West Division Street

Person biking towards viewer in a bike lane that is buffered with wide striped areas creating more space between the parking lane and the travel lane

South Halsted Street

Marked Shared Lanes

Marked shared lanes have pavement markings and signs that emphasize the presence of cyclists and their right to use the full travel lane. Drivers must yield to cyclists when pulling over to park, pass with care, and slow to accommodate oncoming cars and bikes in the shared space.

Street with bike symbol markings on the roadway

West Pratt Avenue

Marked Shared Lane

West Jackson Boulevard

Marked Shared Lane

West Winnemac Avenue

Marked Shared Lane

Featured Design Elements

Contraflow Bike Lanes

Contraflow bike lanes are designed to allow bicyclists to travel against the flow of motor vehicle traffic on one-way streets. Signs and signals alert drivers to contraflow bicyclists at intersections. This practice creates more direct, low stress connections in neighborhoods.

Person with biking away from viewer on a neighborhood street with a dashed yellow line separating the contraflow lane from other traffic.

West Ardmore Avenue

Person biking towards viewer with in a bike lane with a double dashed yellow line separating the cyclist from oncoming vehicle traffic.

North Leavitt Avenue

Family biking in a marked contraflow bike lane on a residential one way street. Signs say, do not enter except bikes.

North Glenwood Avenue

Intersection Treatments

view of intersection with two green boxes containing bike symbols and arrows

Bike Turn Boxes

Bike turn boxes are located at intersections where bike turns may be challenging. Cyclists should proceed when the light turns green straight across the intersectionand reposition bikes in the new direction. When the signal turns green, cyclists can proceed through the intersection in the new direction.

Bike Boxes

At some intersections, a green-painted space an the edge of the intersection is designated for cyclists to stage during a red light for better visibility. Drivers should stop at the stop bar in advance of the bike box.

Person biking on road through intersection

Dashed Markings

Dashed bike markings at an indicate a shared space between motorists and bicyclists. They can be used at intersections to indicate the proper path for cyclists at a complex intersection and to encourage drivers to use caution, particularly when turning.