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Rahm Boasts of Topping 100 Miles of Protected Bike Lanes

By Ted Cox | October 9, 2015 10:06am
 CDOT officials say they've topped 100 miles of protected bike lanes.
CDOT officials say they've topped 100 miles of protected bike lanes.
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Chicago Department of Transportation

CITY HALL — Mayor Rahm Emanuel boasts that the city has topped the century mark for protected bike lanes.

Building on news first announced by Transportation Commissioner Rebekah Scheinfeld during City Council budget hearings, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Friday that the city has completed 103 miles of protected bike lanes.

"Investing in bike lanes is essential to growing Chicago’s economy and improving our quality of life," Emanuel said in a statement. "We have made tremendous progress toward expanding our bicycle network for all Chicagoans, and we will continue to work towards making Chicago the most bike-friendly city in America."

According to the Mayor's Press Office, the city is closing in on 300 miles of designated bike lanes citywide, including 46 miles of off-street trails, 50 miles of designated shared lanes and 20 miles of barrier-protected bike lanes.

"Protected-bike-lane projects are making streets safer and more comfortable to ride on, walk on and drive on," Scheinfeld added. "Where protected lanes have been installed, we have seen a reduction in traffic crashes for all modes of transportation."

Scheinfeld said the city total of 292 miles of bike paths has contributed to Chicago being named the No. 2 most bike-friendly city by Bicycle Magazine.

According to the Chicago Department of Transportation, the 55th Street barrier-protected bike lane has led to a 32 percent drop in crashes since 2012. The department has set a "Zero in Ten" goal of eliminating all traffic fatalities in the city by 2022.

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