WICKER PARK — Over the past five years, the city has steadily doled out an increasing number of tickets to motorists who illegally parked in protected bike lanes, according to data obtained by DNAinfo Chicago through a Freedom of Information Act request.
In 2015, the city issued 2,473 tickets for the violation, which carries a $150 fine, through the middle of December. That's slightly higher than in 2014, when 2,331 tickets were issued and more than double than in 2011, when 1,115 tickets were issued, according to the data.
Source: Chicago Department of Finance [DNAinfo/Tanveer Ali]
"Is it just organic, logical growth, or is it because [the city] is truly enforcing more?" said Yasmeen Schuller, president and owner of The Chainlink, which recently called on cyclists to submit photos and videos of vehicles parked in bike lanes. "These aren't huge numbers if you think about how big the city of Chicago is."
In Wicker Park, Bucktown and Ukrainian Village, a total of 186 tickets were issued to motorists who parked in bike lanes between 2010 and 2015, with the majority of those tickets occurring along Milwaukee and Damen Avenues.
Over a 14-block-long stretch from 900-2300 N. Damen Ave., 96 tickets were issued.
Over an 8-block stretch from 1000-1800 N. Milwaukee Ave., 81 tickets were issued.
Over a 9-block stretch from 1500-2300 W. Armitage Ave., 7 tickets were issued.
Over a 9-block stretch from 1500-2300 W. North Ave., 2 tickets were issued.
No tickets were given to cars parked in bike lanes from 1500-2300 West Chicago Ave.
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