Since September, Evanston has conducted more than 100 bike tallies at 33 locations and gathered community input from several joint ward meetings to revise its 2014 Bike Plan. City staff have analyzed trends in ridership and reviewed data to identify high-crash intersections and corridors.
The community input phase of the plan is complete, and city staff are now analyzing the collected data to identify areas and corridors for improvement. Following the engagement phase, staff will prepare a draft outline of the bike plan report, according to the city’s website.
The updated plan is set to be complete by mid-2026, and all improvements would take six to seven years to complete, according to Chris Sous, assistant city engineer and the plan’s project manager.
Chicago Avenue
The largest portion of the plan is the multimodal corridor improvements project which will extend the existing two-way protected bike lane on Chicago Avenue by 1.9 miles from Howard Street to Davis Street.
The two-way lane will run on the east side of Chicago Avenue. Car lanes would narrow from their current maximum of about 17 feet wide to 10 feet wide.
The project aims to enhance pedestrian and cyclist safety, as the corner of South Boulevard and Chicago Avenue is a high-accident intersection for cyclists and pedestrians, according to Evanston residents.
Church Street
The Church Street Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements project will create a two-way protected bike lane from Dodge Avenue to Evanston’s western city limits. The project will likely start in 2027, according to Sous.
Like the Chicago Avenue plan, Church Street improvements are currently in the design process.
West Evanston
A new shared-use trail will likely connect Church Street to Harbert Park. The trail would also connect the North Shore Channel Trail with Dodge Avenue along Church Street.
East-west Evanston Corridors
Potential new east-to-west corridors running through the 6th and 7th Wards were the most-discussed item at community meetings. Improvements along Lincoln Street, Isabella Street and portions of Central Street dominated these discussions.
Improvements to signs, bike racks and enforcement
Evanston residents have called for signage that more clearly indicates designated bike routes to both drivers and cyclists, including shared lane markings. Ward meeting attendees have also asked the city to coordinate with Evanston/Skokie School District 65 to add bike lanes in front of schools and more bike racks near school buildings.
The updated plan will address a current lack of vehicle code enforcement through increased signage and coordination with the Evanston Police Department on bike lane parking restrictions, according to Sous. It will also designate low-traffic neighborhood streets as “safe street” alternatives that connect to city bike routes, Sous explained at a March ward meeting.
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— 2026 Bike Plan Update receives bike-safety input from community members during joint ward meeting
