Walkable and bike-friendly communities support safety and evnironmental goals

Safe and accessible bicycle and pedestrian networks are important components of our region’s the transportation system. From enjoying a bike ride on a regional trail to walking to the bus stop to shopping in your local downtown business district, walkable and bike-friendly communities offer economic, environmental, and quality of life benefits to residents and visitors. 

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) is working with its partners to develop transportation policies and designs that serve all users — pedestrians, bicyclists, scooter riders, people who use wheelchairs, people accessing public transit, and more. Supporting non-vehicle modes of transportation also contributes to regional climate goals by making greener alternatives to driving a more viable option.

Greenways and trails

The Northeastern Illinois Regional Greenways and Trails Plan envisions a network of continuous greenway and trail corridors providing scenic beauty, natural habitat, and recreational and transportation opportunities.

Walkable communities

ON TO 2050 recommends developing compact, walkable communities that provide safe and convenient access to jobs, services, housing, and transportation. Changes in our regional population, as well as shifting housing preferences, are expected to make walkability a high priority. Thoughtful planning around sidewalks, downtown business districts, transit, and parking can bring these communities to life.

Complete Streets

The Complete Streets design approach supports walkable communities by thinking about roadways as they related to biking and walking, land use and development, and society.

Greenhouse gas emissions

Walking and biking — whether to a destination or to access public transit — support regional goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. CMAP conducts a regional greenhouse gas inventory to understand emissions in the region, and is responsible for planning transportation investments that help meet regional air quality goals. This includes awarding funding to projects that improve pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and safety.

Regional sidewalk inventory

The regional sidewalk inventory documents approximately 30,000 miles of roadways in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties to determine where sidewalks exist and whether those sidewalks have a barrier from vehicles. This inventory is available on the CMAP Data Hub to help communities plan transit and development and make safety and accessibility improvements.

Transportation project funding

CMAP awards federal funding to advance projects that improve pedestrian and bicycle access to transit, improve bicycle infrastructure, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program funds projects that improve air quality and roadway congestion, and the Carbon Reduction Program focuses on reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The Transportation Alternatives Program funds non-motorized transportation projects, including the Northeastern Illinois Regional Greenways and Trails Plan. The Surface Transportation Program Shared Fund targets projects that address gaps in regional greenways and trails network due to physical barriers (such as a waterway, highway, or railroad) to bicycle and pedestrian movement.