BELMONT CRAGIN — When Becca Bowlin moved just a few blocks away from Cicero Avenue four years ago, the first thing she noticed was all the cars.

Bowlin said Cicero Avenue, which is part of Illinois Route 50, is dominated by car repair shops, used car lots and vacant parking lots. There aren’t many local stores or restaurants to visit, and heavy traffic and lack of tree cover make walking along the road unpleasant, she said.

A new report led by the city’s Department of Planning and Development hopes to help transform the busy corridor into a more pedestrian-friendly area with more family-friendly businesses, restaurants and green space.

The Cicero Avenue Land Use Study encompasses the 2.75-mile stretch of Cicero that goes from Irving Park Road to the Grand/Cicero Metra Station. The study area includes the 26th, 30th, 31st, 36th and 45th wards and the Belmont Cragin and Portage Park community areas.

City Planner Benjamin Corpuz said the Department of Planning started hearing feedback on Cicero Avenue from alderpeople last year.

Alderpeople said the corridor struggles with vacancies and a lack of retail and restaurants, driving residents to leave the area when they want to shop or eat out, Corpuz said.

According to city data, 31 percent of businesses along Cicero Avenue between Irving Park Road and the Grand/Cicero Metra Station are automotive-related while only 18 percent are dining or drinking-related.

The Department of Planning launched a community survey in June to get feedback on Cicero Avenue. The department held a community meeting and presented initial survey findings Tuesday at Lloyd Elementary School.

The survey received just over 300 responses. Many respondents said they would like to see more family-friendly businesses they can walk to, dine-in restaurants, green space and housing along the corridor.

The survey is open to respondents until Sept. 30. It is available here in English, Spanish and Polish.

A community meeting was held to discuss the Cicero Avenue Planning Study on Sept. 16, 2025. Credit: Molly DeVore/ Block Club Chicago

Caroline Kuby, who’s lived in the Kilbourn Park neighborhood for about nine years, said she often feels “penned in” by Cicero Avenue because she doesn’t feel safe crossing the busy road.

“It’s essentially a four-lane highway,” Kuby said.

Kuby said the sidewalks along the road are broken and littered with trash, and the lack of trees and green space makes walking along the road unbearably hot in the summer.

Bowlin, who also lives in Kilbourn Park, said she would like to see some of the parking lots along Cicero converted into small “pocket parks.” Cicero Avenue also needs more crosswalks with curb bump-outs to make them more visible as drivers use the long road to commute and often don’t stop for pedestrians, she said.

The Department of Planning will hold another community meeting at the start of next year to present all the survey findings. Corpuz said the Cicero Avenue Land Use Study will likely be presented to the Plan Commission for adoption later next year.

Once the plan is adopted, the Department of Planning will work with alderpeople to apply for relevant grants and bring the plan to life, Corpuz said.

“It’s going to be a long road ahead, but we want to create a vision for the corridor,” Corpuz said.

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