SOUTH LOOP — A project to install bike lanes in the South Loop has been paused — with some previously installed lanes being removed — to reassess their design and placement in at least one intersection, city officials told Block Club.
Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd) said she requested that the city’s transportation department pause in-progress bike lane construction on 18th Street between Clark Street and Indiana Avenue in the fall, saying she made the ask on behalf of constituents who expressed concerns to her over safety and mobility in the area.
Dowell said the decision was made to ensure easy passage for emergency vehicles such as ambulances, police and fire vehicles in the area. The Chicago Department of Transportation paid for the bike lane protection removal, said Dowell, deferring additional questions about costs and timing of the work to the agency.
n-progress construction of protected bike lanes at 18th and Wabash Ave have been paused, causing concern among advocates who say the infrastructure keeps cyclists safe. Credit: Jamie Nesbitt Golden / Block Club Chicago
In response to questions, a CDOT spokesperson issued a statement that described “recent adjustments” at the 18th Street and Wabash Avenue intersection as “part of the agency’s standard project monitoring and evaluation to ensure safe and efficient operations for all users.” The agency did not answer questions about the project’s price tag.
The spokesperson said construction on the South Loop project would continue into the spring but didn’t specify when the work would resume.
Dowell informed residents in October that protected bike lane construction on 18th Street between Clark Street and Indiana Avenue would be paused and a portion of the installation would be removed as it was causing a disruption.
In an email to residents, Dowell wrote that was being done after she fielded safety and mobility concerns from neighbors and that she was working with the CDOT to “reassess the design and placement of the protected bike lane to ensure the safety and accessibility of all people who use” 18th Street.
A still from a video of bike advocate Viktor Kövas biking 18th Street last fall. Kövas said the protected bike lanes have had a positive impact on traffic at the intersection. Credit: Provided.
Website engineer and avid cyclist Viktor Köves passes the intersection at 18th and Wabash several times a year. The longtime Logan Square resident launched a YouTube series in 2024 offering a glimpse into the lives of cyclists across the city.
Köves said he noticed a clear improvement in traffic patterns once the protected bike lanes were installed. Köves recently filmed a short video of himself biking the affected areas for advocacy group Bike Grid Now. In the clip, Köves passes stretches of unfinished concrete protections and painted lane markings, occasionally encountering a parked car partially obstructing the lane.
“The intersection was working pretty well, and drivers were taking turns slowly and cautiously, which is the point of a protected intersection design,” Köves said. “I think some people might not have liked it, but I think that is a different question than, ‘Is it an effective design?’ ‘Is it impeding traffic?’ You kind of have to flip that question on its head.
“The goal of a protected intersection design is not to improve traffic. The goal is to save lives and create a safer space in an urban environment.”
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