Biking in Chicago 

Mayor Richard M. Daley, an avid cyclist, has put Chicago on track to becoming one of the most bike-friendly cities in the nation.  Since taking office, Mayor Daley has spearheaded the Bike 2015 Plan, which calls for the installation of 500 miles of bikeways (dedicated and shared bike lanes, bike route signage, off-street bike trails) and over 10,000 bike racks citywide by the year 2015.

Click here to learn more about biking in Chicago, including the city's newest bike sharing system, Chicago B-cycle!

Walking Around Chicago 

In addition to its bike-friendliness, Chicago is also a recognized pedestrian-friendly city.  For several years now, Chicago has been ranked by Prevention magazine, in partnership with the American Podiatric Medical Association and Sperling’s Best Places, as one of the top 5 “Most Walkable Cities in America.  Chicago’s Department of Transportation (CDOT) continues to promote walking as a fun, healthy, safe and environmentally-conscious way of getting around by establishing a Pedestrian Advisory Council, instituting the Safe Route Ambassadors program and making crosswalks safer for pedestrians, among other things.  CDOT is currently soliciting public feedback for a Chicago Pedestrian Plan slated for release in the near future.  For more information about the city’s pedestrian-friendly programs and other ongoing efforts, visit CDOT's website.

Public Transit 

According to the Chicago Department of Environment’s Chicago Climate Action Plan, an increase of 30% in public transit ridership reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 0.83 million metric tons.  Chicago residents and visitors have every reason to leave their cars behind and let the nation’s second largest public transit system get them to where they need to go.  The Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) network of bus and train lines works in conjunction with Metra commuter rail and suburban Pace buses to service every Chicago neighborhood and surrounding communities.  Additionally, the CTA’s entire hybrid bus fleet runs on Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD), a significantly cleaner fuel that generates fewer harmful engine emissions.

Source: City of Chicago SustainLane Submission, August 2008.

Car Sharing 

When walking, biking, and public transportation are not an option, more and more Chicagoans are relying on car-sharing services like iGo and Zipcar for their commuting needs.  In addition to saving thousands of dollars a year on insurance, gas, car payments and maintenance, statistics show that car-share users tend to drive less, choosing, whenever possible, a combination of public transportation, walking or biking to get around whenever possible.  Every car shared is one less car emitting harmful greenhouse gases. 

iGo has conducted research over its last four years of operation that have shown that:

• Every iGo shared car replaces 17 cars on the road.
• 25% of users increased their walking.
• 14.5% increased their biking.
• 17.6% increased their public transit usage.
• iGo users reported driving only 9.6 miles pers week, or 500 miles per year, compared to the typical Chicago car owner that logs 10,000 miles per year.
• Car sharing reduces traffic congestion, which in turn, reduces the amount of gasoline used and wasted. 

Source: iGo

Chicago's Green Airports

Travelers passing through Chicago O'Hare International Airport can rest assured that one of the nation's busiest airport systems has been taking meaningful steps toward becoming greener.  The environmentally-friendly initiatives undertaken in the modernization of O'Hare Airport are outlined in a landmark 'Sustainable Design Manual' created in 2003.  To learn more about the greening of O'Hare, click here.

Visitor Tips

There are many ways visitors can help Chicago become even more of a Green city. We offer five simple tips that anyone can use to reduce their impact on the environment, and five Green things to do while having fun in Chicago.