Bike the Drive spotlights alternatives for DuSable Lake Shore Drive as planners reopen options

# Overview

Bike the Drive — the Active Transportation Alliance's annual event that opens all eight lanes of DuSable Lake Shore Drive to cyclists — brought thousands of people onto the lakefront and renewed attention to choices about how the city rebuilds that stretch of roadway. The ride served as both a reminder of the recreational value of a car-free shoreline and a public demonstration of demand for alternatives to the current motor-vehicle-first layout.

# What changed in the planning process

# What advocates are asking for

• Converting at least two existing motor vehicle lanes into dedicated transit lanes so buses can avoid congestion.
• Reconfiguring the highway into a lower-speed, multimodal surface boulevard that prioritizes people walking, biking, and taking transit.

Groups such as Better Streets Chicago and supporters of a "More Lakeshore Less Drive" approach point to examples elsewhere where elevated or high-capacity car infrastructure was removed or reimagined to create more accessible waterfronts.

# On-the-ground politics: alder participation

Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th) actively participated in Bike the Drive activities. He met constituents for a pre-ride gathering in Lincoln Square and rode a portion of the route. Vasquez described Bike the Drive as an opportunity to introduce neighbors who may be hesitant to join the event and to promote participation.

Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th) is noted in coverage as another North Side alder connected to the conversation, and multiple alderpeople with pro-biking positions have appeared at related events and fundraisers. The visible presence of local elected officials indicates the lakefront redesign will remain a political issue as planning resumes.

# Where this goes next

Public input shown during Bike the Drive and the recent comment period gave advocates leverage to press for substantive changes. Policymakers and planners now face a sequence: revise technical alternatives, continue outreach, and weigh political and funding realities before reaching a new recommendation.

# Practical takeaways

• Expect more public meetings and outreach as IDOT, CDOT, and CMAP develop revised options.
• Transit-first changes such as bus-only lanes would immediately improve reliability if implemented during reconstruction.
• A full boulevard conversion would require broader planning, design, and funding commitments and faces higher political and technical hurdles.