A Plan to Bike the Length of the Chicago River by 2030

The Chicago River is attracting some of the city's most creative visions for the future. The second plan in recent months proves the potential of the river as an open space asset.

2 minute read

October 25, 2016, 2:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Chicago

Natapong Ratanavi / Shutterstock

Mary Wisniewski reports on a new effort in Chicago to restore the Chicago River. The premise that opens the article: that while Chicago's lakefront is a triumph of planning as the city's frontyard, the river has suffered from long neglect.

Though Daniel Burnham included riverfront promenades in his 1909 Plan for Chicago, most of the land along the river has long been inaccessible or unappealing — a mix of scrub trees and litter, industry and private property. The river was known mainly for pollution, and the fact that it was engineered to flow backward.

Wisniewski's discussion about the Chicago River is set in the context of a new plan for a "continuous bike and pedestrian trail along the entire 27-mile Chicago riverfront by 2030." The plan by the Active Transportation Alliance aims to make the river the city's backyard.

"The ideas for new trail segments range from the more easily achievable — developers on the riverfront south of the Loop including a trail as part of their project, for example — to more complicated ideas such as putting stationary or floating docks over the water in places where it is tough to build on land," according to Wisniewski.

The Chicago River Trail plan builds on another big plan for the Chicago River announced in August. The "Our Great River" plan included a discussion of a continues trail along the river but the "Alliance's preliminary report took it a step further and supplied details about how it could work."

Monday, October 24, 2016 in Chicago Tribune

Sweeping view of Portland, Oregon with Mt. Hood in background against sunset sky.

Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary

Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.

March 12, 2024 - Housing Wire

Aerial view of green roofs with plants in Sydney, Australia.

Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024

A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.

March 10, 2024 - Daily Journal of Commerce

Cobblestone street with streetcar line, row of vintage streetlights on left, and colorful restaurant and shop awnings on right on River Street in Savannah, Georgia.

Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts

From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.

March 12, 2024 - Strong Towns

Aerial View of Chuckanut Drive and the Blanchard Bridge in the Skagit Valley.

Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding

The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.

March 18 - The Seattle Times

Historic buildings in downtown Los Angeles with large "Pan American Lofts" sign on side of building.

Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly

The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.

March 18 - Beverly Press

View from above of swan-shaped paddleboats with lights on around artesian fountain in Echo Park Lake with downtown Los Angeles skylien in background at twilight.

LA's Top Parks, Ranked

TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.

March 18 - TimeOut

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.