Proof that words matter—especially in court—came when Chicago tried to redefine bike lanes as recreational facilities.
Brendan Kevenides shares news on an interesting anecdote from the legal annals of Chicago's bike infrastructure that speaks to the contested definitions of multi-modal transportation. "In a hearing last week in the Circuit Court of Cook County the City of Chicago sought to have all of the bicycle lanes installed throughout the City declared 'recreational facilities.'"
"The effect of this creative legal maneuver would have been to immunize the municipality for injuries to bicyclists caused by the City’s failure to keep its bike lanes safe for riders," adds Kevenides.
Kevenides is an attorney at Freeman Kevenides, a law firm that represents "bicyclists, pedestrians, and other vulnerable road users." The law firm represented a bicyclist "injured when she struck a large water filled hole located in the middle of a marked bike lane at 1124 North Damen Avenue," which prompted the city's semantic defense.
In the end, a Cook County judge denied the city's attempt to define bike lanes as recreational facilities, and upheld the city's responsibility to maintain bike lanes under the penalty of actionable liability.
FULL STORY: Chicago Cannot Deny Responsibility For Bike Lane Hazards
Chicago Sees Record Shared Bike, Scooter Use
Riders took over 11 million bike share and scooter trips in 2024.
Winter Cyclists Test Out New Chicago Bike Lanes
A new protected bike lane in the Logan Square neighborhood is seeing significant use, even in below-freezing temperatures.
Chicago Leads Nation in Biking Growth
Cycling as a mode share grew faster in the Windy City over the last five years than in any other major U.S. metropolis.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Research: Walkability Linked to Improved Public Health
A study reveals that the density of city blocks is a significant factor in communities’ walkability and, subsequently, improved public health outcomes for residents.
Report Outlines Strategies for Resilient Wildfire Recovery in LA
Project Recovery offers a roadmap for rebuilding more sustainable and climate-resilient communities after wildfires and other disasters.
New Executive Order Renews Attack on Public Lands
An order issued late last week pushes for increased mineral extraction on federally owned public lands.
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.
Florida Atlantic University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Piedmont, CA
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland