Bicycle Plan Implementation
Implementation Tiers
Starting with the regional corridors identified in the 2007 NWMC Bicycle Plan, the Active Transportation Alliance and NWMC staff worked with the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee and bicycle planners from other NWMC communities to identify challenges and opportunities for each of the corridors. Since the 2007 plan focused solely on Cook County, a special effort was made to identify potential bicycle corridors in Lake and McHenry counties.
While the 2007 plan identified desirable regional east-west bicycle corridors, the plan did little to address the feasibility and desirability of the corridors. Guided by municipal input, the 2010 NWMC Bicycle Plan provides a more thorough evaluation of potential corridors. The evaluation began by identifying the percentage of existing bicycle facilities in each corridor. Relying on local expertise, this plan identifies preferred routes within each corridor and identifies barriers to implementation. In addition, each corridor was evaluated on connectivity to regional destinations, trail networks and transit.
Based on the corridor evaluations, the 2010 plan includes a three tier system of corridor prioritization. The Tier One corridors are those with the highest regional impact and best opportunity to be implemented. All sixteen corridors are NWMC priorities, and the plan recommends regional bicycle facilities on each of them; however, the plan categorizes those corridors with the highest potential for implementation in the first tier. Ultimately, implementation of these regional corridors will rely on local initiative and regional coordination.
Tier One Corridors
| Corridor Name |
Golf Road |
| Description |
This corridor provides a central east-west trunk-line in the regional system spanning from the Fox River Trail to the Green Bay Trail. It connects through 13 municipalities, 12 of which are NWMC members. The corridor engages 8 regional destinations and is well served by Metra and CTA. The corridor offers reasonable connections to the local and regional trail network, but does have existing barriers with difficult crossings at a railroad viaduct near Oakton Community College and an I-290 underpass. There is an existing bike-friendly crossing over I-94 and I-294. |
| Municipalities |
Elgin, Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg, Rolling Meadows, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Des Plaines, Niles, Morton Grove, Skokie, Golf, Evanston |
| Percent Complete |
Preferred short-term alignment is approximately 55 percent complete |
| Interactive Map |
Click Here |
| Segment Summary |
 Click Here |
| Status Update |
Mount Prospect and Des Plaines received CMAQ funding in October 2011 to add nearly 3.5 miles to the corridor. Hoffman Estates is targeting a letting later this year for the Hassell Road bike lans project, which has STP funding. Evanston constructed a protected/buffered bike lane on Church Street from Dodge to Chicago in the summer and fall of 2012. Once programmed projects are completed, the corridor will be approximately 65 percent complete.
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| Corridor Name |
Higgins Road |
| Description |
This corridor serves to connect the Fox River and Dundee Rd. into the Busse Woods Forest Preserve, and makes the connection to the Howard/Sibley Corridor via Golf Rd. and Algonquin Rd. It spans five municipalities on the west end of the conference area making key connections in the NWMC member municipalities of Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates and Schaumburg. The corridor aligns with the proposed Metra Star Line and falls within reasonable proximity to the proposed Arlington Heights station. It also makes a good connection with the Pace Northwest Transit Station. The corridor offers reasonable connections to the Cook County Forest Preserve trail network, but has two difficult crossings over I-90. The crossing that exists at I-290 along the corridor is suitable for biking. |
| Municipalities |
East Dundee, South Barrington, Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village |
| Percent Complete |
Preferred short-term alignment is approximately 53 percent complete |
| Interactive Map |
Click Here |
| Segment Summary |
Click Here |
| Status Update |
Hoffman Estates constructed a sidepath between Apple St. and the village limits with Schaumburg, just east of Basswood St. .61 miles are programmed in the corridor, which will make the corridor 56 percent complete. |
| Corridor Name |
Deerfield Road |
| Description |
This corridor makes the connection between the Lake Michigan shore and the Jensen Forest Preserve. It serves as a prominent east-west connection that crosses through six municipalities (four of which are NWMC members). The corridor directly connects with three Metra stations in Highland Park, Deerfield, Buffalo Grove, and is well serviced by Pace routes. The corridor also is well connected to the regional trail network. Crossings at Skokie Hwy. and I-94 have suitable bicycle facilities. |
| Municipalities |
Buffalo Grove, Riverwoods, Deerfield, Highland Park, Long Grove, Palatine |
| Percent Complete |
Preferred alignment is approximately 86 percent complete, but upgrades needed on 19 percent of corridor. |
| Interactive Map |
Click Here |
| Segment Summary |
Click Here |
| Status Update |
The Lake County DOT secured Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) funding for a side path between Milwaukee Avenue and the Des Plaines River Trail. The Lake County DOT applied for additional ITEP funds in May. When this project is complete, the corridor will be 89 percent complete. |
| Corridor Name |
Howard/Sibley |
| Description |
This corridor serves to connect from the Higgins Rd. corridor terminus in Busse Woods Forest Preserve to the Lake Michigan shoreline. It spans seven municipalities, all of which are NWMC members, and is the southernmost east-west link in the regional system east of Busse Woods. The corridor offers reasonable connections to the Cook County Forest Preserve trail network, but has several difficult crossings over I-294, I-94 and the Des Plaines River. |
| Municipalities |
Elk Grove Village, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Des Plaines, Park Ridge, Niles, Skokie, Evanston |
| Percent Complete |
Preferred short-term alignment is approximately 68 percent complete |
| Interactive Map |
Click Here |
| Segment Summary |
Click Here |
| Status Update |
The Village of Niles has an STP project on the multiyear B list planning for bicycle facilities along Howard. |
| Corridor Name |
Fairfield/Quentin |
| Description |
This corridor is a central north-south regional connector that runs between the Schaumburg Metra station to the south and the Millennium Trail to the north. It connects through nine municipalities, of which five are NWMC members. The corridor offers reasonable connections to the local and regional trail network. While a barrier exists at the I-90 crossing, the corridor has been routed to another improved I-90 crossing. This results in a route that is not very direct but does make the necessary connections. |
| Municipalities |
Hawthorn Woods, Forest Lake, Lake Zurich, Kildeer, Deer Park, Palatine, Schaumburg, Rolling Meadows, Elk Grove Village |
| Percent Complete |
Preferred alignment is approximately 68 percent complete |
| Interactive Map |
Click Here |
| Segment Summary |
Click Here |
| Status Update |
Lake County has programmed engineering for one mile segment of the corridor between White Pine Rd. and Deer Park Rd. Lake County applied for ITEP funding in May for a segment of the corridor.
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| Corridor Name |
Skokie Valley Trail |
| Description |
This corridor serves to connect the City of Chicago north into Lake County. It spans 13 municipalities, nine of which are NWMC Members. It connects to CTA and Metra stations and provides good connections to the Cook County Forest Preserve trail network. |
| Municipalities |
Chicago, Glencoe, Glenview, Highland Park, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Lincolnwood, North Chicago, Northbrook, Northfield, Skokie, Waukegan, Wilmette |
| Percent Complete |
Preferred alignment is approximately 52 percent complete |
| Interactive Map |
Click Here |
| Segment Summary |
Click Here |
| Status Update |
Skokie completed a 1 mile segment of the trail between Dempster St. and Oakton St. Skokie and Lincolnwood have programmed projects with CMAQ funding to complete the southern portion of the Skokie Valley Trail between Oakton St. and Devon Ave.
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Tier Two and Three Corridors
On February 8, 2012 the NWMC Board approved the Northwest Highway Bicycle Facility Plan. The 2010 Bicycle Plan identified the Northwest Highway Corridor as a Tier Two Corridor. More details on the plan can be found here.