Best Streets for Biking in Chicago

A familiar internal debate: Elston Ave., or... something else?

For many Chicago cyclists, the diagonal streets: Lincoln, Milwaukee, Elston, are the preferred routes, simply because they shave distance off of the commute (remember Pythagoras?). While generally faster and more efficient, these streets also tend to be favored by motorists trying to avoid highway congestion, and they are punctuated by complicated and decidedly cyclist-unfriendly three-way intersections where they happen to intersect two other major streets running on the grid pattern.

The problem you run into in Chicago when you choose smaller streets, at least on the north and north-west side of the city, is that most of them dead end at either I90/94, or the Chicago River, or both. There is a handful of "happy medium" streets that offer a good compromise. Here are some of my favorites:

• Sacramento. A nice little spur from Elston to Milwaukee, in case you've gotten sick of one and are a ready for the other. Sacramento gets you conveniently under the highway at a point where there is only one little-known ramp for cars. (If you're going further south than Milwaukee, you have to make some choices around Humboldt Park, as Sacramento abruptly turns into a boulevard with heavy car traffic.)
• Bryn Mawr. A great street from getting to the lakefront from the north-west side of the city. But it dead-ends at Rosehill Cemetery! Pssst... just go right through the cemetery (you didn't hear it here). Very few cars, nice scenery, quiet, and you'll come out right around Ravenswood. I hear they plow, too. (Note: this route is currently under construction at the train crossing at Kostner, while the Valley Line bike path is being built. You will have to dismount and cross the mess on foot.)
  

  

  
  
• Granville. Good way to get from east to west Rogers Park. Traffic-calming round-abouts have been installed, and the street has traffic lights at most major crossings. At Kedzie, ride two blocks south, and join the riverfront path that takes you underneath Lincoln Ave, and all the way to Lawrence.
• Cortland-Armitage. Probably the best way to get from Bucktown to the lakefront. It gets you under the highway (a little snarly right at this point, but no car ramps), and over the river. Jog north half a block when you get to Racine, and make a right on Armitage. It gets busy with all the little stores, but cars aren't pulling it an out of big parking lots like they do on Elston. It's a little slower going, but much more pleasant then the alternatives like North or Fullerton.
• If I had to chose a north-south street, it would have to be Damen: few shopping outlets along the way, room for only one lane of cars each way, and decent amount of room between moving traffic and parked cars.

To virtually explore other good streets for cycling, visit the Chicago Bike Map.

Comments

[bike liker]

great post! these mid-level streets are indeed the best, but take a little work to discover.

[Jennifer]

Off the top of my head...

N-S:
Halsted
Wabash
King Drive
Drexel (via Oakwood)
Lake Park (watch out for enormous potholes going north)
Lakefront Path (it's nicer down here)

E-W:
Taylor
Roosevelt (if you're feeling brave)
18th
Garfield Blvd (fast but not for the traffic-shy)

Diagonal streets go diagonally everywhere, but I like Shouth Shore Drive.

[Justyna]

Thanks, Jennifer, for the quick rundown of streets south of Madison. My knowledge of south-side streets is very dated, I'm afraid. If anyone else has favorite routes, especially lesser known ones, feel free to leave your suggestions.