CHICAGO — After the death of three-year-old Lilly Shambrook in an Uptown bike lane crash in June 2022, Chicago politicians promised to crack down on bike lane violations. City Council passed the “Smart Streets” pilot program in March 2023, which aimed to issue $250 tickets for blocking a bike lane from North Avenue to Roosevelt, and the lakefront to Ashland Avenue.
“It would be cameras on fixed street poles, or city buses riding around the city, and capturing photos when someone is blocking a bike lane and report that out,” said Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th Ward)
16 months later, not a single ticket has been issued under the ordinance.
“It’s extremely disappointing,” Vasquez said.
Several aldermen who co-sponsored the legislation blame the delay on the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) having difficulty finding a vendor, and challenges with contracting.
“Our database has been live for seven years,” said Christina Whitehouse, founder of the non-profit Bike Lane Uprising. “It has collected 50,000 bike lane obstructions, between 7.5 to 23 million potential dollars in unrealized revenue.”
According to Vasquez, the technology the city has struggled to put in place isn’t a novel concept. In fact, it’s pretty common to see throughout the United States, and time is of the essence when it comes to getting it properly installed.
“It’s something other cities are doing. It’s not like we are trying to reinvent the wheel,” Vasquez said. “The fact it’s taking this long is going to cost us a lot more than time. It’s going to cost lives.”
Vasquez told WGN News he has requested a meeting with CDOT officials to discuss the delay.
A CDOT spokesperson told WGN News the department hopes to start the project this fall, after engaging in research, meeting with vendors, and completing the procurement process.