Chicago saw lowest number of bicyclist deaths in years — but activists push for zero
It’s not unusual for half a dozen or more bicyclists to lose their lives on Chicago streets each year — and a 55-year-old man tragically joined that roster earlier this month.
But beyond obviously being emotionally wrenching to all those who knew the man, his death on Sept. 5 from injuries he suffered when he was struck by a car Aug. 24 in East Garfield Park is notable for another reason.
It was the only bicyclist death so for this year, suggesting what some hope signals the beginning of a decline in such fatalities.
Some even contend the number of all traffic deaths in Chicago — cyclists, motorists and pedestrians — could be reduced to zero with the right improvements.
Others are more guardedly optimistic.
Before that August crash on the West Side, Chicago had gone 10 months without a cycling death. That was the longest duration without such a tragedy dating back to at least the beginning of 2019, the earliest year available from the city’s daily traffic crash data.
“Statistically, this drop appears too large just to be entirely good luck,” said Joseph Schwieterman, a transportation professor at DePaul University. “It’s not likely the fatalities will stay at this level, unfortunately, but this is encouraging.”
The sudden sharp decrease in cyclist fatalities follows a troublesome spike over the last few years. Chicago reported seven cyclist deaths in 2023, 10 in 2022, 11 in 2021 and eight in 2020. Between 2010 and 2019, the city averaged six cyclist deaths per year, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.
One factor contributing to the reduction could be the 50 miles of bike safety projects the Chicago Department of Transportation completed last year, including 27 miles of new and upgraded protected lanes — both annual records, said department spokesperson Erica Schroeder.
“I think it’s definitely a good sign and a reflection of the investments the city has been making in recent years,” Schroeder said. “But we’re always trying to make things safer and reduce crashes, and to make [bicycling] a more safe and comfortable transportation option for everybody.”
Activists acknowledge an improvement in bike infrastructure, but agree more needs to be done for Chicago to achieve its Vision Zero mission, an effort launched in 2017 that aims to eliminate all categories of traffic deaths by 2026.
At least 22 pedestrians and 41 drivers or passengers were killed in traffic crashes through July this year, according to city officials.
What needs to be done?
Installing a citywide protected bike lane network, adding more speed bumps and other traffic calming measures, and lowering the speed limit are among the changes that safety advocates say are paramount to reaching the goal of eliminating traffic deaths.
“Seeing the proliferation of protected bike lanes in parts of our city is really encouraging. It makes me feel so much safer to bike down Kedzie [Avenue],” said Alyssa Edes, 32, a cycling activist who lives in Lincoln Square.
On an August afternoon in 2013, Edes was riding home in a bike lane beside a line of parked cars on Lawrence Avenue, approaching Kedzie Avenue, when she slammed into a car door that someone suddenly swung open.
Edes was thrown off her bike and landed about 10 feet away on the street, where she was struck by another car.
She still deals with chronic pain and can no longer run.
“I think about my accident, to be honest, every time I get on my bike,” Edes said. “I’m a confident biker, but I feel so much more comfortable having infrastructure that does make it easier to not be hit by a car again.”
‘We can do this’
Improving cyclist safety would create safer streets for all types of travelers, advocates say.
“When we think about redesigning our streets to have a physically protected bike grid, we need to talk about how it’s going to be a win for drivers, for pedestrians and for transit riders and for cyclists … for everybody,” said David Teeghman, executive committee chair for Sierra Club Chicago, who turned to traffic safety activism after he was hit by a car last year in Lincoln Park.
Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st), chairman of the City Council’s Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety and an avid cyclist himself, has introduced several ordinances aimed to minimize traffic violence.
Most notably, he is proposing to change the city’s default speed limit from 30 mph to 25 mph, which many studies have shown can significantly reduce the likelihood of a pedestrian or cyclist being killed when hit by a car.
“What we’re currently doing in the city is working,” La Spata said. “We can do this [achieve Vision Zero]. The trajectory points towards zero or close to zero traffic fatalities in this city.”
A reported 119% increase in bicycling between 2019 and 2023 in Chicago further emphasizes the need for bike safety improvements, advocates say.
Studies show a majority of people would bike but choose not to because they don’t feel safe doing so, said Rony Islam, an organizer with Chicago, Bike Grid Now.
“Most people, they want to bike if they felt safe biking,” Islam, 28, said. “That’s just a huge untapped potential.”