An Analysis of Bicycle Safety in Chicago

For many years, bicycling in the United States has been viewed as a recreational activity or a child’s means of transportation. Cycling for many is best left to park trails and cul-de-sacs. While commuting by bicycle may be starting to slowly catch on, urban cycling is still perceived by most people as being too dangerous. The lack of safe and adequate on-street bicycle facilities causes a large number of accidents in Chicago every year, discouraging many people from using the bicycle as an alternative mode of transportation. Therefore, safer bicycle infrastructure is needed to promote cycling as an economically and environmentally beneficial mode of alternative transportation in Chicago. The main purpose of this study is to broaden the knowledge on bicycle crashes in Chicago and contribute to the improvement of safety conditions for bicyclists in this city. The specific research question it seeks to answer is: How effective is the existing bike infrastructure for bike safety in Chicago? To make this investigation, the study uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis and mapping technology, to analyze the effectiveness of bicycle infrastructure and investigate locations with high bicycle accident occurrences. This study aims to help transportation professionals make recommendations for improving bike mobility and safety.