Chicago City Wire

Mayor Brandon Johnson announced the completion of a significant safety project on Milwaukee Avenue in River West, marking the 100th mile of bikeways completed during his administration. This milestone is part of a broader effort to expand Chicago’s housing and create more pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods while aiming to reduce traffic fatalities.

“Reaching this milestone is a reflection of my administration’s commitment to growing and improving our city’s bike network while making it easier for Chicagoans to embrace diverse transportation options,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “We are taking on the responsibility to ensure our roads are reliable, accessible, and most of all safe for pedestrians, bikers, and drivers. Through our investments in affordable housing and safer infrastructure we are increasing density and walkability while building a safer and more affordable city for all Chicagoans.”

The city plans to surpass 500 miles of total bikeways by the end of 2025. According to the Chicago Cycling Strategy, 82% of new projects will be low-stress bikeways such as protected bike lanes or neighborhood greenways. This year, the city expects to install a record number of these facilities, including 15 miles of new protected bike lanes and 22 miles of neighborhood greenways.

Chicago has seen a notable reduction in traffic fatalities since their peak in 2021. Fatalities have decreased by about 30%, outpacing national trends where U.S. traffic deaths have dropped by an estimated 8% from 2021 levels (https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/early-estimate-traffic-fatalities-2023). Preliminary data for 2025 indicates that there were 64 traffic fatalities through August, including 22 pedestrian deaths—both figures represent the lowest year-to-date totals in over ten years.

The administration has also focused on expanding public transportation access. The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) secured federal funding for the Red Line Extension Project, which will add four fully accessible stations on the Far South Side over a stretch of 5.6 miles. In July, Mayor Johnson attended the opening of four new accessible Red Line stations on the Far North Side as part of ongoing modernization efforts.

Under Acting CTA President Nora Leerhsen, staffing levels for rail and bus operators have nearly returned to pre-pandemic numbers as ridership rebounds as well (https://www.transitchicago.com/news/cta-ridership-update-july-2025/). Additionally, Mayor Johnson signed an executive order aimed at reducing smoking on public transit.

Affordable housing remains central to Mayor Johnson’s strategy for making Chicago more livable for working residents. During summer 2025 alone, partners completed construction on 422 new affordable units with another 1,600 under development. The administration continues reforms through its “Cut the Tape” initiative designed to streamline housing development processes.

In July, City Council reduced minimum parking requirements near CTA stations—a move intended to lower construction costs and allow developers to build more units per project (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-08-26/to-boost-housing-chicago-kills-parking-minimums). The mayor is also advocating for expanded accessory dwelling units across Chicago.

The Department of Planning and Development is working with community groups and local officials on zoning changes along Broadway in Edgewater and Uptown that would permit denser multi-family housing developments.

A recent ordinance introduced by Mayor Johnson established Chicago as the first major U.S. city with a social housing model funded by a $1.25 billion bond program. This initiative includes a revolving loan fund managed by an independent nonprofit aimed at encouraging mixed-income environmentally friendly developments; $135 million in loans will be issued under this plan.

For further information about ongoing projects or safety programs visit https://chicago.gov/completestreets.

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