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A $75,000 Cook County grant will be used to install shared bike lanes, a people spot and bike racks in the Devon-Central business district.

Alderman Anthony Napolitano’s chief of staff Chris Vittorio said that these improvements make sense given that the recent extension of the North Branch Trail should bring more bicyclists to the area.

"We want to make it inviting for bicyclists to come to Downtown (Edgebrook) and frequent the businesses," he said.

The area’s roadways are too narrow to have a dedicated bike lane and there are no plans to remove traffic or parking lanes for the project due to the high congestion that already exists there, Vittorio said. Instead symbols would be installed on the roadway reminding drivers that they are sharing the lanes with bicyclists, he said.

The people spot, which can include benches and landscaping, would be located on the parkway near Devon and Kinzua avenues and will serve as a gathering place, Vittorio said. They are normally situated on temporary platforms that are installed in a parking lane, but plans call for a more permanent structure since it will not be in the roadway, he said.

A community meeting will be held after the city Department of Transportation has completed initial plans for the project, with construction expected to occur next year, Vittorio said.

County Commissioner Bridget Gainer (D-10) recommended the grant.















