Changes to a busy street in one Chicago neighborhood are sparking outrage with some community members.
The street upgrades are being undertaken on Archer Avenue between 47th Street and Western in Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood.
The city says they’re needed to address safety concerns, but some residents and small business owners say the bike lane barriers specifically are making the neighborhood less accessible.
A group presented a petition with more than 3,400 signatures to the office of Chicago Ald. Julia Ramirez on Monday.
The petition calls for newly installed concrete barriers for bike lanes to be removed.
“We are not against people who ride bikes, but this is not the solution,” said resident Maria Martinez.
“People come and don’t know where to park,” said Juan Castro with Monterrey Bakery.
Claudia Zuno says there should have been more outreach from the city. Zuno is running for alderman of the 12th ward.
“The community supports safety for cyclists, drivers and pedestrians but they also want solutions that reflect the reality of a working-class neighborhood, a major trucking corridor and a business district that depends on easy access,” said Zuno.
Ramirez issued the following statement to NBC Chicago:
“The ‘Complete Streets Project’ is designed to support safer travel for all modes of transportation and deliver long-term improvements for the corridor. We have released an updated improvement revision of the project focused on three priorities: improving traffic flow, enhancing pedestrian safety, and expanding parking availability. This is a safety-driven effort responding to longstanding concerns and community feedback.”
According to a FAQ page on the CDOT website, Ramirez held a series of public meetings along with the department in 2024 and 2025 to discuss traffic safety and accessibility issues on Archer and Kedzie Avenues, allowing the public to discuss the changes.
CDOT also administered an online survey in both English and Spanish on the project, and held pop-up visits to neighborhood parks to speak to residents.
The project will add seven new pedestrian refuge islands on Archer, along with eight new crosswalks. The changes are designed to shorten crossing distances and to increase protection for pedestrians.
The project is also adding new dedicated left-turn lanes to allow traffic to continue flowing along Archer, separating those vehicles from through traffic.
Curb extensions will also be installed to slow right turns onto and off of Archer, and will make pedestrians more visible to motorists.
Protected bike lanes are also being implemented to protect cyclists from large trucks and other vehicles, and to discourage those cyclists from using sidewalks in the area, helping pedestrian safety as well.
The City’s Department of Transportation also issued a statement:
“CDOT is nearing completion of a comprehensive traffic safety project along Archer Avenue, designed to address longstanding safety concerns, crash patterns, and support safer travel for all modes of transportation. The project addresses critical safety and mobility issues affecting pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, and drivers, such as wide crossings, excessive speeding, and unsafe passing. In coordination with the 12th Ward, and in response to community feedback and field observations, beginning this week, CDOT is making targeted modifications to improve traffic flow at select intersections and expand on-street parking at key destinations.”
