Chicago Bike Map: Official Map, Bikeway Types and Route Planning Apps

Chicago does not have one bike map. It has an official printed map, an interactive one, and routing apps built outside City Hall. Use the City’s map to see what exists, and an app to get from A to B. More routes are in Routes & Trails.

The official map

The Chicago Department of Transportation produces a free Chicago Bike Map every spring¹. Besides bikeways, it shows bike shop locations, CTA and Metra stops and Divvy stations¹. A PDF of the 2026 map and a Spanish-language version are online¹.

Hard copies are available while supplies last at aldermanic offices and at bike shops throughout the city¹. Ward offices, bike shops, libraries, community organizations and businesses can request a bulk order for pickup¹. The same page carries an interactive map of the existing network¹.

How big the network is

Chicago counts over 500 miles of installed or under-construction on-street bikeways and off-street trails¹. CDOT tracks mileage by type and updates the figures quarterly¹.

Bikeway type	Miles, December 2025
Protected bike lanes	68.71
Neighborhood greenways	85.21
Buffered bike lanes	106.51
Bike lanes	138.51
Marked shared lanes	47.01
Off-street trails	55.31
Total	501.21

What the lane types mean

CDOT says there is no one-size-fits-all design for the city’s bikeways². Each segment is planned around neighborhood context, land use and connections to other bikeways².

Protected bike lanes. Dedicated space physically separated from vehicles on higher-traffic streets². Separation comes from concrete barriers, plastic curbs and delineators, or parking lanes shifted away from the curb².

Neighborhood greenways. Residential streets made into low-stress alternatives to arterial roads². Priority for cyclists comes from traffic calming, signage, pavement markings and sometimes two-way bike travel on one-way side streets².

Buffered bike lanes. On-street lanes with extra space for clearance from the door zone and moving traffic².

Bike lanes. Dedicated on-street space marked with signs, striping and pavement markings².

Marked shared lanes. Pavement markings and signs that emphasize cyclists’ right to use the full travel lane². Drivers must yield to cyclists when pulling over to park, pass with care, and slow for oncoming cars and bikes².

Advisory bike lanes. Found on narrow two-way streets where drivers must slow and move to the right to pass one another².

Off-street trails. Car-free paths. Chicago has over 50 miles of them, including the Major Taylor Trail, the 606 and the Lakefront Trail². See the Lakefront Trail guide and The 606.

CDOT also uses contraflow bike lanes, which allow two-way bike travel on one-way streets, and bike turn boxes at intersections where turns are difficult².

Apps for routing

The Mellow Bike Map was started by John Greenfield of Streetsblog through a crowdsourcing effort⁴. It favors side streets that are low-speed and low-traffic, with speed cushions and traffic circles⁴. Its own pitch is Google Maps routing through quiet side streets⁴.

The Center for Neighborhood Technology runs a Chicago Bike Routes map with layers for CDOT lane types, the Mellow map and lower speed limits⁵. It offers cycling directions⁵. It also installs on a phone as a Progressive Web App⁴. The Transit App routes cyclists on crowd-sourced low-stress routes⁴.

Google Maps often suggests routes that are unsafe or uncomfortable for an average rider⁴. Check any suggested route against the official map.

Lakefront Trail maps

The lakefront trails have their own maps. They run from Ardmore Avenue on the north to 71st Street on the south⁶. The Chicago Park District publishes a map for each section, from Lincoln Park through Grant, Burnham and Jackson Parks, and a symbols guide to review before you ride⁶. The mileage guide puts those sections in order.

Where the network is growing

CDOT describes the bikeway program as over 500 miles and growing faster than ever³. More than half of the network’s expansion has been on the South and West sides³. Of planned projects, 85% are protected bike lanes and neighborhood greenways³. On Belmont, protected lanes and bus islands now run 1.8 miles from Milwaukee to Western³.

CDOT deploys specialized vehicles to sweep and plow protected bike lanes, Monday through Friday³. Its SAFE Ambassadors team gives free learn-to-ride lessons to adults and children³. For lane-by-lane detail, read Chicago bike lanes, and for ride ideas see the best bike rides in Chicago.