Pedestrian Safety Improvements on Sheridan Road

Sheridan Road is one of the densely populated streets in Chicago, and home to a number of vulnerable populations including older adults. Pedestrian safety on Sheridan Road is a top priority of our office, and we are collaborating with neighbors, community leaders, and CDOT on a number of initiatives to slow down cars, create pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, and organize our streets to improve safety for all users:

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New Speed Camera

• We are adding a speed camera to Sheridan Road between Glenlake and Granville in Spring 2025. The location of the speed camera was determined in collaboration with CDOT and the community, and will ticket speeders going both north and south-bound. 

• There are 8 new speed limit signs that have been installed near the speed camera.

Decorative Cross-Walks

• In 2024, the community voted to add decorative cross-walks to five intersections on Sheridan Road. These cross-walks give the street a pedestrian-friendly look and feel that reminds drivers that there are people here. This $240,000 project was on the ballot during the first ever 48th ward participatory budgeting vote. The decorative cross-walks will be installed in 2025 at the locations listed below. 

• Sheridan & Rosemont

• Sheridan & Granville

• Sheridan & Glenlake

• Sheridan & Thorndale

• Sheridan & Ardmore

• Decorative cross-walks on Bryn Mawr including Sheridan & Bryn Mawr are currently on the Participatory Budget ballot for consideration.

Broken Speed Indicator Replacement

• We are replacing the broken speed indicator that was at 6147 N Sheridan Road. This speed indicator was hit by a car and broken beyond repair. We have ordered a replacement and expect it to be installed in Spring 2025. The speed indicator will work in collaboration with the new speed camera to slow down cars on Sheridan Road.

New Bike Signage

• We have installed/replaced 13 signs up and down Sheridan Road reminding cyclists that there is a $200 fine for riding a bike on Sheridan Road.

• We have installed three new directional signs to point cyclists towards the bike path.

• Granville & Sheridan - Two Signs

• Thorndale & Sheridan - One new Sign; One Existing Sign

• In collaboration with local community groups along Sheridan Rd, we have distributed friendly “Walk Your Wheels” signs to remind bicyclists, skateboarders, and scooter-riders to walk, not ride, on sidewalks. If you would like to display a “Walk Your Wheels” sign, contact our office.

Increased Walk Time at Sheridan & Glenlake

• We worked with CDOT to review and design a new timing plan at Sheridan & Glenlake. This resulted in increasing the “walk” time for crossing Sheridan by 3 seconds (12 to 15 seconds). This was done by shifting 3 seconds of green time from Sheridan to Glenlake.

Audible Cross-Walk at Sheridan & Balmoral

• The community is voting on whether or not to install a new $180,000 Audible Cross-Walk at Sheridan & Balmoral through the Participatory Budget process. If the community votes to move forward with this project, it will be installed in late 2025 or 2026.

Traffic Light at Sheridan & Balmoral

• In March 2025, we replaced the missing traffic light that hangs over the street at Sheridan and Balmoral.

Improvements at Catalpa & Sheridan

• We worked with CDOT and community members on a traffic study at Catalpa and Sheridan which resulted in the following:

• “Stop Ahead” Pavement Markings in the approach to Catalpa for north and southbound traffic

• New “Stop Ahead” signage for northbound traffic

• Re-positioning of the “Stop Ahead” sign for southbound traffic to enhance visibility

• In 2026, we plan to install decorative cross-walks at this intersection. We are coordinating the timing with DWM and CDOT based on other projects on the block.

Referendum: Pedestrian Safety Proposal for Sheridan & Bryn Mawr

• We included a referendum on the 2025 Participatory Budget ballot asking neighbors if they want to revisit a project from 2017. The project includes pedestrian safety improvements on Bryn Mawr between Sheridan and DLSD including at the DLSD on-ramp. The results of the vote will determine next steps.

Secured CPD Bike Patrol

• We have worked with the 20th District to secure bike patrol along the Lakefront including Sheridan Road south of Thorndale. The bike patrol will include ticketing cyclists riding on the sidewalk.

Organizing our Streets

Cyclists on the sidewalks on Sheridan Road and Foster are a major issue in the 48th Ward. In the past, signage and fines have been used as the main deterrents to prevent cyclists from going on the sidewalk. However, we see this as a band-aid solution that doesn’t address the core issue. 

At the core of this issue is a major gap in the Bike Grid. There is currently no east-west route to the Lakefront Trail in Edgewater, and this prevents cyclists from knowing exactly where to cross Sheridan Road. The lack of a clear route results in cyclists arriving at and crossing Sheridan Road at every intersection as they head towards the Lakeshore Trail. When cyclists reach Sheridan Road and find that it’s too dangerous to bike in the street, they choose to cycle illegally on the sidewalk, which has resulted in cyclist and pedestrian collisions and injuries. 

To address this issue, we are working closely with CDOT and neighbors on the creation of two new east/west routes from the North Shore Channel Trail to the Lakefront Trail. These new routes will encourage cyclists to cross Sheridan Road at two locations, Ardmore and Berwyn, preventing them from ending up on the sidewalk. When we organize our streets with clear spaces for pedestrians, cars, and cyclists, we keep us all safer.

You can read more about these two new projects here: 

• Berwyn Greenway: The Berwyn Greenway has been partially installed and will be complete in 2025. When complete, the Berwyn Greenway will create a bike path from the North Shore Channel Trail to the Lakefront Trail. Part of the project will include a new traffic signal at Ashland and Berwyn to allow cyclists and pedestrians to safely cross Ashland. Another part of the project still in the works is the connection of the trail between Berwyn and the Lakefront Trail in the meadows. This part of the project is under Chicago Park District jurisdiction, and they are committed to playing their part to complete the vision/goals for this project. When complete, signage and paint will clearly indicate the parts of the path for pedestrians and the parts of the path for cyclists. 

  Granville Pedestrian Safety: The Granville Pedestrian Safety Project will be implemented in 2025. The project will connect the North Shore Channel Trail to the Lakefront Trail via the already existing bike paths at Kenmore/Winthrop and Ardmore.

Plow the Sidewalks Pilot

• Alderwoman Manaa-Hoppenworth worked with her colleagues in City Council to pass the Plow the Sidewalks Pilot, which will include Sheridan Road from Foster to Montrose. This pilot program will take place in winter 2025/2026. The North Side Pilot area is bounded by Foster to the north, Marine Drive to the west, Montrose to the south, and Dament to the west. You can read more about the Plow the Sidewalks pilot here.

Reversible Traffic Lanes on DLSD

• The rush hour reversible traffic lanes at the entrance to DLSD were closed in summer 2024 during resurfacing. This resulted in traffic backing up along Sheridan Road, creating an unsafe environment for all. Alderwoman Manaa-Hoppenworth advocated for the return of the reversible traffic lanes, and they were put back in place in early 2025. 

Resurfacing on Sheridan from Bryn Mawr to Montrose

• Arterial resurfacing of Sheridan Road from Bryn Mawr to Montrose is scheduled for 2026 after the completion of a Department of Water Management project. In the meantime, our office has been diligently filling potholes until a complete resurfacing can happen. Please continue to report all pot holes to 311 or to our office.

Upgraded Arterial Lighting

• Upgraded arterial street lighting is schedueld to be installed on Sheridan from Catalpa-Berwyn in late 2025/early 2026.