The Chicago Lakefront Trail (LFT) is a partial shared use path for walking, jogging,

skateboarding Skateboarding is an extreme sport, action sport originating in the United States that involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard, as well as a recreational activity, an art form, an entertainment industry Profession, job, and a ...

, and cycling, located along the western shore of

Lake Michigan Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the east, its basin is conjoined with that o ...

in Chicago, Illinois. The trail passes through and connects Chicago's four major lakefront parks along with various beaches and recreational amenities. It also serves as a route for bicycle, skateboard and personal transporter commuters. On busy summer days 70,000 people use the trail. The LFT is located wholly within the Chicago city limits and spans from 7100 South/2560 East to 5800 North/1000 West. It is a dedicated-use path, although frequent intersections do pose a threat to path users. These intersections are clearly signed both to path users and motorists. From north to south, it runs through

Lincoln Park Lincoln Park is a park along Lake Michigan on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. Named after US President Abraham Lincoln, it is the city's largest public park and stretches for seven miles (11 km) from Grand Avenue (500 N), on the south, ...

, Grant Park, Burnham Park, and Jackson Park.

History

In 1963, Mayor Richard J. Daley designated the LFT as the city's first official bike path. Over the years it grew in popularity. In 2017 and 2018 the Trail Separation Project sought to add capacity and increase safety by providing separation of bike and foot traffic lanes, utilizing both widened, dedicated lanes and in some areas newly constructed and separately dedicated path sections. An additional improvement was added with the construction of the Navy Pier Flyover, a dedicated bridge over the Chicago River. From Wacker Drive to Illinois Street the Lakefront Trail shared the pedestrian sidewalk on lower-level

Lake Shore Drive Lake Shore Drive (officially Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable Lake Shore Drive, and called DuSable Lake Shore Drive, The Outer Drive, The Drive, or LSD) is a multilevel expressway that runs alongside the shoreline of Lake Michigan, and adjacent to ...

. In order to reduce the conflicts between pedestrians and bicyclists, and avoid the very busy intersections at Illinois Street and Grand Avenue, the Chicago Department of Transportation started designing the Navy Pier Flyover in 2000. This bridge runs alongside the upper level of Lake Shore Drive from north of the Ohio Street Beach to Illinois Street, and then alongside the lower level of Lake Shore Drive as it crosses the Chicago River, with an exit in the middle serving Navy Pier and

DuSable Park DuSable Park is a former commercial and industrial site, at the mouth of the Chicago River that has been the subject of environmental remediation and is awaiting redevelopment into a park. The project, first announced in 1987 by Mayor Harold Wash ...

.Navy Pier Flyover presentation
/ref> Construction began in spring 2014 and was originally planned to be completed in 2018.Navy Pier Flyover website
/ref> The project experienced multiple delays, but was finished in May 2021.

Attractions

Some attractions along the path (listed from south to north) are the

South Shore Cultural Center The South Shore Cultural Center, in Chicago, Illinois, is a cultural facility located at 71st Street and South Shore Drive, in the city's South Shore neighborhood. It encompasses the grounds of the former South Shore Country Club. The South Shor ...

, the Museum of Science and Industry, McCormick Place, Soldier Field, Chicago's Museum Campus, Monroe Harbor, Navy Pier, Belmont Harbor, and the Waveland Clock Tower. The Lakefront Trail connects most of the Chicago beaches and three skate parks (31st Street, Grant Park, Wilson Avenue). Several dog parks are accessible from the trail.

Maintenance

Path maintenance is provided by the Chicago Park District. The Lakefront Trail is open 24 hours a day, but the parks and beaches along the path close at 11 PM.

Gallery

References

External links

Chicago Park District's Lakefront Trail Map
{{Bicycling in Chicago Bike paths in Chicago Parks in Chicago Parks in Cook County, Illinois Central Chicago North Side, Chicago South Side, Chicago