Naperville City Council adopts updated bike and pedestrian plan
Naperville City Council members have adopted a refreshed bike and pedestrian plan.
Council members approved the update on Oct. 20. It introduces more than 100 infrastructure projects to make Naperville more bike-friendly, including 15 miles of new bike lanes, 37 miles of new side paths and trails, 32 miles of new low-stress, on-street routes for bikes, and 12.2 miles of upgrades to existing bike infrastructure.
The plan also includes recommendations regarding crossing improvements at 10 intersections and feasibility studies for future projects such as an off-street path through downtown to the West Branch DuPage River Trail.
It calls for a feasibility study for a pedestrian and bicycle tunnel under the railroad tracks between Washington and Mill streets, as proposed by Councilman Patrick Kelly.
“At a high level, I’m very excited about the plan,” Kelly said. “It’s something that’s been in the works for a long time, many years, and I’ve been asking for probably every six or nine months for the last few years when it’s going to get here, so it’s exciting that it’s here tonight.”
These projects total about $54.3 million and are meant to be done over the next 20 years, although none of the projects in the plan are guaranteed for implementation.
“This plan basically provides us with the road map, not a ‘these are the exact projects that we’re looking at,’” said Sydney Smith, project manager for Naperville’s Transportation, Engineering and Development Department.
Some projects are focused on enhancements to existing routes in the city’s bike network, such as improving signage and pavement markings from the South Branch of the DuPage River Trail to the Naperville Metra station
Other recommendations, like adding new bike lanes along Bailey Road from Plainfield-Naperville Road to Modaff Road, are more engineering-intensive and will need more in-depth review and public input before the city can pursue them.
During the Oct. 20 meeting, one Naperville resident spoke out against a proposed project to add a bike lane along West Jefferson Avenue, noting that it likely would result in reduced parking on his street.
“Look, our homes are really close together. Driveway space is already pretty limited. Street parking accommodates our families, guests, contractors and service professionals,” Brian Bohr said. “Removing it could lead to obstructed sidewalks, real accessibility concerns and legitimate questions about property values.”
The Wil-O-Way Homeowners Association submitted a written comment to the council indicating widespread opposition in the neighborhood to the bike lanes on Jefferson Avenue and River Road.
In response to these concerns, city staff emphasized that any projects pursued by the city would have further in-depth review before being finalized.
Improving bicycle access in Naperville has been a priority for the city in recent years, with city officials including it in their community priorities plan. In Naperville’s 2023 community survey, 63% of residents rated the ease of biking in Naperville as “good” or “excellent.” In the 2026 community survey, that number dropped to 52%.
cstein@chicagotribune.com