Bike Advocacy
Southwest siders face all sorts of barriers to cycling in our neighborhoods, from streets that end abruptly at factories or freight lines to a lack of bike- and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure. But riding in our communities is possible, and we’re hosting monthly community bike rides to prove it. We’re planning family-friendly routes that stick to the side streets and only cross major streets like Archer at traffic lights or stop signs.
Join us from March through November 2024 for a season of rides west of Cicero Ave. in Garfield Ridge and Clearing. Our rides kick off at 10am and go approximately 3-5 miles—or about 30 minutes at a leisurely pace.
our next ride:
May 4 @
lawler park
chicago bike grid now!
The Southwest Collective has joined forces with the folks from Chicago, Bike Grid Now! to advocate for a safe, accessible, and connected grid of pedestrian- and bike-friendly streets. We hosted a bike jam in Gage Park in 2022 and helped organize a south side Tour de Grid ride in 2023 to bring attention to the need for safer streets.
EXPLORE OUR bike ROUTEs
Can’t make one of our monthly rides? No worries—we’ve mapped out our routes so you can ride safely and comfortable whenever you have the time. Remember, all of our routes are family-friendly and accessible, which means they stick exclusively to the side streets and only cross major streets at a traffic light or a stop sign. Enjoy!
SAFE STREETS 4 ALL
The Southwest Collective is proud to advocate for safer streets throughout the southwest side—and all across Chicago—as part of the Safe Streets 4 All Coalition. We’ve signed on to a platform that calls for protected bike lanes, more robust public transit, and street design that will reduce dangerous speeding.