Oak Park discusses contested bike‑plan update; Harvard Avenue parking loss sparks prolonged debate

Village of Oak Park staff and consultants presented a draft update to the village bike plan and heard several hours of public comment on recommended short-term projects, most prominently a proposed striped bike lane on Harvard Avenue that would remove on-street parking on significant stretches.

What staff recommended: the short-term (0–5 year) network in the draft plan includes striped bike lanes on Harvard Avenue (Maple to Humphrey, with some exceptions at schools), a striped bike lane on Augusta Street (removing some parking between Harlem and Keeler), and a mix of neighborhood greenways elsewhere. Consultants from TY Lin presented the technical approach and design guidance used to develop an “all ages and abilities” network, noting the plan uses traffic volume, speed and street geometry benchmarks derived from NACTO guidance to recommend facility types.

Alternatives and staff compromise: staff presented three alternatives for Harvard: (1) the Transportation Commission recommendation — striped bike lane most of the way (with marked shared lanes near schools), (2) a shorter striped segment concentrated between Clinton and Oak Park, or…