"Metropolitan Chicago's congestion is among the worst in the nation. Monitors show that for more than 11 hours per day, more than 20% of our highway system is congested. Peak-period travel times are 150% of free-flow times. Moreover, unstable traffic flow, crashes, disabled vehicles, and other problems cause variations in travel times, requiring more time to be budgeted for trips."
"Each Urban Mobility Report reviews procedures, processes, and data used to develop the best estimates of the costs and challenges of traffic congestion, improving them when possible. The methodology was revised in 2008/9 to improve the public transportation methodology."
"This paper summarizes survey results from over four thousand drivers in 10 major U.S. cities. Although there are many well-documented congestion studies using government statistics and sophisticated data estimation techniques, including one issued in 2009, few explore the issues from the perspective of the commuter. As a result, IBM commissioned its second annual study in an effort to better understand the effects of traffic congestion from the perspective of U.S. commuters."
"Traffic is inevitable -- but not all congestion is bad. Retailers thrive on bustling streets, and, up to a point, the more people and goods moving through a neighborhood, city or region, the healthier its economy."
"Since the demand for the rail system in the Loop has almost met its ceiling capacity during peak hours, and the Loop area concentrates a high percentage of total bus passenger boardings, improving bus Level-of-Service (LOS) in the Loop area is crucial to enhancing passenger mobility in the City of Chicago."
The 2009 Bike Counts Project took place primarily on streets with marked on-street bikeways, but included two locations - 130th Street and 43rd Street - that currently do not have marked on-street bikeways but are being considered for future facilities.
The Bike 2015 Plan is the City of Chicago's vision to make bicycling an integral part of daily life in Chicago. The plan recommends projects, programs and policies for the next ten years to encourage use of this practical, non-polluting and affordable mode of transportation.
"The purpose of these guidelines is to suggest the means for providing the bicyclist with safe, pleasant, recreational and utilitarian bicycling.
Read and browse PDFs of reports and studies looking at Chicago traffic and how best to battle congestions.