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Miles and Miles of Fun, Every Sunday
Weekly program would exclude cars in favor of biking and other activities

By Carlos Cuarta

For the past several months, Chicagoland Bicycle Federation has been working to build support for something we call Sunday Parkways. Borrowed from programs in Latin America, the idea of Sunday Parkways is to return the avenues to the community for a few hours every Sunday, when a network of streets is closed to traffic - becoming completely car-free.

Our initial proposal is 7 miles long. If successful, the hope is to expand the route over the next two years to 30 miles and later 60 miles, along routes that extend north to south and east to west, across Chicago. The expanded route will link city amenities, such as museums, cultural centers, diverse neighborhoods, artistic venues, recreation areas, parks, sports facilities and the Lakefront Trail.

Sunday Parkways promotes a healthier, more active life in and around the city with the participation of everyone, regardless of social status, age or physical ability. People can participate as an individual, as a family or as a group.

In Bogota, Colombia, where this program originated, physical activity stations - such as calisthenics, yoga and dance aerobics - are scattered along the route.

There are other lifestyle-related activities such as health screenings and information stations on nutrition and well-being. The avenues are filled with thousands of walkers, runners, skaters, bikers and joggers. Bogota’s Ciclovía Dominical has enjoyed great success since its inception in 1980. Nowadays, the trail covers 75 miles, and 500,000 participants turn up every Sunday. An identical Sunday program in Guadalajara, Mexico also has grown significantly.

The success of this kind of program depends on the joint efforts of a dedicated team of volunteers, who are responsible for redirecting traffic away from the route, supervising the trail, staffing hydrating stations, delivering first aid, etc.

Can Sunday Parkways happen in Chicago or the suburbs? The Healthy Streets Campaign is working towards a 2006 Sunday Parkways pilot with the city of Chicago and organizations in Logan Square and Garfield Park. A route has been proposed along the city's boulevard grid, starting at Kedzie Boulevard in Logan Square and continuing along Humboldt, Sacramento, Franklin and Douglas boulevards. This will take participants through the area's parks - Humboldt, Garfield and Douglas - and neighborhoods bursting with diversity and ethnic flavor.

Recently, Mayor Richard M. Daley charged the Chicago Department of Environment to research the feasibility of Sunday Parkways.

Sunday Parkways could become the foremost festival of active living and recreation in the city and suburbs. Are you ready to make it happen?

Carlos Cuarta is the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation liaison to the Hispanic community. Translation service provided by Bilingual Accent On Spanish.