Know your bike commuting route.

Bike commuter gets a free bike map on the fly.

Bike commuting can be overwhelming at times with cars, buses, taxis, pedestrians and other bikes all vying for your attention as you ride. Not knowing where you are going just adds another level of stress to the ride. Fortunately, many municipalities are printing free bike maps that feature the best streets for cycling. Last week I was riding to work and the Bicycling Ambassadors were giving out free Chicago Bike Maps. Inspired by their enthusiasm, I stopped to talk with Morning, who was directing the group on the lakefront path. 

Members of the Chicago Bicycle Ambassadors team

Tell us about the Bike Ambassadors.
We work for the Parks District. Part of our job is to go to the lakefront trail and talk to people about transportation and biking in the city. Another part of the job is to go to different parks and teach kids about bikes. Occasionally, we come to the lakefront trail and hand out bike maps. 
How long does the program last?
We have a six week program, and some people participate for longer periods of time. 
How many maps have you given out?
About 260 maps today.
Have you seen any unusual bikes today?
Nothing crazy; just some tandems. 

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Chicago Bike Map - 2015 Edition

Chicago Bike Map
The map itself contains lots of useful information such as the safest roads for biking (streets with protected bike lanes or recommended routes), locations of bike sharing stations, bike shop locations and metra stations. There are over 111 miles of bike lanes in the city of Chicago, so there are many options for picking a bicycle-friendly route. 

You can access an online copy of the map or request a printed copy from the Chicago Dept. of Transportation. Many local bike shops also have copies available. 

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The Bicycling Ambassadors are a team of bicycle safety and education specialists who have been encouraging Chicagoans to ride their bikes more often and safely since 2001. The Bicycling Ambassadors work toward the following objectives:

• to increase the number of trips made by bicycle
• to reduce the number of bicycle-related injuries
• to help all users: bike riders, motorists, and pedestrians to better share roads and off-street trails

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