Pedal Power Comes to 35th Street: McKinley Park's Main Drag Is Getting Bike Lanes in a Complete Streets Makeover

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Mckinley Park · July 25, 2026

McKinley Park's busiest corridor is about to get a whole new look — and this time, it's for cyclists and pedestrians. The 11th Ward has announced a Complete Streets plan for West 35th Street from Ashland to Halsted, bringing dedicated bike lanes to the neighborhood's commercial spine. The move follows the conclusion of the Moving Archer Forward transportation study, which found no viable opportunities for bike lanes on Archer Avenue — effectively pointing the city's active-transportation focus squarely at 35th Street instead.

The Complete Streets designation signals a significant shift in how McKinley Park's main drag will function for the thousands of neighbors who travel it daily. Bike lanes along the 35th Street stretch will require some parking removal, a trade-off that's already generating lively conversation among local business owners and residents. But for cyclists and pedestrians, the upgrade promises a safer, more connected route through the heart of the Southwest Side — one that complements the $2.5 million commercial corridor investment and $200K public art streetscape improvements already underway on the same stretch.

With beautification dollars, historic rehab grants, and now a Complete Streets redesign all converging on 35th Street at once, McKinley Park's main corridor is transforming in real time. Now is the moment for neighbors to weigh in, show up to community meetings, and shape what this street becomes. Follow the conversation and find upcoming planning meetings at mckinleypark.news.

Sources:
1. https://mckinleypark.news/news/real-estate-development-news