Streets of the Future

Case Study: Streets of the Future

What will our streets look like in the next 10 to 30 years? We are entering a new era of mobility – and our streets will need to adapt to future changes. There are shifting patterns in where and when we travel, and we demand more from our streets every day. For new cities and urban districts, a blank canvas approach can be taken to designing new streets. Cities such as Chicago, on the other hand, are mature cities with an established structure and fabric.

City Tech Collaborative and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill gathered mobility and technology experts in Fall 2019 to explore concepts of future street typologies that reflect emerging mobility trends, technologies, and behaviors. Using Chicago as a case study, the results are prototypical designs that illustrate technology-supported strategies that could be deployed throughout the city while maintaining the integrity, functionality, and expectations of the city’s character.

This design exploration builds on City Tech's Advanced Mobility Initiative to create a more seamless mobility system with increased reach and accessibility for residents.

List of Services

Explore Chicago's Streets of the Future

Download the Full Exploration

Arterial Street: Ashland Avenue
from North to Division

Ashland Avenue is an arterial street in Chicago that currently features a 100-foot right-of-way, 7 lanes (4 travel, 1 turn, and 2 parking), a planted median, bus service, and no bike infrastructure. This stretch of Ashland represents a combination of retail, business, and residential corridors.

Illustration of Ashland Avenue's future vision in 2030

2020 2030

Retail Street: 26th Street
from Pulaski Road to Kedzie Avenue

26th Street is an retail street in Chicago that currently features a 66-foot right-of-way, 4 lanes (2 travel and 2 parking), bus service, and shared-lane markings for bikes.

Illustration of 26th Street's future vision in 2030

2020 2030

Residential Street: S. Loomis Blvd.
from 76th Street to 83rd Street

South Loomis Boulevard is a residential street in Chicago that currently features a 66-foot right-of-way, 4 lanes (4 travel and 2 parking), no transit services, and no bike infrastructure.