(WTTW News)

The owners of cars parked in bicycle and bus lanes downtown will get a ticket in the mail if a city camera snaps the infraction, as part of a pilot program that finally began Monday, 20 months after being approved by the Chicago City Council.

Designed to stop drivers from endangering pedestrians, cyclists and transit riders by parking and stopping in lanes designated for bicyclists and buses, the new initiative is set to last two years, and would target scofflaws downtown between the lake, Ashland Avenue, Roosevelt Road and North Avenue. Those neighborhoods, which are some of Chicago’s most dense, are often the most dangerous for pedestrians and bicyclists.

“Through automated technology to enforce parking violations in bus and bike lanes, this pilot program helps us improve transit reliability and protect our vulnerable road users,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement. “As we evaluate its impact over the next 30 days, I want to ensure our residents know we are not passing out fines. We are evaluating the impact of this technology to learn the best practices and will continue to work to refine our approach to make our streets even safer and more accessible.”

Eight city vehicles will be equipped with cameras to enforce parking violations. Next year, six CTA buses on priority routes will be equipped with cameras to snap pictures of scofflaws. 

The program will also be used to ticket cars parked at an unpaid meter, officials said.

After the incriminating photo is reviewed by city staff — much like the speed violations captured by cameras mounted near schools and parks — the registered owner of the vehicle will get a ticket in the mail. Violators will get a warning until Dec. 4, and the first ticket for each driver will also serve as a warning, officials said.

The fine for parking in a bus lane is $90, and the fine for parking in a bicycle lane is $250, records show.

The effort signed into law by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot in March 2023 after a spate of fatal crashes, including the one that killed Samuel Bell, 44, while riding a bicycle in River North in September 2022 and the one that killed 2-year-old Raphael “Rafi” Cardenas while he rode a scooter in Lincoln Square in June 2022.

Before the end of the two-year pilot program, city staff will report to the Chicago City Council about the effectiveness of the push. 

Contact Heather Cherone: @HeatherCherone | (773) 569-1863 | [email protected]