United States
Chicago
UMR Index Rank
#24
(-5)
Score: 58%
Sustainable Mobility
#35
(-3)
Score: 48.6%
Public Transit
#26
(-10)
Score: 55.9%
Technology Adoption
#25
Score: 46.6%
| Population | 9.0 million |
| Surface area (km2) | 5,498 |
| Population-density (people/km2) | 1,631 |
| GDP per capita ($) | 97,004 |
UMR Index Rank
#24
(-5)
Score: 58%
Sustainable Mobility
#35
(-3)
Score: 48.6%
Public Transit
#26
(-10)
Score: 55.9%
Technology Adoption
#25
Score: 46.6%
What Chicago Does Well In Urban Mobility
The Windy City has a strong and affordable multimodal public transit system. It offers long operating hours, quick commute times, and an advanced app that seamlessly integrates trip planning and payment. In 2025 the Chicago Transit Authority will begin a rail extension of the Red Line that will take it to the city’s southern edge and add four new stations, each with multimodal hubs that include bike, bus, and park-and-ride facilities. And in 2024 the Regional Transportation Authority announced a new project assessing how to make the Chicago region a mobility hub focused on multimodal transit options. Findings of the report are expected in 2025 and will inform potential initiatives to improve the public transit offering.
Chicago has a well-connected and well- maintained road network with a robust traffic management system. As with many other cities in North America, residents often prefer to use personal cars. The Chicago Metropolitan Agency For Planning’s 2040 plan calls for congestion pricing and increased parking fees to help better manage traffic.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index, Sustainable Mobility, Public Transit, and Technology Adoption scores
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley
Challenges And Opportunities For Chicago’s Transportation System
Chicago boasts 450 miles (720 kilometers) of bike lanes but has low rates of cycling, which is explained in part by its large surface area and cold winters. The authorities are investing to extend the network, particularly in Chicago’s South and West Sides. The city also is prioritizing cycling safety in its investments, with 85% of planned projects consisting of greenways or protected lanes. The city has a bike-sharing service and plans to distribute 5,000 bicycles to in-need residents for free.
Chicago lags behind Canadian cities like Montreal and Toronto in its adoption of zero-emission buses, but intends to electrify its entire bus fleet by 2040. In 2023 the city inaugurated its second electrified bus route, showing Chicago is taking steps forward.
Dimensions of the Urban Mobility Readiness Index score
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley
How Chicago Can Improve Its Urban Mobility Performance
Despite a slight increase from 2023, the electric vehicle (EV) market share in sales in Chicago still lags behind many peers. The city can expand its existing incentives by increasing subsidies for purchase, building on the $4,000 EV purchase cash-back rebate launched in 2022. Other incentives can include toll discounts or non-monetary measures such as special access lanes. Chicago also can improve the charging network. It can expand on the federal tax credit of up to 30% of the cost of residential charging infrastructure, up to a maximum of $1,000.
Chicago’s residents spend less time on public transportation than on other means of transport, often opting to use private cars instead. While the extension of the Red Line will improve public transit density, the city can add more stops on metro and bus lines to encourage use. Additionally, the perceived safety of public transport in Chicago is among the lowest of North American cities. To improve the feeling of safety, Chicago can provide more surveillance with CCTV cameras and security guards, improve lighting on transport and at stations, and invest in public awareness campaigns, building off existing initiatives.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index relative ranking evolution (2020-2024)
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley