Bike and Pedestrian Plan

 

Naperville is updating its Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan to expand and enhance walkability and bikeability for all ages and abilities. This initiative is part of the city’s Naperville 2027: Investing in Our Community Priorities Plan, and it aligns with the goal of improving community mobility.

This update identifies specific projects, including infrastructure enhancements and new routes, to continue to have safe, connected walking and biking across Naperville. The Transportation, Engineering and Development (TED) Department is working with A. Epstein and Sons International, Inc. (Epstein) to help develop the plan. 

Building a Plan Driven By You

Thank you to the community members who helped shape the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan through our interactive map, pop-up events and the public open house. This strong level of participation has been the foundation of our planning process, providing the project team with the insights needed to identify local priorities and develop informed, community-focused recommendations.

Your feedback has allowed the City to move from initial ideas to the creation of a plan that aims to improve connectivity, enhance safety and provide mobility options for residents of all ages and abilities.

What’s next? The project team is currently reviewing the feedback received from the interactive map, pop-up events and the public open house to refine the plan. Staff will present these findings and the preliminary plan draft to the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) this August. The meeting agenda and plan draft will be made available on the City’s website before the meeting.

Naperville Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan Interactive Map: October – December 2025

Project Background

Naperville created the previous Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan in 1997. Since then, Naperville’s population has increased, travel habits have evolved and facility design standards have changed. In recent years, data from the city's Community Survey has shown an increase in resident satisfaction with the ease of travel by bike and on foot. To make sure that the city continues to meet the needs of a growing community, the plan will be updated after evaluating existing conditions, collecting new data and incorporating public input.

This comprehensive update will provide the city with:

• Policy and program recommendations
• A design toolkit
• A list of future projects with preliminary designs, costs, funding sources and a prioritization timeline

Project Benefits

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan is a long-term, high-level evaluation of the city's bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. Once completed, the recommended projects will be incorporated into the city's Capital Improvement Program within the next 20 years.

The plan's recommendations will lead to:

• A more efficient network. The plan will help create a more complete and interconnected system for bicyclists and pedestrians.
• Continue to improve safety. The plan will identify specific projects and facility upgrades to continue to increase the safety of walking and biking throughout the city.
• More mobility options. The creation of a more efficient network will provide people with additional active transportation opportunities to get around the community.

All projects will undergo detailed engineering and design. As part of that process, there will be additional public engagement opportunities.

This guide explains the different types of bikeways that may be included in the plan.

Guide to Bikeway Types

Timeline

August 2025: Data collection for the plan began.

September 2025 - January 2026: Pop-up events took place at various locations to gather community input.

Early October 2025 - December 2025: The interactive map (survey) was available online for public feedback.

February 2026 - April 2026: Existing conditions and needs assessments completed. Public open house held on April 23.

July 2026: The final plan draft and a funding strategy are expected to be completed.  

August 2026: Preliminary plan draft and proposed recommendations will be presented to the Transportation Advisory Board.

September 2026 - October 2026: Finalization of plan based on Board feedback, followed by presentation to the Transportation Advisory Board and City Council for final approval.

*Timeline subject to change

Public Input

The project team extends its appreciation to the community for its substantive contributions to the development of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. Data gathered from over 500 interactive map participants, numerous pop-up event attendees and the April 23 public open house has served as the foundational basis for the project’s proposed recommendations. 

Events Hosted and Attended

• Public Open House

4:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. | Thursday, April 23 | Municipal Center Meeting Rooms A & B | 400 S. Eagle St., Naperville

The City hosted an informal, drop-in open house on April 23 to share the preliminary plan and gather more community feedback on proposed recommendations for the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. Attendees engaged with interactive stations, providing feedback on proposed bikeway recommendations, pedestrian safety enhancements and long-term infrastructure priorities. Thank you to the approximately 90-100 community members who joined us.

Download the Open House Resource Packet (PDF)

This packet includes the display boards, educational booklet and feedback form presented at the event.

Pop-Up Events Attended:

• Public Safety Open House 

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025 | Naperville's Public Safety Campus | 1380 Aurora Ave.  

The Bike and Pedestrian table saw great engagement from community members interested in learning more. Staff spoke with many attendees and handed out postcards featuring a QR code for easy access to the project webpage. Interactive activities were a highlight, including the opportunity for visitors to vote on their top priorities for the plan by placing marbles in designated jars, as well as creating fun, colorful designs at the spin bike art station.

• Downtown Naperville’s Halloween Hop

10 a.m. - noon on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025 | Downtown Naperville

The project team distributed over 300 postcards, providing community members with information about how to access the project webpage and the interactive map. This pop-up event proved to be an effective way to share plan information and gather feedback. Staff engaged in productive, brief conversations with many attendees about the plan's objectives and how to provide feedback via the interactive map. A few dozen attendees shared their input on posters using stickers. This activity was highly valuable, as participants highlighted specific types of improvements that would make them feel more comfortable walking and biking on different roadway types. 

• Naperville Park District

10 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31 | Fort Hill Activity Center | 20 Fort Hill Dr., Naperville

Staff spoke with over 50 attendees about the Naperville Bike and Pedestrian Plan. More than 60 promotional stickers were distributed to families to help community members access the project webpage and open house information via QR codes.

Interactive dot boards (i.e., posters where attendees can vote on preferences) were a highlight of the event. Overall, more than 200 responses were received about comfort with various roadway improvements. These boards allowed participants to rank different options, providing a clear visual of community priorities. Attendees also shared location-specific insights, noting several areas across the city where they would like to see more connectivity and smoother transitions for pedestrians and cyclists  

Impact

Implementing the plan's recommendations may involve major construction projects that could take years to complete, as is typical with construction projects. Naperville will complete construction-related improvements in phases to minimize possible disruptions. The city will share more information about impacts once specific bike and pedestrian projects are approved.