Driveways and vehicle access.
Municipal Code of Chicago § 17-4-0700
in effect17-4-0700 Driveways and vehicle access.
17-4-0701 Purpose. The regulations of this section are intended to ensure safe and efficient (pedestrian and vehicular) traffic flows on downtown streets. The regulations are also intended to promote economic development by ensuring safe and efficient access to downtown's commercial and employment center.
17-4-0702 Description and Criteria for Designation. Streets that are subject to the driveway and vehicle access standards of this section:
17-4-0702-A accommodate very high volumes of pedestrian and/or vehicular traffic; and
17-4-0702-B serve as important connections to downtown commercial, businesses and employment area.
17-4-0703 Designation and Boundaries.
17-4-0703-A Streets that are subject to the driveway and vehicle access standards of this section are identified in the text of this Zoning Ordinance and shown on the Official Zoning Atlas.
17-4-0703-B The driveway and vehicle access standards of this section may be amended only in accordance with the Zoning Ordinance Text and Zoning Map Amendment procedures of Sec. 17-13-0200 and Sec. 17-13-0300. Both a text and map amendment is required.
17-4-0703-C Driveway and vehicle access standards apply along the following downtown street segments:
Street | Segment
From | To
Street | Segment
From | To
Class 1 North-South Streets
Canal | Jackson | Randolph
Orleans | Grand | Ontario
La Salle | Jackson | Wacker
State | Harrison | Wacker
Fairbanks | Illinois | Ontario
Michigan | Roosevelt | Oak
Columbus | Roosevelt | McFetridge
Class 2 North-South Streets
Des Plaines | Wayman | Kinzie
Clinton | Roosevelt | Lake
Canal | Roosevelt | Lake
Kingsbury | Illinois | Grand
Wacker | Van Buren | Columbus
Orleans | Kinzie | Grand
Wells | Harrison | Wacker
Field | Randolph | Wacker
McClurg | N. Water | Huron
Financial | Harrison | Jackson
La Salle | 16th | Roosevelt
La Salle | Harrison | Jackson
La Salle | Wacker | Division
Clark | 16th | Wacker
Dearborn | Harrison | Wacker
State | 25th | Harrison
State | Wacker | Elm
Wabash | 25th | Wacker
Wabash | N. Water | Delaware
Rush | N. Water | Delaware
Michigan | 25th | Roosevelt
Stetson | Randolph | Lake
Stetson | S. Water | Wacker
St. Clair | Illinois | Superior
Columbus | Roosevelt | Illinois
Fairbanks | Illinois | Chicago
Class 1 East-West Streets
Walton | Michigan | Mies Van Der Rohe
Adams | Canal | La Salle
Roosevelt | Michigan | Lakeshore
Congress | Wells | Michigan
Class 2 East-West Streets
Division | LaSalle | Lakeshore
Oak | State | Lakeshore
Delaware | Rush | Lakeshore
Chestnut | Wabash | Mies Van Der Rohe
Pearson | Wabash | Mies Van Der Rohe
Chicago | Larrabee | Lakeshore
Superior | Rush | Fairbanks
Huron | Rush | Fairbanks
Erie | Rush | Fairbanks
Ontario | Orleans | Lakeshore
Ohio | Orleans | Lakeshore
Grand | Kingsbury | Streeter
Illinois | Kingsbury | Streeter
Water | State | Cityfront Plaza
Kinzie | Union | Larrabee
Kinzie | Canal | Franklin
Wacker | Van Buren | Columbus
Lake | Clinton | Stetson
Randolph | Kennedy Expy | Lakeshore
Washington | Kennedy Expy | Michigan
Madison | Kennedy Expy | Michigan
Des Plaines | Wayman | Kinzie
Monroe | Kennedy Expy | Lakeshore
Adams | Kennedy Expy | Canal
Quincy | Franklin | Wells
Jackson | Kennedy Expy | Lakeshore
Van Buren | Kennedy Expy | Michigan
Harrison | Kennedy Expy | Michigan
Balbo | Michigan | Lakeshore
Roosevelt | Kennedy Expy | Columbus
14th | Clark | State
16th | Clark | State
18th | State | Indiana
Cermak | State | Prairie
Figure 17-4-0703
For a printer-friendly PDF version of Figure 17-4-0703, please click here.
[image omitted; see the official code]
17-4-0704 Standards.
17-4-0704-A Class 1 Streets. Alleys are intended to serve as the sole means of vehicle access to buildings and uses located along Class 1 streets. New curb cuts and driveway access are prohibited on Class 1 streets. The Zoning Board of Appeals may grant variations only as expressly allowed in Sec. 17-13-1100.
17-4-0704-B Class 2 Streets. Alleys are intended to serve as the primary means of vehicle access to buildings and uses located along Class 2 streets. New curb cuts and driveway access are permitted on Class 2 streets only when reviewed and approved as an administrative adjustment by the Zoning Administrator. (See Sec. 17-13-1003-S)
(Added Coun. J. 5-26-04, p. 25275; Amend Coun. J. 3-9-05, p. 44391; Amend Coun. J. 9-13-06, p. 84870, § 2)
Source: City of Chicago, Municipal Code of Chicago (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/chicago/latest/chicago_il/0-0-0-2681643Fetched: 10/24/2026