Image credit: Atlas Arteria

Skyway Concession Company has achieved iRAP Certification recognising the road safety of the Chicago Skyway, surpassing the minimum global safety standard of 3-star or better for vehicle occupants. Notably, 85 per cent of the length rated 4-stars!

The Chicago Skyway is a 12.5 kilometre elevated toll road over the Calumet River with three lanes in each direction. It provides congestion relief in an essential transportation corridor between Chicago, Illinois and Northwest Indiana.

The Skyway serves the third-largest metropolitan area in the US and is situated in one of the densest urban areas in the country. The region is also a key logistics infrastructure hub in the Midwest, resulting in a diverse traffic base.

The Skyway was Star Rated for safety using the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) Star Rating methodology.

iRAP certification evaluates road infrastructure according to global safety standards, assigning a score from 1 to 5 stars. A 1-star road presents the most risk, whilst a 5-star road is the safest.

Each incremental improvement in road rating – for example, from 2 to 3 stars – can reduce fatalities by up to 50 percent.

The results show the assessed road length of the Skyway achieved a 3-star or better safety rating for vehicle occupants aligned to Global Road Safety Targets, including a 4-star rating for 85 per cent of the analysed length.

Infrastructure that achieves 3 stars or more is significantly safer, helping to save lives and reduce road traffic injuries.

Luis Tejerina, CEO of Chicago Skyway said, “Our mission is simple: provide the safest, most time-efficient, convenient, and reliable highway to and through Chicago. For more than 60 years, the Skyway has been a trusted transportation choice for millions of travellers. Safety is at the heart of everything we do. Earning this iRAP Certification is a proud affirmation of the Skyway’s commitment to safety and our ongoing efforts to ensure a 3-star or better journey for every traveller on every journey.”

iRAP CEO Greg Smith said, “We commend Skyway Concession Company on achieving iRAP certification. Achieving a 3-star or better road infrastructure safety standard aligns to sustainable transport goals and the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety to halve road deaths and injuries by 2030.”

Chicago was the first city in the US to privatize a toll road on a long-term lease, with the private consortium Skyway Concession Company assuming operation and maintenance rights for the Skyway in 2005 for a period of 99 years.

About iRAP Certification

iRAP Star Rating Certification can be produced for any existing, upgraded or new road, or road design, that has been assessed using iRAP tools as achieving a 3-star or better.

Certification is voluntary and may be requested for any or all road user groups for which a Star Rating has been produced (vehicle occupants, motorcyclists, pedestrians and bicyclists).

As road owners, investors and designers increasingly seek to support the Decade of Sustainable Transport 2026-2035 and Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, official certification provides a communications opportunity to celebrate the achievement of a Star Rating target and formally verify the status of a road or design.

For more information on iRAP Certification, click here.