CTA will soon equip 46 additional buses with technology aimed at enforcing and deterring illegal parking in dedicated bus/bike lanes and bus stops
The Chicago Transit Board today approved an expansion of its Automated Bus Lane Enforcement (ABLE) program. By scaling the program from six to 52 camera-equipped buses, the CTA in partnership with the City of Chicago will be better equipped to deter illegal parking in bus- and bike-only lanes and bus stops, directly addressing critical safety, accessibility, and bus service delay issues that impact tens of thousands of riders every day. This is the latest advancement of the City of Chicago’s Smart Streets pilot program and is a key investment in the region’s ongoing focus on bus service reliability under the new Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA).
The Smart Streets pilot program is an initiative with the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Department of Finance (DOF) to use camera technology to automatically enforce parking and standing violations in bus and bike lanes, as well as bus stops.
“The ABLE program is making a real difference for our riders, especially riders with disabilities,” said CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen. “It’s exactly the kind of investment that reflects what public transit should be: not just fast and reliable, but genuinely accessible. Because for many in our disability community, more dependable bus service isn't a convenience. It's independence.”
The program expansion is being supported with $1 Million provided by new Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) Act funding that the Regional Transportation Authority’s (RTA) approved in the amended 2026 operating budget. The ABLE program is aligned with the NITA Act which encourages bus lane and bus stop enforcement infrastructure to improve bus service reliability and bus stop accessibility.
"This expansion of the Smart Streets pilot program will further support efforts to keep our bus lanes clear, bus stops accessible, and our public way working as it should," said CDOT Commissioner William Cheaks, Jr. "As the pilot continues, it will help us evaluate innovative approaches to improving safety and transit operations."
Buses equipped with the Hayden AI Automated Bus Lane Enforcement (ABLE) systems will focus on enforcement of the #20 Madison, #36 Broadway and #66 Chicago Avenue routes with plans to expand to the #8 Halsted route following the conclusion of CDOT construction at Chicago and Halsted. The installation of the additional 46 cameras is expected to be completed this fall.
"As the pilot data has shown, automated bus lane enforcement improves reliability, swiftness, and capacity for buses to safely deploy ramps at bus stops to ensure accessible and safe boarding for people with disabilities,” said chair of the ADA Advisory Committee Laura Salzman. “Public transportation is an important piece of independence and autonomy for disabled people, and more reliable and faster bus trips can make the difference between an achievable trip and one that is not for many in our community."
The city’s pilot zone area now encompasses 19 square miles, 1300 bus stops, nearly 8 miles of bus lanes and nearly 70 miles of bike lanes. Between October 15, 2025 and the end of May 2026, ABLE systems on buses captured a total of 21,686 warnings and violations in that area.
The two-year pilot program, initiated by Chicago City Council ordinance, authorized the City to issue citations by mail for bus and bike lane and bus stop parking violations captured by city cameras in a designated pilot area downtown. At the beginning of 2026, City Council expanded the pilot area to its current boundaries, extending from Irving Park Road on the north to 26th Street on the south.
Each system includes an on-board processor, along with two windshield-mounted cameras that allow the ABLE system to identify and record data capturing violations in bus lanes, bike lanes and bus stops. The technology vendor is responsible for performing a manual review of violations data before transferring it to the City of Chicago for final determination and violation issuance. The CTA is not involved in reviewing potential violations or issuing tickets.
Both CDOT and DOF will submit a report to City Council assessing the performance of the pilot, including the results of cameras deployed on CTA buses. That report will include a recommendation on the future of the Smart Streets program. City Council will then be responsible for deciding if the program should be made permanent and/or expanded to other parts of the city.
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