Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Chicago’s Expanded Rideshare Congestion Fee Takes Effect, Covering Much of North Side and Hyde Park

City officials project roughly $65 million in new revenue to bolster transit.

Overview

  • Beginning Jan. 6, single rides that start or end in the zones are charged an extra $1.50 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, while shared rides add $0.60 on weekdays during the same hours.
  • The expanded map covers much of downtown and the North Side up to Foster and west to Western, plus a separate Hyde Park zone bounded by Hyde Park Boulevard, 60th Street, Cottage Grove Avenue and DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
  • McCormick Place and Navy Pier are outside the congestion zones, but a separate $5 rideshare fee still applies there and at O’Hare and Midway airports.
  • The surcharge update is part of the 2026 budget passed by the City Council, which took effect without Mayor Brandon Johnson’s signature after he declined to veto it.
  • Uber and Lyft criticized the expansion as burdensome for everyday riders, and a local transportation expert said the wider fee is unlikely to significantly reduce traffic congestion.