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Developing a holistic city-wide mobility platform for the Chicago election

Feb 23, 2023 | by Active Trans

In preparation for the coming election, Active Transportation Alliance held a series of focus groups in neighborhoods around the city to ask residents about their transportation challenges when walking, biking, or using transit. Over and over, we heard about frustrations with CTA's reliability and that people were often feeling unsafe, whether they were riding CTA, walking, or biking. The feedback from the focus groups helped inform the citywide platform on walking, biking, and public transportation that was developed by the Safe Streets for All coalition – a diverse group of organizations and voices. Valuable input for the platform also came from organizations like Chicago Family Biking, Commuters Take Action, and Chicago, Bike Grid Now! In addition to the input on...

Tags: Chicago South Side, Chicago West & Southwest Side, Chicago West Side, Elections, Transit Equity

Illinois must seize opportunity to move beyond car-centric transportation system

Jun 8, 2022 | by Kyle Whitehead

Thanks to an unprecedented level of federal and state transportation funding, Illinois’ next governor and general assembly will have the ability to transform streets and trails in communities across the state. If they are willing to confront the failing status quo, the next governor and general assembly will have the opportunity to re-orient the state’s transportation system around safety, sustainability, and racial equity. Active Transportation Alliance's 2022 Illinois Sustainable Transportation Platform provides a roadmap for state leaders to dramatically improve mobility over the next five years. The platform features specific action items on three core goals: Elevate sustainability and racial equity in transportation decision making. Strengthen funding and regulations to support public transit. Make state roads safer for walking and...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, biking, Elections, legislation, transit, Transit Equity, Walking

See where candidates for secretary of state stand

Jun 3, 2022 | by Kyle Whitehead

With early voting underway in Illinois' primary elections and Election Day approaching, the Active Transportation Alliance has released its 2022 Sustainable Transportation Voter Guide for the race to be secretary of state. Six candidates — four Democrats and two Republicans — are vying for the opportunity to replace outgoing Secretary of State Jesse White, who is retiring after 23 years in office. The secretary oversees Illinois' Rules of the Road, driver education services and exam, and various traffic safety initiatives. The Active Transportation Alliance, Ride Illinois, and Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) jointly created a questionnaire that was sent to all candidates. The voter guide is comprised of the candidates' responses. As non-partisan 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit organizations, Active Trans, Ride...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, biking, Education, Elections, legislation, Walking

Mayor Lightfoot can reduce Chicago’s car dependency

May 20, 2019 | by Kyle Whitehead

To tackle traffic congestion and make transportation more affordable, healthy, and equitable, Chicago must make it easier to get around without a car. During the campaign, Mayor Lightfoot and many council members supported strategies to move Chicago in this direction, including increasing transportation options in the city’s transit deserts and reducing serious traffic crashes that are concentrated on the city’s South and West Sides. They recognized that urban transportation is changing, and cities must adapt to remain competitive in attracting new businesses and residents. Now it’s time to get to work and move Chicago past decades of car dependency and into a new mobility future. During the campaign, Active Transportation NOW — a 501(c)4 affiliate of Active Trans — and...

Mayor-elect Lightfoot can create safer streets for all

Apr 3, 2019 | by Kyle Whitehead

The election is over and Mayor-elect Lightfoot must quickly get to work building a transportation network in which everyone can get where they need to go. As mayor, Lori Lightfoot can reduce traffic crashes and ease congestion by making it easier to get around without driving or riding alone in a car. Lightfoot supports upgrading Chicago’s transportation network with more bus lanes, bike lanes and off-street trails – all of which have proven to boost the health, sustainability and equity of Chicago neighborhoods. She says progress on safe streets has slowed in recent years and she would “redouble Chicago’s efforts,” citing declines in the number of bump-outs, enhanced crosswalks and bike lanes relative to peer cities. Lightfoot says she will...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, biking, Chicago Central, Chicago North Side, chicago north west, Chicago River Trail, Chicago South Side, Chicago West & Southwest Side, Chicago West Side, Elections, Equity, transit, Walking, zero vision

39th Ward candidates support river trail initiatives

Mar 29, 2019 | by Steve Simmons

The final two candidates for alderman in the 39th Ward runoff election — Robert Murphy and Samantha Nugent — support trail projects that would move the city closer to a continuous Chicago River Trail. The 39th Ward is on Chicago's Northwest Side and includes all or parts of Albany Park, North Park, Hollywood Park, Mayfair, Sauganash, Edgebrook, Old Edgebrook, Gladstone Park, Indian Woods and Forest Glen. Recently, Active Trans and our partners joined each candidate for a walk in Gompers Park to advocate for two key priorities that would be major steps toward a continuous Chicago River Trail: The Weber Spur Trail (pictured left) would create the ultimate low-stress connection for people walking and biking between the North Branch, Sauganash...

Tags: Advocacy, biking, chicago north west, Chicago River Trail, Elections, Walking

Walking the river with 33rd Ward candidates

Mar 29, 2019 | by Steve Simmons

The development and building of a continuous Chicago River Trail is an initiative that both candidates in the 33rd Ward aldermanic runoff election support. Deb Mell and Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez are the candidates in the 33rd Ward, which is on Chicago's North Side and includes parts of Ravenswood Manor, Avondale, Albany Park and Irving Park. The seat is currently held by Ald. Deb. Mell. Recently, Active Trans and our partners joined each candidate for a walk along Belmont Avenue over the Chicago River in order to highlight two important river trail priorities: Connecting the 312 RiverRun Trail that will end at Belmont Avenue (pictured) to the trail at Lathrop Homes, which runs north and south of Diversey Avenue. Creating a safe...

Tags: Advocacy, biking, Chicago North Side, Elections, river trail, Walking

25th Ward candidates share views on El Paseo

Mar 29, 2019 | by Steve Simmons

The final two candidates in the 25th Ward aldermanic runoff election — Alex Acevedo and Byron Sigcho-Lopez — both pledge to support a continuous Chicago River Trail. While they both support the trail, they also say their support is contingent on policies being in place that prevent displacement and ensure that transportation improvements are shared equitably. The 25th Ward, located on Chicago's Lower West Side, includes parts of Pilsen, Chinatown, the West Loop and the South Loop. The seat is currently held by Ald. Danny Solis. Recently, Active Trans and our partners walked a stretch of El Paseo (pictured left) with each candidate in order to discuss more details about how we can make the trail a reality in the...

Tags: Bicycling, Chicago River Trail, Chicago West & Southwest Side, Elections, Walking

Bike Walk Oak Park educates community about candidates

Mar 28, 2019 | by Active Trans

This guest blog post was written by Brian Crawford, co-chair of Bike Walk Oak Park, an advocacy group that works to improve biking and walking in the near west suburb of Oak Park. The views expressed here by Bike Walk Oak Park are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Active Transportation Alliance. With the April 2 municipal elections presenting Oak Park voters with 11 candidates for three village trustee vacancies, Bike Walk Oak Park (BWOP) took advantage of the opportunity to query the candidates on pedestrian/bicycle issues and present the results to voters. This is an important election for Oak Parkers concerned about these issues. The board is losing two of its more supportive...

Tags: Bicycling, Elections, Walking, West Suburbs

Lime endorses Active Transportation Agenda

Feb 14, 2019 | by Ron Burke

The following post is a guest blog by Nico Probst of Lime, a new mobility company that operates e-scooter and dockless bike programs in the U.S. Active Trans is still analyzing the pros and cons of e-scooter sharing, in consultation with our members, board and staff. Active Trans doesn't agree with Lime or other new mobility companies on everything, but we welcome their support for our shared bike/walk/transit goals in Chicago and the suburbs. Lime is founded on the simple idea that all communities deserve access to reliable, on-demand, and affordable mobility. Through the equitable distribution of shared scooters, bikes and carshare, we aim to reduce dependence on personal automobiles and leave future generations with a cleaner, healthier Chicago....

Tags: Advocacy, E-scooters, Elections

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