Author Archives: Active Trans

A coalition of organizations issued a strong statement today opposing the current plans for rebuilding North DuSable Lake Shore Drive (NDLSD) as proposed by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and its project team.

The coalition — comprised of organizations dedicated to sustainable transportation, regional planning, and environmental justice — emphasizes that the project represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine the lakefront and address critical challenges facing the city and region.

The Chicago Tribune recently reached out to readers, including the Active Transportation Alliance, to share their thoughts on the state of cycling in Chicago.

As an organization that has been working to improve conditions for cyclists, pedestrians, and transit users in the Chicagoland area for nearly 40 years, we had valuable insights to contribute to this important discussion.

Our advocacy manager, Alex Perez, took on the task of crafting a letter that encapsulated our organization’s perspective on the current state of cycling in Chicago.

The reconstruction of North DuSable Lake Shore Drive (NDLSD) presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to have an impact on Chicago’s transportation landscape for better or worse.

As the NDLSD project team prepares to announce their preferred design, the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Board has a critical role to play in supporting high-quality transit solutions for this project.

For years, advocacy groups and residents have called for a forward-thinking approach that moves away from the highway-centric model and embraces dedicated space for public transit.

Chicago’s bicycling community lost a champion last month.

George Christensen, a former bike courier who rode thousands of miles each year and traversed entire continents by bike, eloquently chronicling his adventures along the way, was tragically killed while riding in South Carolina. He was 73.

On Monday, April 22, Christensen was on his latest epic bike trip, traveling up the Atlantic coast from Orlando, Florida and visiting Carnegie libraries – another one of his many passions – along the way.

It was an early holiday surprise in mid-December when the residents of Baldwin-Green apartment complex in Palatine acquired six bike racks valued at $3,000.

The bike racks, which were being discarded by the Chicago Botanic Garden, initially didn’t have a new home.

Then the Chicago Botanic Garden reached out to the Chicago Tool Library to offer the racks as a donation.

Active Transportation Alliance got involved,

Winter in Chicagoland means clearing those sidewalks of snow so that pedestrians have safe walkways to traverse during the winter.

Shoveling sidewalks is not only the neighborly thing to do, but it’s also the law in some places, including Chicago.

While we strongly support the effort to make sidewalk snow removal in Chicago a municipal service, snow removal—for now—continues to be the responsibility of the property owner.

According to Chicago’s municipal code,

For many people, snow and ice on sidewalks is more than an inconvenience, it can shut down daily life.

That’s why our friends at Better Streets Chicago, with the support of their partners Access Living, are making the case for municipally-funded sidewalk snow plowing in Chicago.

Chicago has a century-and-a-half old policy that requires residents, business owners, and property managers to keep their sidewalks clear of snow and ice during the winter.