Author Archives: Active Trans

Governor signs bike safety bill to reform Illinois’ road manual and driver’s license exam

| Aug 14, 2018

Media Contact:

Kyle Whitehead

Active Transportation Alliance

Managing Director of Public Affairs

O: (312) 216-0473

kyle@activetrans.org

Legislation promotes the Dutch Reach method of opening car doors to prevent dooring crashes

Springfield, Ill: August 15, 2018 — A bill that adds the Dutch Reach method to Illinois’ Rules of the Road manual and adds bike safety questions to the state driver’s license exam has been signed into law.

Our Bus Advocacy Grants are being put to work!

| Jul 12, 2018

 

In 2017, Active Trans and our partners from the Back on the Bus Coalition published the Back on the Bus report. This report found that bus ridership in the city was dropping and that the way to increase bus ridership was to focus on improving bus speed and reliability.

 

To reverse this trend, three recommendations were given:

  • Implementing prepaid boarding
  • Using transit signal priority to give buses priority at stoplights
  • Increasing the mileage of dedicated bus lanes

To continue this work,

Chinatown organization works to improve walkability

| Jul 12, 2018

Chicago’s Chinatown has been touted as one of the only Chinatowns in the U.S. that is growing. Indeed, over the past several years, Chinese Americans have moved beyond Chinatown’s core within Armour Square and into “Greater Chinatown.”

While Chicago’s Chinatown is a vibrant neighborhood and great place to live, it’s also long overdue for active transportation investments.

The Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community (CBCAC), Alderman Solis and Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) began work on a long-term vision plan in 2013 as part of Chinatown’s centennial celebration.

Become an Active Trans Ambassador on Aug. 2

| Jul 9, 2018

Do you share our vision for a region with safe opportunities to bike, walk and take public transit?

Are you excited about the work that Active Trans does and have an interest in advancing our mission by educating others?

If you answered yes, we need you to help us fight for this vision by becoming an Active Trans Ambassador.

Click here to sign up for an evening training in our office,

Sign the petition for a Chicago Bike Walk Fund

| Jun 18, 2018

After a flurry of new construction from 2011 to 2015, the growth of Chicago’s networks of protected bike lanes and pedestrian-friendly streets has unfortunately slowed down.

Chicago installed 15.9 miles of new bikeways (including one mile of protected bike lanes) in 2017, down from a peak of 39.5 new miles of bikeways in 2014.

Progress on safer streets is clearly lagging despite growing support among Chicagoans and our elected officials for creating streets that protect the most vulnerable users on foot and bike. 

Celebrate Lakefront Trail improvements with us

| Jun 8, 2018

For more than 30 years, Active Trans has been working to make the Lakefront Trail safer and easier to use. In the past year or so, parts of the trail have taken a quantum leap forward in terms of safety and comfort. But as you probably know, work still needs to be done.

Join us on June 28 at Theater on the Lake as we celebrate the newly separated trails for people on foot and on bikes.

Biking & walking safety education bill on home stretch

| May 31, 2018

Every day in Illinois, an average of 5 kids are hit by drivers of motor vehicles within one block of a school, and more are hit beyond the school zones.

A bill that would help address this tragic daily occurrence while encouraging more walking and biking has passed the Illinois Senate and now heads to Governor Bruce Rauner for approval.

The Bike Walk Education in Schools Act (HB4799) requires K-8 schools to provide biking and walking safety education.

June events on the Lakefront Trail

| May 31, 2018

The Active Transportation Alliance compiles a list of events happening each month along the Lakefront Trail. See what’s going on in the month of June so you can better plan your walking, biking or running route. This month will be busy!

For regular updates about the Lakefront Trail, follow our Lakefront Trail Twitter page and the #chiLFT hashtag.

NOTE: For updates on the Lakefront Trail separation construction, visit the Chicago Park District’s page.

May events on the Lakefront Trail

| May 4, 2018

The Active Transportation Alliance compiles a list of events happening each month along the Lakefront Trail. See what’s going on in the month of May so you can better plan your walking, biking or running route. This month will be busy!

For regular updates about the Lakefront Trail, follow our Lakefront Trail Twitter page and the #chiLFT hashtag.

NOTE: For updates on the Lakefront Trail separation construction, visit the Chicago Park District’s page.

Have fun. Enjoy the ride.

| Apr 30, 2018

Chicago’s biggest cycling event is back and better than ever for its seventeenth year!

This year, MB Bike the Drive will be held on Sunday, May 27. Enjoy nearly 5 hours of car-free riding on the city’s scenic Lake Shore Drive, which will be closed to all auto traffic for the event. A post-ride festival including live music, giveaways and breakfast (pancakes, anyone?) will take place from 8 a.m. to Noon in Butler Field.