Did You Know?
Bike Walk Every Town
What is Bike Walk Every Town?
Walkable communities, high quality bike lanes and easy-to-use public transportation: These are not pipe dreams, but attainable goals that will make our region cleaner, healthier and more livable.
Join Bike Walk Every Town, the Active Transportation Alliance’s new suburban advocacy program. The program will help you develop the skills and access the resources needed to strengthen biking and walking in your community.
See below to learn how to get involved (through our online training, webinars, meet-ups, and creating an action plan) and check out our advocacy resources for tips, tools, case studies, and more.
GET IN TOUCH
If you’d like to improve walking and biking conditions in your community and learn how the Bike Walk Every Town program can help, please email Maggie Czerwinski at maggie@activetrans.org and she will be in touch.
You can also sign up for an upcoming Street Team Advocate Training or attend a bi-month Suburban Advocacy Call.
Or request to join one of our Google Group listservs for email updates on grants, bi-monthly calls, webinars, and other advocacy news related to walking, biking, and transit. To join, follow the relevant link below and click ‘Ask to join group’:
- For government staff and transportation professionals:
- For suburban residents who want better walking, biking, and transit options:
WHY PARTICIPATE?
Participating in Bike Walk Every Town will give you:
- Skills building training – hone your skills and become a savvy advocate
- Issue based education – learn the nuts and bolts of biking, walking and transit infrastructure and policy issues
- Local advocate network – meet other advocates in your area and start building your local movement
- Professional coaching – get hands on support from Active Trans expert advocacy staff to help you bring change to your town
6 EASY WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
>> 1) Watch our most recent advocacy training video to get started building a local campaign
This online advocacy training reviews key policy concepts recommended for suburban communities and step-by-step instructions on how to build a base of supporters, how to activate your base, and how to engage elected officials to make positive change happen in your community.
While watching this training, we recommend having paper and a pen on hand (or print our campaign building worksheet) to help you brainstorm and get started building a campaign.
>> 2) Connect with other local advocates
Join one of our our regional Google Group email lists to exchange ideas, ask questions, and share resources. By joining our Google Group, you’ll be the first to know about funding opportunities, action alerts to impact state and federal transportation policy, and regional meet-ups or conference calls to connect with other advocates in-person and online.
Email Maggie@activetrans.org to be added to one of our Google Group lists or follow one of the relevant link below and click ‘Ask to join group’:
- For government staff and transportation professionals:
- For suburban residents who want better walking, biking, and transit options:
>> 3) Participate in upcoming webinars and advocacy calls
Our webinars are designed to help advocates dig deeper into bicycle and pedestrian policy ideas and introduce tips and tools for outreach and campaign building. Register for upcoming events and check out recordings of our previous webinars below!
- Upcoming Webinars/Calls
- Join our bi-monthly advocacy calls with Ride Illinois. Visit our Advocacy Connect page or email maggie@activetrans.org for a registration link.
- Webinar Recordings on YouTube
- Community building, education, and advocacy-focused webinars:
- Election Advocacy Strategies
- Communication Strategies & Messaging
- Outreach Strategies & Petition Writing
- How to Organize a Pop-up Event
- Event Organizing Ideas & Tips
- Inclusive Community Engagement Workshop
- Advocating for the Bike Walk Education in Schools Act
- Trail Advocacy: Filling the gaps in our regional trail network
- Policy, planning, and design webinars:
- Funding webinars:
- Community building, education, and advocacy-focused webinars:
>> 4) Check out recordings from Suburban Action Week!
The Active Transportation Alliance hosted a virtual Suburban Action Week in February 2021, featuring 25 short online talks and workshops with advocates, county staff, and community leaders throughout the region. Check out recordings of the talks below:
- Advocacy Talks – Get tips and advice on best practices from advocates who have carried out campaigns to improve walking, biking and transit in their communities.
- County Updates – Hear about recent and upcoming walking, biking, trail, and transit projects happening in your county.
- Workshops – Workshops aimed at increasing your capacity and effectiveness as an advocate.
>> 5) Carry out your own local campaign
Bike Walk Every Town is here to help you develop a campaign to improve biking and walking in your community. Here’s how you can get started:
- Get in Touch: Contact Maggie at Maggie@activetrans.org and we will connect you to resources and other advocates in your area. We can also help you develop a logo!
- Assess Your Community: Fill out the Policy Assessment Worksheet to assess the walking and biking friendliness of your community. Check out the Chicagoland Bicycle and Pedestrian Database to help you get started on the worksheet.
- Make a Plan: After you have a handle on what is happening in your community, fill out the six-step Campaign Action Planning Worksheet.
- Watch our advocacy training video for guidance on how to build a campaign.
- Get Started: Get started implementing your plan!
For those interested, Active Trans will send you a Bike Walk logo (customized for your community) which you are welcome to use as part of your campaign.
>> 6) Apply for a Bike Walk Every Town or Bike Month Mini-Stipend
When funding allows, we offer a mini-stipend opportunity to help support local suburban advocacy work in the Chicagoland region that advances the Bike Walk Every Town policy platform. This funding opportunity awards multiple grants of $200-$500 dollars each.
- 2018 awardees: Batavia, Elgin, Elmhurst, Glen Ellyn/Lombard, Oak Park, Robbins and Villa Park
- 2019 awardees: Aurora, Brookfield, Elgin, Glen Ellyn/Lombard, and Oak Park.
- 2023 Bike Month awardees: Broadview, Brookfield, Elgin, Oak Park, Hanover Park, Villa Park, Palatine
- 2024 Bike Month awardees: Arlington Heights, Bensenville, Brookfield, Riverside, Streamwood
RESOURCES
The following resources are available for download below – please let us know if anything else would be useful!
- Regional Trackers – policies, plans, projects, funding opportunities
- Making the Case & Building Momentum
- Campaign Building Worksheets & Tips
- Model Policies, Plans & Ordinances
- Petition Resources
- Event Organizing
- Election Advocacy Resources
- List of Suburban Advocacy Groups & Bike Clubs
- Regional Data – mode share, crashes, demographic reports
- Suburban blog articles
Regional Trackers
Bicycle and Pedestrian Database (Online Map) – Interactive map of Chicagoland communities with bike/ped policies and plans and a visual of who has received grants for walking and biking improvements
- Policy/Plan Tracker (Google Doc) – An additional resource to help you find out if your community has a Complete Streets Policy or Active Transportation Plan.
- County & State Resource and Project Tracker (Google Doc) – This document includes links to state and county transportation improvement plans (i.e. which road projects are coming up), helpful IDOT resources (e.g. finding road jurisdictions and average daily traffic counts), local petitions, and funding opportunities.
Bike Walk Education School Liaison sign-up (Google Doc) – Help your local school district teach walking and biking safety to kids!
- Resources to help schools incorporate walking and biking safety and encouragement into their classroom:
Funding Opportunities (Google Doc) – A list of local, private, regional, state, and federal funding opportunities that can be used for walking, biking and trail projects.
- Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) – Our state’s largest funding source for walking and biking projects
- Webinars, grant FAQ, resources: activetrans.org/itep
- Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Grant – Bi-annual funding opportunity that funds projects that improve walking and biking within 2-miles of an elementary, middle, or high school
- Webinars, grant FAQ, resources: activetrans.org/srts
- Federal Funding Resources
Making the Case & Building Momentum
Fact Sheets & Statistics
- ATA Complete Streets Fact Sheet Series – Illinois-specific data and provides details on the key benefits of Complete Streets approaches:
- AARP Liveability Fact Sheets – Myth-busting, success stories, talking points, factoids, and more
- People for Bikes Statistics Library – Many statistics on the benefits of biking including the economic, environmental, and health benefits
- National Realitors Association Survey – 2023 survey finds Americans prefer walkable communities
- Trail Benefits Statistics – Compiled list of compelling statistics to help make the case for more walking, biking, and trails
Tools
- AARP’s Walk Audit Toolkit – Helpful tool to assess the walkability of a street, intersection, or neighborhood
- AARP’s Livability Index – How livable is your community? How can your community support aging in place?
- NCCOR Create Thriving Activity-Friendly Communities Tool – National Collaboration on Childhood Obesity Research (NCCOR) developed this tool to help you make the economic case for investing in activity-friendly communities
- CDC’s Active Communities Tool – An Action Planning Guide and Assessment Modules to Improve Community Built Environments to Promote Physical Activity
- Implementation Strategies for your active transportation plan or complete streets policy
Programs
- Move with the Mayor – Encourage your mayor to join Move with the Mayor! Join mayors around the country in promoting health and encouraging community members to be more physically active. If interested, contact Move with the Mayor Coordinator Michelle Snyder at michelle.snyder.ic@nationalforum.org. You’ll receive talking points, social media posts, and press release templates; policy recommendations; resource emails with funding opportunities; and event planning support.
- ATA’s Bike Commuter Challenge – The Bike Commuter Challenge is a month-long biking competition where Chicagoland organizations compete to see who can earn the most points by riding their bike. It’s free to participate and a fun way to encourage your colleagues to give biking a try.
- Become a Bicycle Friendly Community – The Bike League’s Bicycle Friendly America program provides advocates and change makers with a roadmap and hands-on assistance to build places more welcoming to people who bike. The BFA℠ program is a tool for states, communities, business and universities to make bicycling a real transportation and recreation option for all people and it recognizes those doing it well.
Presentation Templates
- ATA’s Benefits of Trails Presentation – Feel free to adapt and use for your needs
- Bicycle Infrastructure in the Suburbs – Feel free to adapt and use for your needs
Talking Points
- Talking points to make the case for walking and biking
- People for Bikes Talking Points – Talking points to activate broader support for walking and biking projects
Campaign Building Worksheets
Policy Assessment Worksheet (pdf)
- Policy Assessment FAQ (pdf)
- Sample Request Letter (doc, pdf)
Campaign Action Planning Worksheet (pdf)
Inclusive Community Engagement Worksheet (pdf)
Bike Walk Every Town Training Video (youtube)
Bike Walk Every Town Local Policy Platform (pdf)
Campaign Building Tip Sheets:
- Building a Base of Supporters (pdf)
- Outreach and Communications (pdf)
- Engaging Decisions Makers (pdf)
- Tips on Meeting Elected Officials (pdf)
- How to Develop an Elevator Pitch (pdf)
Case Studies:
- Complete Streets Policies (pdf)
- Active Transportation Plans (pdf)
- Funding for Bicycle/Pedetrian Projects (pdf)
- Project Prioritization and Implementation (pdf)
- Bicycle and Pedestrians Advisory Councils (BPAC) (pdf)
Model Plans, Policies & Ordinances
Complete Streets Policy Examples (website)
Active Transportation Plan Examples (website)
Bike Month Proclamation
Sidewalk Snow Removal – Laws, Ordinances, Best Practices & FAQ (pdf)
- Snow Shoveling Ordinance – City of Evanston Municipal Code example (website)
Bike Parking Ordinance from Change Lab Solutions (doc)
Distracted Driving Ordinance (pdf)
Petition Resources
How to Write a Petition (pdf)
Suburban Policy Petition (pdf)
State Bike Walk Fund Petition (pdf)
Event Organizing
Event Planning Check List (pdf)
Bike Rodeo Station Ideas (pdf)
Organizing Bike Rides for Kids and Families (pdf)
Bike Bingo – Bike Palatine Club example (pdf)
Trail Advocacy
Trail Webinar Series
- Des Plaines River Trail Webinar
- Chicago South Side Trail Webinar (Major Taylor Trail, Bronzeville Trail, Englewood Nature Trail, Lake Calumet Trail, Burnham Greenway Trail)
- South Suburban Trails Webinar (Cal-Sag Trail, Old Plank Road Trail, I&M Canal Trail Connector)
- Western Suburban Trails Webinar (East Branch DuPage RIver Trail, Illinois Prairie Path, Great Western Trail, DuPage Trail Master Plan)
- North Chicago & Suburban Trails Webinar (North Shore Channel Trail, Weber Spur, Route 53 Greenway)
Trail Websites
- Bronzeville Trail: https://www.bronzevilletrail.org/
- Englewood Nature Trail: https://www.agroecoenglewood.org/
- Major Taylor Trail: https://majortaylortrailkeepers.org/
- Lake Calumet Trail: https://activetrans.org/lakecalumettrail
- Burnham Multimodal Connector: https://www.burnhamconnector.com/
- Cook County Bike Plan: https://www.cookcountyil.gov/bikeplan
- Des Plaines River Trail: https://activetrans.org/dprt
- Cal-Sag Trail: https://www.calsagtrail.org/
- Old Plank Road Trail: https://www.oprtstudy.org/
- I&M Canal Trail Connector (Press Release): http://www.romeoville.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/834
- East Branch DuPage RIver Trail: https://sites.google.com/view/thetrailbetween/home
- Illinois Prairie Path: https://ipp.org/
- Great Western Trail: http://www.friendsofthegreatwesterntrails.com/
- DuPage Trail Master Plan: https://www.dupagetrailsplan.com/
- North Shore Channel Trail (news via Evanston Transit Alliance): https://www.facebook.com/ETAbiking/
- Weber Spur (news via North Branch Trail Alliance): https://www.northbranchtrailalliance.com
- Route 53 Greenway: https://www.greencorridorcoalition.org/
Election Advocacy
Election Advocacy Best Practices (pdf)
Suburban Election Advocacy Platform (pdf)
Local Suburban Candidate Questionnaire example (pdf)
State Sustainable Transportation Platform
State legislative updates:
- 2024 – bills we are currently advocating for:
- 2023 – bills that passed in the senate and house:
- Safer Intersections (SB 2278) – Intersections in a city no longer have to be built to accommodate a 65-foot truck. Local communities now have the power to design intersections with people in mind – not just large trucks.
- Safer State Roadways (SB 2014) – Requires IDOT to develop a policy for improving infrastructure conditions on state-controlled streets if the street is undergoing any routine maintenance such as resurfacing. This could mean installing pedestrian refuge islands, curb extensions, or protected bike lanes.
- Zero Fatalities (HB 2131) will establish a zero-fatalities task force. The task force will bring together a diverse set of stakeholders to create policies to eliminate traffic deaths in Illinois.
Existing Suburban Advocacy Groups & Bike Clubs
Additional Resources
How can Active Trans help your community? (pdf)
Resource Bank (pdf)
Trail Connect Chicagoland Campaign (pdf)
Suburban Bikeways for All Report
Regional Data: Mode & Crash Reports
2020 Regional Mode Share Report
- Illinois crash statistics:
- In 2021, every day 230 people were injured and 3 people were killed in Illinois traffic crashes. Of those who have been killed in traffic crashes, more than 15% were pedestrians or bicyclists.
- In 2021, 15 people walking or biking were injured in a crash every day. Every other day, someone walking or biking was killed.
- See IDOT’s database for more up to date crash data for your county or city:
CMAP’s Community Snapshots – demographic and transportation data summarized for each municipality and county in the Chicagoland region.
In the News
Group advocates for safer bicycle, pedestrian transportation routes (Daily Southtown)
Training Program Helps Suburban Residents Push for Biking, Walking Paths (CBS Chicago)
Ralph Banasiak’s Daily Herald Column: Along for the Ride
Stories from the Suburbs
Metra to provide long-awaited rapid transit to South Side and south suburbs
Mobility in the time of COVID-19 in the south suburbs
Mobility in the time of COVID-19 in the north and west suburbs
Two key funding sources for projects in your community
Virtual exercise demos help bicyclists stay active and prevent injuries during COVID (Bike Palatine)
Closing the door on the Route 53 extension
Advocate works to make Des Plaines better for walking, biking
Active Trans works to connect trails in Chicagoland
Metra Electric Coalition picks up speed
Celebrating one year of cycling success (Cycle Brookfield)
Palatine bike club rolls out the racks
Duo moves DuPage trail forward (East Branch DuPage River Trail)
Pace launches its much-anticipated Pulse service
Lessons learned engaging residents and students in Aurora
Villa Park advocates build support for safer biking
Advocates fight for bike/walk education in suburban schools
Connecting Chicago’s suburbs with rapid transit
Using balance bikes to build relationships in Elgin
Batavia advocates connect with local businesses
Oak Park advocates stay connected with local officials
Bartlett advocate petitions for trail connection
Teaching safe cycling a passion for Active Trans board member from Chicago Heights
Advocates inspire bicycling in Elk Grove Village
Bike rodeo tips from the expert
Suburban superstars: not taking ‘no’ for an answer
Suburban superstars: a tale of two walking advocates (part 2)
Suburban superstars: a tale of two walking advocates (part 1)
An advocate’s lesson in making a difference
31 days of car-free suburban life
Brookfield’s first bicycle boulevard is here
Kids on the move in Highland Park
Better trail connections in DuPage County
More protected bike lanes coming to Evanston
1st grade transportation advocate of Summit
Sign-up to Learn More
If you’d like to improve walking and biking conditions in your community and learn how the Bike Walk Every Town program can help, please email Advocacy Manager Maggie Czerwinski at maggie@activetrans.org or fill out this form and we will be in touch.
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