Blog

New Uber, Lyft fees should be step toward congestion pricing

Jan 23, 2020 | by Kyle Whitehead

Starting January 6, the fee on solo Uber and Lyft trips citywide increased from 72 cents to $1.25 and the fee on shared trips decreased from 72 cents to 65 cents. Trips that start or end in a new “downtown congestion zone” are charged an additional surcharge ($1.75 for solo trips and 65 cents for shared trips).

A portion of the new revenue goes to the city’s Bus Priority Zones initiative that seeks to make bus service faster and more reliable.

City council votes to freeze demolitions along 606

Jan 15, 2020 | by Lynda Lopez

Today the Chicago City Council took bold action in helping families stay in our communities.

This important step forward occurred when city council voted to pass an ordinance to freeze housing demolitions along the 606 Trail, an area where swiftly increasing housing prices have been pushing families from the neighborhood.

On Tuesday, I testified in support of the ordinance alongside Christian Diaz of the Logan Square Neighborhood Association at City Council’s Committee on Housing and Real Estate.

Input needed on 78 and Lincoln Yards

Jan 6, 2020 | by Julia Gerasimenko

The 78 and Lincoln Yards are two megadevelopments that are being built in Chicago that undoubtedly will have major impacts on the city at large and neighboring communities.

Unfortunately, both projects currently lack a good vision for transit, biking, and walking access. Without a coherent plan for good transportation options, these developments inevitably will be a hindrance to building livable, equitable, and healthy communities.

The good news is that you now have an opportunity to provide direct input on the details of these developments,

Top 10 walking, biking, and transit stories of 2019

Dec 16, 2019 | by Kyle Whitehead

There were plenty of attention-grabbing developments among the top active transportation stories of 2019.

Some of these developments helped make our streets safer and more inviting for people using active transportation, while others were intended to give more people access to better transportation options.

Here they are. If we missed an important story, please let us know.

1. State dedicates funds to walking, biking, and public transit. For the first time ever,

Better transportation options will help close the race gap

Dec 6, 2019 | by Ted Villaire

When Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle spoke at the Active Trans annual member meeting on December 4, her message was clear: More equitable transportation will help eliminate the health, wealth, and education disparities that exist in communities of color versus White communities in Cook County.

“Within Cook County, transportation services and the opportunities they afford are not equally distributed,” she said. “Residents and businesses of low- and moderate-income communities travel further to get to jobs and have experienced less economic growth because of historic disinvestment.”

“You may have a two-hour commute to work because the only home you can afford is in Roseland and the only job you can get is in Rosemont.”

Government,

What is fare-capping?

Nov 26, 2019 | by Lynda Lopez

In our recent Fair Fares Chicagoland report, we lay out our policy recommendations for more equitable transit in our region. One of our recommendations is fare-capping.

During our research, we interviewed transit riders about their experiences riding transit. A frequent comment we heard from riders was that the $105 fee for 30-day CTA pass is too expensive.

For many people, the high cost meant that buying weekly passes is a common alternative to paying more upfront for the 30-day pass.

A new, signature attraction along Chicago River

Nov 25, 2019 | by Steve Simmons

The Chicago River gained an awe-inspiring addition with the recent opening of the Riverview Bridge on the North Branch, now the longest pedestrian and bike bridge in the city.

The Riverview Bridge runs for roughly a thousand feet north and south of Addison Street and crosses over the river connecting Clark and California Parks, providing a safe off-street connection with breathtaking urban and natural views.

The bridge soars eighteen feet above the Chicago River and is sixteen-feet wide.

Free fares for youth is part of vision for equitable transit

Nov 25, 2019 | by Lynda Lopez

Nationwide, there’s been a growing interest in allowing youth to ride public transit for free.

Following the approach of cities like Sacramento and San Francisco, a movement has been building in Chicago for free transit for youth.

One of the sources of momentum for the local movement is Back of the Yards College Prep, whose students wrote an open letter to Mayor Lori Lightfoot calling for free youth fares.

Brother of crash victim advocates for safer streets

Nov 20, 2019 | by Maya Norris

Andrew DeMott is channeling his family’s tragedy into a catalyst for change.

Since his brother was killed in a car crash while bicycling home early this year, DeMott has been advocating to improve the walking and bicycling infrastructure in Tinley Park, where his brother was killed.

On Oct. 27, his family held a ghost bike ceremony as a memorial to his brother, Douglas DeMott, 52, near the crash site where his brother was struck by a car on Jan.

Why Chicago needs a Safe Streets Fund

Nov 20, 2019 | by Julia Gerasimenko

Every life lost is a tragedy. We can’t help but be overwhelmed when we think about the 78 lives lost in Chicago so far this year as a result of traumatic traffic crashes.

But we mustn’t become numb to these terrible events.

For the 2019 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims event, which took place earlier this week, organizers lined up 78 pairs of white shoes in the Thompson Center.