Blog

Rep. Moeller plays key role in passing bill to improve walking & biking

Jul 29, 2021 | by Ted Villaire

Getting the Illinois Department of Transportation to eliminate its 20 percent local match requirement for walking and biking improvements on state roads was a long and arduous battle.

It required months of work on the part of advocates and lawmakers across Illinois.

Thankfully, all the effort paid off.

IDOT has always covered all costs for motor vehicle infrastructure on state roads.

Now, thanks to this legislation that Active Trans spearheaded,

Chicago ranked near bottom of list of bike-friendly big cities

Jul 9, 2021 | by Maggie Melin Czerwinski

With high speed limits and few low-stress bike routes, Chicago and its largest suburbs score poorly in a new international ratings program designed to evaluate a city’s level of safety and comfort for people biking.

The City Ratings program was developed by People for Bikes, a national non-profit bicycle advocacy group. It ranks cities based on the quality and connectivity of their bicycle networks, and includes 21 cities in the Chicago region.

Cycling Without Age helps older adults combat social isolation

Jun 22, 2021 | by Maya Norris

With the warm weather settling into Illinois, many people are hopping on their bicycles, enjoying the wind in their hair and the sun on their faces. But many older residents with limited mobility don’t often get the chance to cruise through their neighborhoods via pedal power — until now.

Cycling Without Age has made its way to Illinois to help older people reclaim the benefits of bicycling to improve their physical and emotional well-being.

Take action now to make CTA and Metra fully accessible

Jun 22, 2021 | by Kyle Whitehead

The time has come for real access to public transportation.

As Congress considers a reauthorization of the federal transportation bill, transit and disability rights advocates are rallying behind an opportunity to finally make all public transit systems fully accessible.

Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth introduced the All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) Act (S. 1680) in the Senate and Illinois Rep. Marie Newman and Chuy Garcia introduced companion legislation in the House (H.R.

New analysis highlights racial disparities in Chicago area transit access

Jun 17, 2021 | by Kyle Whitehead

A new tool illustrates how longstanding patterns of segregation and discrimination in public policy have caused transit access for Black and Brown residents to lag behind access for White residents.

The Transit Equity Dashboard, produced by the national foundation TransitCenter, maps and quantifies the disparities in transit access caused by segregation and discrimination in land use and transportation policy. TransitCenter helps fund and support local transit advocacy organizations like Active Trans and the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT).

Why Congress must deliver ongoing operations support for Chicago-area transit

Jun 16, 2021 | by Kyle Whitehead

All residents of the Chicago region deserve access to reliable, affordable public transportation, no matter where they live.

Imagine a region where every community has great bus and train service that can safely and conveniently get you to work, school, shopping, church, or anywhere else you need to go; a place where you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars per year owning and operating a car.

Putting every resident within reach of frequent transit service is possible — we just need to fund it.

Kevin Clark’s family and others urge city to take action

Jun 14, 2021 | by Ted Villaire

Around 100 people gathered on Saturday in Logan Square to celebrate the life and legacy of Kevin Clark, who was tragically killed while riding a bike on May 26.

Kevin was hit by a driver at the intersection of Logan Boulevard and Western Avenue, a spot that has long been known to be very dangerous for people walking and biking.

During the vigil and press conference, family members shared details about Kevin’s kind and gentle nature,

Annual walking & biking funding program gets a big boost

Jun 10, 2021 | by Maggie Melin Czerwinski

Active Trans is proud to report that one of the most important state funding sources for walking and biking improvements is awarding its largest annual amount ever.

The three-fold increase is the result of a statewide campaign led by Active Trans and helped along by supporters like you pushing for dedicated state funding for walking and biking.

The funding source — called the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) and administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) — is putting nearly $106 million toward walking,

Bike Palatine Club joins forces to celebrate National Bike Month

Jun 7, 2021 | by Active Trans

Teamwork is a key ingredient when it comes to encouraging more people to take up biking.

The Bike Palatine Club discovered that firsthand when it collaborated with a variety of community groups to celebrate National Bike Month in May.

Together they organized activities and public displays that promoted the benefits of cycling.

Palatine Mayor Jim Schwantz kicked off the celebration with a proclamation declaring May as National Bike Month in the community at the May 3 Village Council meeting.

Join us for a vigil honoring Kevin Clark’s life and legacy

Jun 3, 2021 | by Kyle Whitehead

The family of Kevin Clark is hosting a vigil and press conference on Saturday, June 12, at 10 a.m. at the Logan Square Monument. Kevin was tragically hit and killed in May while riding his bike near Logan Boulevard and Western Avenue.

Speakers will remember Kevin’s life and legacy and call for improving bicycling safety in Logan Square and neighborhoods throughout Chicago. We will also install a ghost bike memorial for Kevin near the crash site.