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on Active Trans and topics that
we care about in the region.

Rally increases pressure on lawmakers to take action on transit funding crisis

By Active Transportation Alliance | July 14, 2025

On Saturday, transit supporters gathered in downtown Chicago, calling on Governor JB Pritzker and state legislators to address a looming financial emergency threatening CTA, Pace, and Metra.  During the rally in Daley Plaza and the ensuing march through the streets, the crowd urged state leaders to resolve the projected $770 million budget gap or else face a 40% reduction in […]

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2025 Bike Challenge winners: Time to take a bow

By Vanjo Cortes | July 10, 2025

Congratulations to more than 1,400 people from 99 organizations that participated in this year’s Bike Commuter Challenge. The Challenge — sponsored by Keating Law Offices — is a month-long biking competition where Chicagoland organizations compete to see who can earn the most points by riding their bike for work-related trips. The competition is free and open to the public. People […]

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Transit advocates unite to call for special legislative session in Springfield

By Miriam Eisinger | July 7, 2025

Loud chants echoed through the streets as more than a hundred passionate advocates gathered at Chicago’s Union Station in recent weeks, their voices rising in unison: “Public transit. Public good. Fix it, fund it, as you should!” Their unified call: for the Illinois General Assembly to reconvene for a special summer session in Springfield to fix and fund public transit […]

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Bike the Drive seeking poster proposals from artists & designers

By Active Transportation Alliance | July 3, 2025

This year marks 40 years of Active Transportation Alliance advancing walking, biking and transit in our  region. To celebrate, we’re looking for an artist to design a poster that will be sold exclusively at Bike the Drive in our Active Transportation Alliance Village, which will take place on Sunday, August 31, 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at Butler Field  (350 […]

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Support available for your Week Without Driving events

By Maggie Melin Czerwinski | July 1, 2025

Imagine a week where your friends and neighbors experience your community from a completely new perspective. That’s the challenge posed by the Week Without Driving initiative, and now you can bring this eye-opening experience to your community with help from Active Transportation Alliance. We’re excited to introduce our brand-new Week Without Driving stipend program for 2025. From September 29 to […]

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NITA ride? Get the scoop on the Sustainable Transit for Northern Illinois Act 

By Amy Rynell | June 18, 2025

For years, we have championed not only increased funding, but also meaningful transformation of our public transportation system. Riders continue to face a fragmented transit network—schedules and fares are inconsistent, full accessibility remains out of reach, and service often falls short of meeting the community’s needs and expectations. That’s why we’re excited to share a major milestone: On the final […]

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Share your favorite Bike the Drive moments!

By Active Transportation Alliance | June 6, 2025

On Sunday, August 31, thousands of cyclists will be reclaiming Chicago’s iconic lakefront for a morning of pure, pedal-powered joy. Bike the Drive is back! And now, as we’re stepping into summer, we want to see your favorite Bike the Drive moments!   SHARE THE JOY AND WIN Here’s an opportunity to win some free passes to Chicago’s favorite biking […]

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Delayed but not deterred: Continued call to legislature to fix and fund transit

By Amy Rynell | June 4, 2025

On Sunday in the wee hours, the Illinois General Assembly adjourned without finalizing a solution to the transit fiscal cliff – the Northeast Illinois transit agencies’ $770 million budget deficit. While the Senate passed a funding and reform package, it was at 11:45 p.m., and there wasn’t time for the House to debate and vote on it before midnight. As […]

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The push for transit funding and reform in Illinois continues

By Active Transportation Alliance | June 3, 2025

With the clock winding down on Saturday, lawmakers couldn’t find a way to put the $770 million transit shortfall at the top of the list of a packed agenda. Now, Northeast Illinois’ transit agencies are left hanging over the edge of the fiscal cliff. This inaction is more than just a missed opportunity — it’s a direct threat to the […]

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$139 million for walking, biking, and trails announced from state

By Maggie Melin Czerwinski | June 2, 2025

What can nearly $140 million do to improve walking, biking, and trails in Illinois? The answer is a lot! Indeed, one of the many great features of walking and biking infrastructure is that a relatively small amount of funding goes a long way when compared to typical infrastructure projects for driving. The Governor’s Office and Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) […]

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