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Did You Know?

Only 24 percent of jobs in the region are accessible by transit in 90 minutes or less by a typical resident — and that number drops to 12 percent in the suburbs.

Engagement needed to create better biking in communities of color

A recent article highlighting Bread of Life Church’s bike club on Chicago’s South Side argues for thoughtful community engagement in planning new and innovative bike projects in communities of color. /

Controversy over new bike lanes in some African-American communities has sparked discussion about the perceived gentrifying effects of bike infrastructure and what is necessary to broaden support for biking in all communities.

The article cites a Portland bike lane project that required extensive community engagement in order to gain traction in a community that had historically experienced city-imposed change and underinvestment. A new plan with added community support includes the bike infrastructure as well as public art projects honoring the neighborhood’s history as Portland’s African American hub.