Evanston leaders: Please forge ahead with Bike Plan Update

Evanston has one of the highest rates of biking in the entire country and is second only to Madison, WI, on the list of midwestern bike hubs.

In response to the rapid growth in the number of people using bikes to get around town, Evanston recently adopted an exciting update to the city's bike plan.

But even in a bike-friendly place like Evanston, we need to speak up to ensure the bold vision included in the bike plan update becomes a reality.

That's why we're asking Evanston residents to add their name to the letter below we're sending to Mayor Tisdahl and the members of the Evanston City Council.

Read the letter and use the form below to add your name. And don't forget to share with your friends and family! The deadline for signatures is Monday, Sept. 29 at 9 a.m.

Dear Mayor Tisdahl and Evanston City Council:

We applaud you for adopting the Evanston Bike Plan Update and moving forward with planned developments recommended in the initial Evanston Bike plan. We urge you to continue implementing these planned improvements and move forward with implementation of projects in the plan update.

The plan and the update were developed with considerable input from residents, city staff and professional experts. They include proven strategies for achieving goals we deeply value: making Evanston’s streets safe, complete and livable.

The goal of making safe streets for all is especially urgent in Evanston. Our city is home to four of the top ten suburban intersections for bike and pedestrian crashes in Illinois from 2008 to 2012. When these unsafe conditions are combined with the fact that Evanston has one of the highest levels of bicycle ridership in the country, it’s clear we must take action.

Making travel safer is the shared responsibility of all road users. Research shows that the type of bike facilities and policies recommended in the plans make streets safer by creating more order, which reduces conflicts and crashes.

With this in mind, please support increased public safety by developing off-street bike paths, protected bike lanes, greenways and other comfortable corridors.

Consistent with the Complete Streets Resolution the city council adopted in May, the plans support Complete Streets that accommodate transportation options that enhance personal mobility rather than favoring motor vehicle traffic above all others.

The plans also support livable streets. Bike facilities are traffic-calming infrastructure that gives streets a human-scale feel that is comfortable and welcoming to local residents and visitors alike.

The development and adoption of these exciting documents are important milestones that reflect Evanston’s leadership as a bike-friendly city and its commitment to health, sustainability and local economic development.

Now is the time for Evanston to take the next step. We urge the city of Evanston to take concrete action to pursue the recommendations of the bike plans and look forward to supporting these efforts however we can.

Please share this blog with other Evanston residents or use the buttons above to post on social media.