Want to be part of a working group to develop a community-driven vision for a safer Archer Avenue? Your chance to help improve Archer between Harlem Ave. and Western Ave. is coming up on Wednesday, September 4.
While Archer Avenue is identified as a spoke route in the Streets for Cycling Plan 2020, little progress has been made, unfortunately, to make this major thoroughfare safe for people biking. The photo featured above is a ghost bike dedicated to Lisa Shalk, who was killed by a driver while riding her bike at the intersection of Archer Avenue and Lorel Avenue in November 2017.
This is just one example of how street design failed the most vulnerable people on Archer.
Overall, the Southwest Side of Chicago has many barriers to safe walking, biking, and public transportation. Many of these barriers are the result of conditions such as heavy industry and truck traffic along with related environmental concerns. We hope to explore these concerns through a survey to be shared among the many diverse communities along Archer Avenue, including Chinatown, Bridgeport, McKinely Park, Brighton Park, Archer Heights, and Garfield Ridge.
Active Trans hosted a kick-off meeting this past April when participants decided to create a Northeast Working Group and a Southwest Working Group, splitting up the street at Western Avenue. At the Northeast Working Group meeting at the end of July, we collected input on what the survey should consist of and how to make sure it’s accessible to all.
The goals for the Southwest Group meeting on Wednesday, September 4 are to
- Finalize a survey that will collect community input how on how Archer can be safer for all roadway users.
- Plan walk audits, which will collect qualitative data on sidewalk conditions along Archer between Harlem and Western in key spots along the corridor.
- Plan a bike ride.
We will be able to provide gift cards for participants of the walk audits and a raffle for completing the survey, as well as print copies of the survey and translation services. We will plan to engage as many stakeholders as possible throughout this process, including elected officials, chambers of commerce, community residents, and others.
Please email [email protected] if you would like to be involved but cannot make it to the meeting.
What: Southwest Archer Avenue Working Group meeting
Where: Christian Fellowship Church, 4220 W. 59th St, Chicago, IL 60629
Accessible by Orange Line Midway stop, #59, 59th St. bus, #53A Pulaski bus, plenty of parking as well
When: 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, September 4
Click here to RSVP here! Light refreshments will be served.