This past Wednesday, schools across the country participated in International Walk to School Day. To commemorate the day, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx celebrated with students in Charlotte, NC, calling on everyone to encourage students to walk to school. Here are just a few highlights from some schools we heard from around the Chicagoland area: Evergreen Academy Middle School in […]

As criticism of the ill-conceived Illiana Tollway project mounts, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) board and policy committee will hold two critical votes this week to determine whether the 50-mile, four-lane Will County highway should remain in the GO TO 2040 regional plan. The proposed highway would link Interstate 55 with I-57 and I-65, serving only 8,000 vehicles […]

Bike sharing is coming to Evanston and Oak Park, and once again it's expanding in the city of Chicago, too! “Expanding Divvy outside of the city limits means fewer cars on the roads and gives more residents and visitors the fun opportunity to take a ride,” said Governor Pat Quinn at Evanston’s annual Bike the Ridge event last weekend. Evanston […]

The city announced today that work will begin next year on the Central Loop Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, a new transit center at Union Station and an elevated Washington/Randolph CTA station. This is exciting news that will help make transportation downtown safer and more efficient for everyone. With increasing demand to move around the Loop and limited space, the […]

We’re getting closer and closer to seeing the popular North Branch trail extended 3 miles further south, adding low-stress connections from the North Branch Trail to the Sauganash, Lakefront and Weber Spur trails. Construction on the trail extension, which has been in the works since 2005, is anticipated to start in the spring of 2015 and will take approximately a […]

After hearing from a growing number of bicyclists who ride Metra, Metra leadership took positive steps to better accommodate bicyclists today with changes to its bikes on trains policy. Starting October 6, bikes will be allowed on some early morning trains and they will no longer be banned during special events. The change allows passengers to bring their bikes on […]

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 […]

A new report highlights the lack of connectivity in our regional transit system and demonstrates the need for increased investment to avoid falling further behind our peer cities throughout the world. The report draws further attention to the region’s shortcomings in public transportation on both national and international levels. It’s part of an international series on regional development by the […]

 Last week, Active Trans was thrilled to be the guest of honor at a reading of a new play by Chicagoan Neil Connelly, "RIDE," at the revered Logan Square bike shop Oscar Wastyn Cycles. While the performance was free, the organizers were requesting donations on behalf of Active Trans. If you have never been to Oscar Wastyn Cycles, it's a […]

The Chicago Department of Transportation's Complete Streets program needs volunteers for the Fall 2014 Downtown Bike Count. The fall count is scheduled for the following dates and times: Tuesday, Sept. 23, 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. According to Bicycling Magazine's recent rankings of the […]