At its core, public transit is intended to connect people to jobs, boosting economic activity and helping cities thrive. In Cook County, our current system fails to meet this basic need for about one out of every 10 people, according to a new report by the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) that's featured in the Chicago Tribune this week. The report is […]

Yesterday, Mayor Emanuel and the Chicago Park District announced the beginning of phase 1 work on Big Marsh Park — a truly awesome new project to benefit Chicago's far southeast side. The 268 acre, $30 million eco-recreation gem will be "a playground for cycling," featuring "family-friendly bike trails as well as world-class venues for mountain biking, cyclocross racing, and trail riding within […]

Look out! Everyone who lives in the Chicago region has had the experience of trying to walk, bike or drive through a particularly dangerous intersection, dodging traffic, cyclists, pedestrians – or some combination of all three. It doesn’t have to be this way. We’re looking to identify some of the most dangerous intersections and impossible street crossings in the city […]

Active Transportation Alliance members recently received the latest issue of our quarterly printed newsletter in the mail. If you haven’t yet taken a look at the newsletter – or if you’re considering a membership and wondering about the content of our newsletters– here’s a sneak peek at some of the articles from the summer 2014 edition. CDOT commissioner Rebekah Scheinfeld: […]

Evanston City Council members unfortunately delayed voting on a new bike plan at a recent council meeting. Most residents spoke in support of the plan, but several objected to the proposed extension of the Davis Street bike lane through their neighborhood. Residents raised concerns about the lane increasing traffic congestion and impacting the historic character of the area. They also […]

North Ave., between Oak Park and Ridgeland Avenues on the border of Chicago and Oak Park, presents many challenges for pedestrians. This road has pedestrian crossing signals that currently don’t work, faded crosswalks, no tactile or wheelchair ramps at the corner and pedestrians must walk a half a mile just to cross North Ave. at Elmwood Ave. These are all […]

This blog post is part of a series chronicling our work with Healthy CPS. Read more about the project here. An important part of the Healthy CPS Safe Routes to School project is developing school-specific recommendations to increase the number of kids walking and biking to school. Since parents are among the best people to identify obstacles to walking and […]

For the last 23 years, the Active Transportation Alliance has created thousands of new bike commuters each year through the Bike Commuter Challenge. The Challenge promotes bike commuting as an activity that is easy, fun and environmentally-friendly. Throughout the Challenge’s long history, it has been under the enthusiastic guidance of the Team Leader – our bike commuting evangelists – to […]

Last week, Wayne Township residents and elected officials came together to brainstorm ideas for making the six-community area in Chicago's Northwest Suburbs safer and more accessible for cyclists. The enthusiastic crowd identified opportunities for new side paths, trail connections, on-street bicycle lanes and signage pointing the way to shops and downtowns. Residents enjoy riding the trails in the area – […]

UPDATE: Check out our Clybourn Complete Street Project factsheet for background information and options for improving the street. The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) will hold a public meeting on the proposed Clybourn Avenue Complete Streets Project on Thursday July 24 at 6 p.m. The meeting will be held at Near North Unity Program, […]