Blog
Keep up with the latest news
on Active Trans and topics that
we care about in the region.
Teamwork is a key ingredient when it comes to encouraging more people to take up biking. The Bike Palatine Club discovered that firsthand when it collaborated with a variety of community groups to celebrate National Bike Month in May. Together they organized activities and public displays that promoted the benefits of cycling. Palatine Mayor Jim Schwantz kicked off the celebration […]
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The family of Kevin Clark is hosting a vigil and press conference on Saturday, June 12, at 10 a.m. at the Logan Square Monument. Kevin was tragically hit and killed in May while riding his bike near Logan Boulevard and Western Avenue. Speakers will remember Kevin’s life and legacy and call for improving bicycling safety in Logan Square and neighborhoods throughout […]
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The wait is over. After several years of delays and a lengthy construction process, the Navy Pier Flyover is finally complete. The long-awaited bridge for people walking and biking will help ease traffic congestion and improve safety along the Chicago Lakefront Trail and near Navy Pier while enriching the city’s skyline with an iconic, one-of-a-kind architectural wonder. Last month, Mayor […]
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Update (8/30/21): Illinois House Bill 270 is now law. Effective August 30th, the state will cover 100 percent of the cost of walking and biking infrastructure on state roads. After many months of effort from advocates and legislators, the Illinois House and Senate passed a bill mandating that the state cover 100 percent of the cost of walking and biking […]
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The following post is excerpted from George Fero’s recent testimony before the Illinois Senate Transportation Committee about House Bill 270, which eliminates the 20 percent local cost share for walking and biking infrastructure. Fero serves as an alderman on the city council in Lebanon, a Southern Illinois town with about 4,500 residents. He also serves on the board of the […]
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Last summer, Chicago’s shared streets program provided opportunities for residents to safely spend time outside during the peak of the pandemic. While people appreciated the extra space for recreation and safely being outdoors, the program did little to address connectivity issues with the city’s walking and biking networks, according to feedback from Active Trans members and supporters. Recently, the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) […]
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After passing in the Illinois House of Representatives last month, our bill — HB 270 — to eliminate the local cost share for walking and biking infrastructure on state roads has now passed out of committee in the Illinois Senate. But there’s only two weeks left in the legislative session and we need to make sure it’s called to the […]
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The proposed One Central tower and transit hub on Chicago’s South Side is poorly conceived and wouldn’t increase transit access for the city’s highest need residents. Thankfully, State Rep. Kam Buckner has introduced a bill (House Bill 4075) to ensure the project doesn’t receive $6.5 billion in public funds. Buckner, whose district includes the site, says he’s heard from constituents opposed to the […]
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The just-announced Chicago Works Five Year Capital Plan offers Chicago an extraordinary opportunity to show how walking, biking, and transit can help spark and sustain an equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan highlights a number of inspiring and potentially transformational projects, including $159.2 million dedicated to the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) in 2021 and 2022 for Complete Streets improvements — like […]
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On Earth Day 2021, we joined 23 local organizations to deliver a letter to the Illinois Congressional delegation to push for a historic investment in public transit in the United States. Dozens of national and local organizations will be delivering similar letters to their local congressional delegations as well as part of the National Campaign for Transit Justice. See below […]
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