Blog
Keep up with the latest news
on Active Trans and topics that
we care about in the region.
The recent Active Trans Annual Meeting provided an opportunity for supporters of the organization to give a round of applause for our talented local advocates. Below you can see brief recorded remarks from our advocacy award recipients: Romina Castillo, Pha’Tal Perkins, and Wharton Sinkler. People who attended the event also got an overview of the key advocacy efforts Active Trans […]
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COVID-19 has added to the challenges many people face in their day-to-day lives. A lack of access to food is one of those problems that has grown for many people because the of pandemic. On Tuesday, December 15, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., we will be exploring this topic through an online discussion with local elected officials and community […]
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In partnership with a coalition of transportation advocacy groups from across the country, Active Trans will be hosting an online transit justice forum on Wednesday, December 9 at 6 p.m. The COVID-19 pandemic has further amplified the importance of public transit in our city and country. To help us envision the future of public transit, we will be highlighting the […]
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As Congress considers the next COVID relief package, it must make providing emergency support for Chicago-area transportation agencies a top priority. Transit, walking, and biking continue to play essential roles in keeping Chicago-area residents moving during the pandemic. Every day, thousands of people walk, bike, and ride transit to work, healthcare centers, grocery stores, and other critical destinations. ____________________________________________________ Take […]
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Highway expansion has a long history of encouraging more people to drive, intensifying congestion, displacing low-income communities, and harming the environment. For all these reasons, we were delighted to see progress made in putting to rest once and for all the controversial Route 53 highway expansion in Lake County. An important step in preventing the project from easily getting reactivated […]
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Wharton Sinkler is on a mission. As the president of the Des Plaines Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, Sinkler wants to pave the way to better walking and biking conditions in Des Plaines. He and his fellow DPBPAC members advocate for infrastructure projects in Des Plaines that allow people walking and biking to navigate the northwest suburb safely and easily. […]
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Active Transportation Alliance, Center for Neighborhood Technology, Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development, Chicago Jobs with Justice, Elevated Chicago, Environmental Law & Policy Center, Equiticity, Illinois Environmental Council, Metropolitan Planning Council, Respiratory Health Association, Shared-Use Mobility Center, Sierra Club Chicago Group, and Union of Concerned Scientists launched the following petition against Mayor Lightfoot’s proposed cut to CTA’s budget. Take action now […]
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chicago area residents have come to depend on trails not only as recreational assets, but also as transportation corridors that provide low-stress walking and biking connections within and between communities. The Chicago area provides opportunities to enjoy more than 1,100 miles of trails that crisscross the region. But too often people walking or biking on our […]
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In order for people to make well-informed choices about safety and transportation, it’s critical for Chicago-area transit agencies to be transparent about how air is flowing through their vehicles. This is especially important given that, according to the CDC, COVID-19 spreads both through larger droplets that fall out of the air rapidly as well as smaller droplets and particles that […]
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Thanks to the advocacy efforts of Ride Illinois and Active Trans, Metra is introducing its first-ever bike car on the Milwaukee District North Line and temporarily relaxing bike restrictions across all 11 lines. The commuter rail agency, which announced the changes Thursday, was able to make this move because ridership remains down by more than 90 percent during the pandemic and excess capacity exists on all […]
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