Blog
Keep up with the latest news
on Active Trans and topics that
we care about in the region.
We’ve been listening to feedback from our supporters about open streets and want to respond in order to clarify some important points. We also want to continue to share how we are developing our overall response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We do not oppose open streets. By raising concerns about potential harms to public health and urging that any initiative […]
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In response to the challenges of COVID-19, many cities around the country opted to close streets to cars or reconfigure traffic lanes to create more dedicated space for walking and biking. While more information is needed to understand the true impact of these initiatives, many are wondering if this is a viable and safe strategy that could work for all […]
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A progressive state income tax would advance our mission to create more healthy, sustainable, and equitable communities in the Chicago region. WHAT IS THE FAIR TAX? The Fair Tax constitutional amendment would change the state constitution by eliminating the requirement that says the state of Illinois must tax income at a single rate. Passing the Fair Tax amendment would allow for higher taxation rates for […]
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As we address the global pandemic, the Active Transportation Alliance is adapting and responding — and continuing to do the important work of fighting for clean and equitable transportation. As with many other critical public systems, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the underlying inequities in Chicago’s transportation network. Years of disinvestment mean that the Black and Latinx communities hit hardest […]
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The COVID-19 public health crisis and the current stay at home order are directly impacting the way most of us move on a daily basis. Many questions have arisen over what this means for walking and biking and how to safely navigate sidewalks, streets, and trails. During this time, it is important to follow public health guidelines. Although it seems […]
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If Chicago’s transit agencies are going to recover from the devastating effects of COVID-19, they need to include riders and other Chicagoland residents in their decision making. CTA ridership is down more than 80 percent from typical April ridership. Pace Suburban Bus ridership is down 68 percent. Metra ridership is down 97 percent – combining for an 83 percent decline […]
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Did you know that Active Trans has an assortment of resources that advocates, teachers, and parents can use to educate children about walking and biking safety both inside and outside the classroom? With parents and teachers looking for walking and biking education ideas for their kids during the “stay-at-home” order, we wanted to share some of our resources. Last year […]
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Over the last month, much of the regular work we engage in has had to adapt to the changing circumstances and needs. This is also true for community partners in our network. To better understand the needs and work underway in communities across the city, we’ve been having conversations with our partners to learn more about their current efforts. While […]
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When we started advocating for rear door boarding on buses in 2017 in our Back on the Bus report and in our 2018 Bus Friendly Streets Report Cards, we never thought it could become a public health imperative. We started fighting for all-door boarding as a way to speed up service and make buses more reliable. Now, four weeks into […]
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It was a great loss to the world of sustainable transportation when John LaPlante died in March of COVID-19. As someone who worked with John over a number of years, I wanted to provide a more detailed account of his impact locally and nationally. You might not realize it, but you’ve likely benefited from John’s efforts to improve street design […]
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