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Keep up with the latest news
on Active Trans and topics that
we care about in the region.

Active Trans endorses Fair Tax ballot initiative

By Kyle Whitehead | April 29, 2020

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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COVID-19 resources and information from Active Trans

By Ted Villaire | April 23, 2020

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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Safe walking and biking during COVID-19

By Maggie Melin Czerwinski | April 20, 2020

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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Advocates call for transit agencies to prioritize racial equity in COVID-19 response

By Kyle Whitehead | April 16, 2020

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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Lessons in walking and biking safety

By Maya Norris | April 15, 2020

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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Community-based organizations adapt to serve local needs

By Lynda Lopez | April 14, 2020

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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CTA, Pace announce boarding changes to protect workers and riders

By Julia Gerasimenko | April 9, 2020

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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John LaPlante’s Complete Streets legacy

By Ted Villaire | April 8, 2020

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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Supporting the transportation needs of essential workers

By Lynda Lopez | April 7, 2020

As an organization that advocates for walking, biking, and public transit to create healthy, sustainable, and equitable communities, this moment necessitates rethinking and adapting to changing needs. This means not necessarily supporting policies or ideas that we embrace in the non-COVID-19 world. We believe in the ability for people to travel freely, but we know this moment requires taking a […]

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Fun walking and biking resources for kids

By Maggie Melin Czerwinski | April 1, 2020

With schools closed and Governor Pritzker’s “stay at home” order extended through April, some of you may now find yourself at home with young children, juggling work and other responsibilities while keeping your kids occupied and entertained. If you’re looking for ways to engage their minds, why not add some interactive, online walking and biking safety education to the mix? […]

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