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

What Uber and Lyft aren’t saying about new Chicago fees

By Kyle Whitehead | November 12, 2019

UPDATE (11/26/19): Mayor Lightfoot’s budget passed Chicago’s City Council, including new fees on Uber and Lyft. There’s so much misinformation flying around about Mayor Lightfoot’s changes to the Uber and Lyft fee structure that it’s easy to lose sight of what’s proposed. HIGHER FEES ON DOWNTOWN TRIPS The Mayor’s proposal targets downtown trips by adding a fee of $1.75 for […]

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CTA Celebrates its 72nd Anniversary

By Crispina Ojeda Simmons | October 21, 2019

A recent ride on the CTA’s 6000-series rail car provided an opportunity to travel back to 1959 when these cars were brand-new. The feel of these cars is different from the CTA cars currently in use. For starters, the window seat in the front offers a wide view of the buildings, platforms, rail tracks, and signaling system. The plush seats […]

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Lightfoot increases ride-hailing fees, expands Bus Priority Zones

By Kyle Whitehead | October 18, 2019

UPDATE (11/26/19): Mayor Lightfoot’s budget passed Chicago’s City Council, including new fees on Uber and Lyft.  Mayor Lightfoot announced Friday she’ll use a portion of the revenue from new downtown ride-hailing fees to help expand Chicago’s network of bus priority streets. This is good news for anyone who wants better bus service and less congestion on Chicago streets. Chicago residents: […]

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New section of river trail at Lathrop Homes opens

By Steve Simmons | October 17, 2019

Earlier this week, developers, city leaders, advocates, and residents celebrated the official opening of the riverfront path at Lathrop Homes, one of the first local trails built by a public-private partnership. The trail runs for roughly a half mile north and south of Diversey Avenue on the east side of the Chicago River and features new landscaping, benches, trees, and […]

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How Carol Maher became a cycling advocate

By Maya Norris | October 15, 2019

Carol Maher came to bicycling relatively late in life. But the 58-year-old retired IT project manager has certainly made up for lost time. Since she took up cycling four years ago, Maher has ditched her car in favor of cruising around Chicago on two wheels full-time and has become a sustainable transportation advocate. Maher credits a program called Go Albany […]

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Chicago should keep e-scooter sharing program

By Kyle Whitehead | October 14, 2019

UPDATE (1/29/20): The City of Chicago released an evaluation of the 2019 scooter pilot and announced there will be a second pilot during summer 2020. They’re currently working on the terms of the new program. No details about how it will be structured are available at this time. ________________ During the past four months while the City of Chicago’s e-scooter […]

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Palatine bike club rolls out the racks

By Ted Villaire | October 11, 2019

Installing a new rack for bike parking may seem like a modest contribution to a community. But the reality is that it can a big difference in people’s lives — especially for people with limited transportation options who rely on bikes to get around. Getting more bike racks in the community has been one of the recent goals of the […]

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Ald. Rossana Rodriguez on board with better bus service

By Steve Simmons | September 30, 2019

In our mission to improve the speed and reliability of CTA buses, Active Trans staff has been taking aldermen on bus rides in their wards with constituents. Seeing the dilemmas experienced by bus riders first hand is a powerful reminder of the high costs of slow and unreliable service. Recently, we joined 33rd Ward Alderman Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez (pictured at top, […]

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Walking the South Branch of the Chicago River

By Ted Villaire | September 25, 2019

On a warm August afternoon, over 50 people joined the Mayor’s Pedestrian Advisory Council (MPAC) for a walk (pictured) from El Paseo Community Garden in Pilsen to the Eleanor Street Boathouse in Bridgeport. Along the way, participants from Pilsen, Bridgeport and elsewhere got to experience part of the proposed El Paseo Trail and discuss site specific challenges and opportunities. This […]

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Leaders should get on board with Metra Electric pilot

By Kyle Whitehead | September 19, 2019

The Chicago region is on the cusp of a big victory for transportation equity. Now our elected officials must carry it across the finish line. Cook County is working with the City of Chicago and regional transit agencies to reduce fares and increase service on the Metra Electric District line along the South Lakefront. The details are still being worked […]

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