Background The idea of a river trail is not a new one. At least as far back as Daniel Burnham’s 1909 Plan for Chicago, concepts for riverfront promenades and other public spaces have been a part of the public discourse in Chicago. But thanks to recent initiatives, like the City of Chicago's Our Great Rivers vision, buzz about a continuous […]

Post image:  Even before President Trump released a budget blueprint featuring major cuts to transit spending, we knew it was going to be a critical year in Washington, D.C. for active transportation. The transition to a new administration and new Congress typically creates a period of uncertainty on major policy issues. This is complicated by the reality that for the […]

Post image:  A new 14-mile multi-use trail is under development along Sauk Trail in the South Suburbs. The Sauk Trail Preservation Path will run through Lynwood, Sauk Village, South Chicago Heights, Park Forest, Richton Park and Steger. All six municipalities are working with the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and Active Trans to create a plan for trail development. […]

Post image:  Imagine bicycling or walking along the Chicago River in the presence of beautiful trees and lush green vegetation.  Along the trail you encounter turtles and butterflies and hear birds chirping in the warm sunlight.  Wouldn’t it be great to bicycle and run along the river in such a scenic environment?  A step toward bringing more of this vision […]

The Active Transportation Alliance is the Chicago region’s voice for better biking, walking and transit.  Each year the organization produces MB Bike the Drive, a recreational, non-competitive bicycle ride held on the iconic Lake Shore Drive. MB Bike the Drive features a festival in Grant Park that welcomes over 8,000 participants and boasts almost 50 vendors and sponsors exhibiting their […]

Post image:  Since last year, the Chicago Park District has been leading a public planning effort to connect seven existing and planned open space areas on the far South Side of Chicago. The team behind the Southeast Area Wide Plan has now released draft recommendations for public review and comment. (View the draft recommendations and submit comments using this online […]

Post image:  Helping the city identify hotspots for blocked bike lanes just got easier with an update to Chicago’s 311 system. According to the Chicago Department of Transportation, the city has activated a new 311 category for residents to report vehicles blocking bike lanes: “The City of Chicago has implemented a new 311 code so that people riding bikes can […]

Post image:  Active Transportation Alliance compiles a list of events happening each month along the Lakefront Trail. See what's going on in the month of April so you can better plan your walking, biking or running route.  For more information on conditions on the Lakefront Trail, check out our Twitter page.   Saturday, April 8 Chi Town Half Marathon & […]

Post image:  Last summer and fall, Active Trans partnered up with a handful of suburban Cook County municipalities to host pop-up complete streets events. The events used everyday materials, such as duct tape, tar paper, plants and house paint to create temporary complete streets facilities – crosswalks, bicycle lanes, roundabouts and other features to slow down vehicle traffic and improve […]