Post image: A lack of sidewalks in residential areas surrounding Avoca West Elementary in north suburban Glenview creates a significant barrier for students wanting to walk and bike to school. Many parents prefer driving their kids to Avoca West, viewing it as the safer option. But that’s not a good solution if you want to see your kids getting more active, […]

Post image:  On Friday, President Obama signed the first long-term federal transportation bill in more than a decade into law, and there’s plenty of good news for people who bike, walk and ride transit in Chicagoland. The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act is a five-year bill with more than $300 billion in infrastructure funding, including $61 billion (20 percent) […]

Post image:  North suburban Highland Park is a city dedicated to building a better bike culture.   Last year, the city partnered with Active Trans to become the first Family Friendly Bikeways community. So with support from the Highland Park Bike-Walk Advisory Group, we spearheaded an effort to improve biking in the Highlands, a neighborhood where people need better biking […]

Post image:  Active Trans compiles a list of events going on at the Lakefront Trail.  See what’s happening this month. To keep up-to-date on current conditions on the Lakefront Trail, follow us on Twitter.    Saturday, December 5 Santa Hustle 5k Run/Walk Time: 9 a.m. Location: Soldier Field Course Map   Sunday, December 6 Go Santa Go 5k Time: 9 a.m. […]

Post image:  Active Trans recently learned the sad news that Sean Morris, one of our founding board members, passed away due to complications from Alzheimer's disease. He was 79 years old.  Sean helped form the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation (CBF) 30 years ago (CBF became the Active Transportation Alliance in 2008). After CBF got off the ground, Sean lived in Chile for […]

Post image:  In the frigidly cold late evening hours on December 6, 2013, Hector Avalos, 28, a former marine and aspiring chef, was returning home by bike from his job at a River North restaurant in Chicago.  That same evening, Robert Vais, 54, an administrator at Stroger Hospital, was returning home in his white minivan after leaving a holiday party […]

Post image:  After years of planning and preparation, work is slated to begin November 30 on the southern extension of the North Branch Trail on Chicago’s Northwest Side.   The project will extend the popular multi-use path from its current endpoint at Devon Ave. south to Foster Ave. at Gompers Park. The Chicago region already has many fantastic off-street trails […]

Post image:  Grassroots transportation advocacy helped lay the groundwork for the landmark enactment of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), giving civil rights protections to people with disabilities. Twenty-five years later in Chicago, all CTA buses and 69 percent of its train stations are accessible. But there are still a handful of stations that aren’t ADA compliant. Why has it taken this […]

Post image:  Chicago’s first snowstorm over the weekend made it abundantly clear: winter has arrived. With winter's arrival also comes the need for keeping sidewalks clear of snow and ice. Whether you live in Chicago or local suburban communities, being a good neighbor means having good shoveling habits.  Unshoveled snow serves as an obstacle for people using sidewalks — specifically people […]