Blog

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

Extend Blue Line at both ends to connect job centers

By Ted Villaire | August 13, 2015

Post image: The most opportunities to increase the number of people who ride transit to work in Cook County lies in the outer ring suburbs, where interchanges and disconnected towns leave residents with no choice but to spend hours each day stuck in traffic on the way to and from work. Extending the Blue Line northwest through the I-90 Corridor to […]

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Advocacy a crucial part of creating better transportation

By Ted Villaire | August 13, 2015

Post image:  A new report released by TransitCenter documents how advocacy groups like Active Trans, elected officials and agency leaders all need each other to create sustainable transportation options and make streets more walkable, bikeable and transit-friendly. According to the report, grassroots advocacy is an important step in generating change. Advocacy organizations like Active Trans are the backbone behind raising public […]

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And the 2015 Bike Commuter Challenge winners are…

By Ted Villaire | August 12, 2015

Post image:  For the past 24 years, the Active Transportation Alliance has created loads of new bike commuters each year through the Bike Commuter Challenge. The challenge promotes bike commuting as an activity that is easy, fun and environmentally-friendly. Throughout the challenge’s long history, it’s been the job of our Team Leaders – our bike commuting evangelists – to create […]

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Airport Connector would benefit more than just air travelers

By Ted Villaire | August 11, 2015

Post image:  Imagine if you could get from Midway to O’Hare in less than 40 minutes on public transit. Currently, that trip takes well over an hour and involves transferring from the Orange to the Blue Line in the Loop before coming all the way back west towards O’Hare. Building the Airport Connector Express, one of 10 expansion projects in […]

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Expansion of TOD zoning makes sense

By Ted Villaire | August 10, 2015

Post image:  Housing that is walkable to public transit may soon become attainable to more Chicagoans thanks to a zoning proposal that would double the land that can support transit-convenient development.  This sort of zoning is called “transit-oriented development,” or “TOD,” which designates land around a train station as focused on providing a mix of housing and commercial opportunities all […]

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Funding Red Line South Extension should be a priority

By Ted Villaire | August 6, 2015

Post image:  Extending the CTA's Red Line south to 130th street has been talked about for more than a decade. The project has strong public and political support, and Mayor Emanuel has said it’s one of his second term priorities. In 2014, the CTA announced the list of extension alternatives had been narrowed to one “preferred alternative,” and work is […]

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An alternative to long bus rides for kids

By Ted Villaire | August 6, 2015

Post image:  Across the U.S., many students who live in rural areas are subjected to hours of bus riding before and after school every day.  Historically, American students attended the school that served their neighborhood. But in rural areas, school consolidation took hold.  Rural, sparsely populated areas weren’t effectively serving the small number of students in the area, so schools […]

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PlayStreets Day 2015, a city-wide block party!

By Ted Villaire | August 5, 2015

Post image:  July 30th was PlayStreets Day and Active Trans was out in the neighborhoods having a ball! PlayStreets, a Chicago Department of Public Health youth obesity prevention initiative, closes traffic to specific neighborhood streets for three or more hours to transform the community into safe, supervised play areas for families to stay active and healthy.  Active Trans has been […]

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Rapid transit on Ashland is critical to our Transit Future

By Ted Villaire | August 5, 2015

Everyone who travels around Chicago recognizes Ashland Avenue as one of the most important transportation corridors in the city and can see it’s long overdue for an upgrade. No matter what mode of transportation you’re using, trips are often frustratingly slow and unpredictable, especially during the morning and evening rush. Installing center-running dedicated bus lanes and granting buses traffic signal […]

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Victory for bike advocacy!

By Ted Villaire | August 4, 2015

Post image:  People who have been daydreaming about toting their bicycles on the South Shore Line will soon see their dreams come true thanks to advocacy efforts by Active Trans and other grassroots voices.  After years of pressure from Active Trans, the Save the Dunes Council and the National Parks Conservation Association, the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD)  — […]

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