Rogers Park residents get biking, walking and transit improvements

Alderman Joe Moore of the 49th ward went out on a limb this year and asked his constituents how they would spend the $1.3 million ward infrastructure budget for community improvements. This democratic and community involved process is called participatory budgeting.

There were committees for Streets, Traffic Safety, Parks & Environment, Transportation, Art & Other Projects, and Public Safety. At a series of public meetings, projects were presented to these committees and potentially adopted for the ballot.

Residents were able to vote at the ward office all week and on Saturday at the Chicago Math & Science Academy where each project had a poster with all the relevant information and committee members to answer questions. Residents could vote for eight projects and the projects with the most votes adding up to $1.3 million would get funded.

In the end, it looks like 14 projects will be funded (see photo)!

Active Trans has been communicating with our members in the Ward about this opportunity and many of the selected projects will benefit biking, walking and transit (sidewalk repairs, bike lanes, murals under CTA and Metra underpasses, benches and shelters on CTA 'L platforms, artistic bike racks, street resurfacing, traffic signals, etc.).

I live in Rogers Park and was very impressed with the entire process. My wife and I really felt like we had input, understood what the options were and how the process worked. We truly had the opportunity to shape how the budget was spent and all of the funded projects will help improve the livability and safety of our neighborhood.

Thank you, Alderman Moore for being the first leader in the United States to try this…from one of you constituents, please know that it was worth it.