Category Archives: Blog

Germany provides examples of a regional vision for transit

Dec 19, 2024 | by Amy Rynell

Our local transit system has some work to do when it comes to being laser-focused on the needs of riders. Fortunately, there’s an abundance of great examples around the world of successful regional transit systems. I recently participated in a trip to Germany to learn more about the transit systems in Munich and Berlin with the goal of bringing back good ideas to share. The group that went to Germany included elected officials, agency representatives, as well as leaders from local nonprofits, transportation unions, and businesses (see bottom photo). REGIONAL TRANSIT IN BERLIN AND MUNICH The reason we focused on Munich and Berlin is because they are comparable to Northeastern Illinois in a number of important ways: While the...

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Will intercity buses get you home for the holidays?

Dec 18, 2024 | by Active Trans

This fall, Chicago’s Greyhound station was on the brink of closure. Thankfully, the threat of the bus terminal shutting its doors ended with a temporary reprieve that will keep the downtown terminal operating longer. However, the ultimate long-term future of an enclosed intercity bus terminal in Chicago remains uncertain. Across the Midwest, people rely on intercity buses as an affordable connection between home, school, and job opportunities. And during the holiday season, as the tempo of travel increases, the critical link that intercity bus service provides becomes especially evident. Intercity bus travel connects communities not served by air or rail. These bus services provide connections for rural communities’ access to travel services in large urban areas. Chicago’s downtown terminal allows...

Tags: Advocacy, transit

Learn virtual mapping of sidewalk and bikeway barriers!

Dec 13, 2024 | by Maggie Melin Czerwinski

This January, from the comfort of your own home, you’re invited to join a free, online map-a-thon training to learn how to virtually map the conditions of your local sidewalks and bikeways. During the training, you’ll learn how to evaluate sidewalks, curb ramps, crosswalks, and bikeways to help ensure your community is safer and more accessible for everyone. The training will be provided by the Active Transportation Alliance and University of Illinois-Chicago’s (UIC’s) Project Sidewalk team. WHAT IS PROJECT SIDEWALK? Project Sidewalk is a free, online tool that uses crowdsourcing to collect data on sidewalk and bikeway accessibility. Broken, cracked, and missing sidewalks create hazardous conditions that limit mobility and exclude people with disabilities and other vulnerable road users from...

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A robust community of advocates gather together

Dec 10, 2024 | by Ted Villaire

The Active Transportation Alliance's recent annual member party was abuzz with excitement as participants celebrated the organization's successes of the past year and shared plans for the coming months. The highlight of the evening was a panel discussion focusing on the work of local partners involved in sustainable transportation advocacy. Panelists shared information about how they became involved in the work and their current efforts underway. Most importantly, they shared advice for other grassroots advocates on how to build and execute successful advocacy campaigns. Here are a few of their comments. WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR LOCAL ADVOCATES? Rony Islam from Chicago Bike Grid Now! “Build a very robust community and network of people around you. Those are...

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ATA’s W. Robert Schultz III inducted into Chicago’s LGBT Hall of Fame

Nov 11, 2024 | by Miriam Eisinger

W. Robert Schultz III has been a powerful force for activism in Illinois for decades. His efforts have championed critical causes, including marriage equality, the abolition of the death penalty, and the protection of immigrant rights, and his work has not gone unnoticed. And for the past 6 years, as a campaign organizer for the Active Transportation Alliance, he’s been an important voice in the region for better access to walking, biking, and transit. Schultz earned a political science degree from Alma College in Michigan before obtaining his law degree from North Carolina Central University, a historically black institution. In 1997, he co-founded the Lakeside Pride Music Organization with four other LGBT musicians and has participated in its drumline ever...

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How local groups energize Chicagoland’s Bike Month

Oct 30, 2024 | by Maggie Melin Czerwinski

Each year in May, Chicagoland celebrates Bike Month with exciting bike-related activities like community rides, educational workshops, and repair clinics. While the Active Transportation Alliance plays a role in organizing some of these events, most are led by passionate grassroots groups and local municipalities. These organizations are the true champions of local biking culture, quietly making a big impact by empowering people with biking skills and confidence right in their own neighborhoods. To help nurture these on-the-ground grassroots efforts, each year we offer small stipends to a number of local groups. The stipends are intended to give their initiatives during Bike Month and throughout the summer a boost, bringing more resources and energy to local communities. While these events are...

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Why lowering the speed limit will make our streets safer

Oct 24, 2024 | by Jim Merrell

The fight for safer streets took a step forward recently when the proposed ordinance to reduce Chicago's default speed limit successfully advanced through the Chicago City Council’s Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety. This significant milestone means that the proposal will now go to a full city council vote. As this legislation proceeds to city council, we want to emphasize that lowering the speed limit is a critical part of a broader strategy to decrease traffic fatalities and build safer neighborhoods throughout Chicago. This initiative is not about increasing ticket revenue; it's about promoting equity and safety across the city by tackling the widespread danger of speeding. To help everyone understand the life-saving benefits of this change, we've put together...

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Empower your community: Apply for a $300 stipend with Project Sidewalk!

Oct 24, 2024 | by Maggie Melin Czerwinski

This fall and winter, cozy up with a cup of hot chocolate and make a difference in your community! The Active Transportation Alliance is teaming up with University of Illinois-Chicago’s (UIC's) Project Sidewalk team to offer stipends for up to 10 volunteer groups and individuals committed to virtually mapping the conditions of their local sidewalks and bikeways. From the comforts of your own home, you’ll get hands-on experience with cutting-edge tools to identify areas in need of improvement, ensuring your community is safer and more accessible for everyone. WHAT IS PROJECT SIDEWALK? Project Sidewalk is a free, online tool that uses crowdsourcing to collect data on sidewalk and bikeway accessibility. Broken, cracked, and missing sidewalks create hazardous conditions that...

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Illinois voters show strong support for a unified transit system

Oct 23, 2024 | by Ted Villaire

Illinois voters have expressed a clear preference for unifying the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), Metra, and Pace into a single agency. A recent poll reveals that this initiative is favored by a 2-to-1 margin statewide, with even stronger backing in the Chicago area. The proposed legislation, known as the Metropolitan Mobility Authority Act (MMA), aims to streamline these four agencies into one cohesive entity. This transformation promises to save up to $250 million annually by eliminating redundant efforts and could lead to increased state investment. By integrating services, the MMA seeks to offer safer, more frequent, and better-coordinated transit options. Imagine a future where a single app and fare system simplifies your journey to work, school,...

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Effort to lower speed limit proceeds to full city council vote

Oct 22, 2024 | by Active Trans

We're thrilled that the proposed ordinance to lower Chicago's default speed limit has passed out of the Chicago City Council's Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety and soon will go in front of a full city council for a vote. Before the vote, we presented a statement (see below) to the committee on behalf of a coalition of 13 Chicago-based organizations. The statement said the measures included in the legislation will save lives and enhance mobility by lowering speed limits, reforming traffic fines and fees, and providing residents with new tools to address road hazards. The letter highlights the urgent need for action, citing CDOT statistics that reveal 136 traffic fatalities in 2023, with speeding and reckless driving involved in...

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