Keep up with the latest news on Active Trans and topics that we care about in the region.
UPDATE (11/26/19): Mayor Lightfoot’s budget passed Chicago’s City Council, including new fees on Uber and Lyft.
There’s so much misinformation flying around about Mayor Lightfoot’s changes to the Uber and Lyft fee structure that it’s easy to lose sight of what’s proposed.
The Mayor’s proposal targets downtown trips by adding a fee of $1.75 for solo trips and 65 cents for shared trips that start or end in and around the Loop.
A recent ride on the CTA’s 6000-series rail car provided an opportunity to travel back to 1959 when these cars were brand-new.
The feel of these cars is different from the CTA cars currently in use. For starters, the window seat in the front offers a wide view of the buildings, platforms, rail tracks, and signaling system. The plush seats gave the car a touch of old luxury.
Advertising and the CTA map in the rail cars dated back to the 1990’s,
UPDATE (11/26/19): Mayor Lightfoot’s budget passed Chicago’s City Council, including new fees on Uber and Lyft.
Mayor Lightfoot announced Friday she’ll use a portion of the revenue from new downtown ride-hailing fees to help expand Chicago’s network of bus priority streets. This is good news for anyone who wants better bus service and less congestion on Chicago streets.
Chicago residents: tell Mayor Lightfoot and your alderman you support fair fees and better bus service.
Earlier this week, developers, city leaders, advocates, and residents celebrated the official opening of the riverfront path at Lathrop Homes, one of the first local trails built by a public-private partnership.
The trail runs for roughly a half mile north and south of Diversey Avenue on the east side of the Chicago River and features new landscaping, benches, trees, and a boat and kayak launch.
Because the City of Chicago’s design guidelines require developers to build trails,
Carol Maher came to bicycling relatively late in life. But the 58-year-old retired IT project manager has certainly made up for lost time.
Since she took up cycling four years ago, Maher has ditched her car in favor of cruising around Chicago on two wheels full-time and has become a sustainable transportation advocate.
Maher credits a program called Go Albany Park for sparking her love of cycling in 2015.
Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, Chicago North Side
UPDATE (1/29/20): The City of Chicago released an evaluation of the 2019 scooter pilot and announced there will be a second pilot during summer 2020. They’re currently working on the terms of the new program. No details about how it will be structured are available at this time.
________________
During the past four months while the City of Chicago’s e-scooter sharing pilot program has been underway, Active Trans has been busy gathering information — online and in-person — from hundreds of Active Trans members,
Installing a new rack for bike parking may seem like a modest contribution to a community. But the reality is that it can a big difference in people’s lives — especially for people with limited transportation options who rely on bikes to get around.
Getting more bike racks in the community has been one of the recent goals of the Palatine Bike Club.
With the September installation of a bike parking rack at St.
Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, North Suburbs
In our mission to improve the speed and reliability of CTA buses, Active Trans staff has been taking aldermen on bus rides in their wards with constituents.
Seeing the dilemmas experienced by bus riders first hand is a powerful reminder of the high costs of slow and unreliable service.
Recently, we joined 33rd Ward Alderman Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez (pictured at top, second from left) for a ride on the CTA’s #80 Irving Park bus.
On a warm August afternoon, over 50 people joined the Mayor’s Pedestrian Advisory Council (MPAC) for a walk (pictured) from El Paseo Community Garden in Pilsen to the Eleanor Street Boathouse in Bridgeport.
Along the way, participants from Pilsen, Bridgeport and elsewhere got to experience part of the proposed El Paseo Trail and discuss site specific challenges and opportunities.
This roughly five-mile stretch from Ping Tom Park south to Western Ave is one of five remaining areas that need to be connected for the city to achieve its goal of a continuous Chicago River Trail.
Tags: biking, Chicago River Trail, south branch, Walking
The Chicago region is on the cusp of a big victory for transportation equity. Now our elected officials must carry it across the finish line.
Cook County is working with the City of Chicago and regional transit agencies to reduce fares and increase service on the Metra Electric District line along the South Lakefront. The details are still being worked out, but the County agreed to fund a three-year pilot.
The County’s proposal also includes reduced fares on the Rock Island line through Southwest Cook County and free transfers from both Metra Electric and Rock Island trains to CTA and Pace bus service.