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Chicago prepares second e-scooter pilot

Jul 27, 2020 | by Kyle Whitehead

The scooters are coming. Again. Officials say four companies responded to the city’s request for applications for a second e-scooter sharing pilot this summer. Chicago selected Bird, Lime, and Spin to participate in this year's program, which launches August 12. 2020 PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS The terms reflect many of the recommendations from Active Trans’ E-Scooter Policy Report, which was released following the 2019 pilot. The companies can operate a combined 10,000 scooters in a geographic area that includes most of the city. Scooters are not allowed downtown or on the Lakefront or 606 trails, as Active Trans and our partners recommended. At least half of the scooters must be docked in low-income areas on the South and West Sides. We spoke with community leaders in these “priority zones” after the initial pilot and...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, biking, Chicago, chicago north, chicago north west, chicago south, Chicago South Side, Chicago West & Southwest Side, Chicago West Side, covid-19, E-scooters, Equity, transit, Walking

Bus Fellows deliver budget request to City Council

Jul 23, 2020 | by Julia Gerasimenko

Active Trans' Bus Organizing Fellows, Rylen Clark and Jamaine Alberto Gooding, submitted comments to July's Chicago City Council meeting. Jamaine was selected to provide oral comments before the full council while both Jamaine and Rylen submitted written comments. You can read Jamaine's comments in full here and Rylen's comments in full here. Below are excerpts from their testimonies: To Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the members of Chicago City Council, My name is Rylen Clark. I am from Chicago and I have lived in the Chicagoland area for most of my life. I have extensive experience in peer-to-peer nonprofit organizations that primarily focus on at-risk youth at drop-in centers such as Center on Halsted and Broadway Youth Center in the...

Tags: Advocacy, Back on the Bus, Fair Fares Chi, transit

Illinois lags other states in walking and biking policy

Jul 10, 2020 | by Kyle Whitehead

Illinois is becoming a more walk- and bike-friendly state, but it still has a long way to go to catch up with national leaders, according to a new report from the Safe Routes Partnership. The partnership, a national nonprofit working to advance safe walking and biking to schools and other everyday destinations, recently released its 2020 State Report Cards. Illinois scored a 92 out of 200 points, putting it in the second-lowest tier. The state earned 74 points in 2018. California and Massachusetts are national leaders with more than 150 points. STATE FUNDING The best news comes in the funding category where Illinois scored 10 out of 10 for dedicating state funding to walking and biking. Active Trans worked with legislators, partner organizations, and...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, biking, legislation, Planning, Walking

Join us on July 20 for Transit Justice Talk: COVID-19 and Beyond

Jul 10, 2020 | by Active Trans

COVID-19 has had a major impact on transit in the short term, and the impact will likely continue in the long term. In a virtual conversation on Monday, July 20th, Active Transportation Alliance's Bus Organizing Fellows Rylen Clark and Jamaine Alberto Gooding will sit down with State Senator Robert Peters of the 13th District and Alderman Matt Martin of the 47th Ward to discuss their thoughts on transit, socioeconomic equity, and how they intersect. RSVP today to join us for the conversation on July 20th. The Bus Organizing Fellows will give an overview of their recent outreach efforts, and then will facilitate a discussion with Senator Peters and Alderman Martin. The conversation will focus on the future of transit in...

Tags: Advocacy, transit, Transit Equity

Biking during the pandemic

Jul 7, 2020 | by Lynda Lopez

Biking has never been a neutral act. There are a lot of associations with riding a bike on the street and the power that comes with occupying that space. During the past few months, biking has taken on another role because of the pandemic. It is now increasingly being seen as a safe alternative to public transit and other forms of mobility. It has been a conflicting time for me as I process the world unfolding and how movement and our perception of movement shifts. I struggle with how to love biking and not perpetuate beliefs that may harm marginalized communities. As more people take up bikes in my community, many seemingly for recreational purposes, I am adamant not to...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, covid-19

Mobility justice resources for Chicago Bike Week and beyond

Jun 29, 2020 | by Maggie Melin Czerwinski

During this year’s Chicago Bike Week and Bike Challenge, we have an additional challenge for you: Get informed! Bike Week is a perfect time to inform yourself about the role biking plays in mobility and racial justice. How can we ensure that our streets and public spaces feel safe and are safe for everyone? How can we ensure that our advocacy efforts for better biking center the voices of Black and Brown people and those who have experienced violence on our streets? How can our transportation systems better support and uplift the needs of those who have been historically marginalized and oppressed by systemic racism, white supremacy, and inequity? How can each of us as individuals do our part? One...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, transit, Walking

More steps needed for safe, convenient bus service

Jun 3, 2020 | by Jamaine Gooding

Since March, the Active Trans Bus Organizing Fellows have been conducting online surveys with essential workers from historically marginalized communities who depend on public transit to get to their jobs. The survey examines the demographics of these workers, the condition of the buses, and the speed and reliability of the routes they take. This is one of a series of articles sharing the results of these surveys. To keep COVID-19 from spreading among CTA passengers and staff, the transit agency has been changing the way it operates during the pandemic. Buses in particular have some new procedures designed to prevent the spread of the disease. Some of the more visible changes are: Requiring rear door boarding for all riders except...

Tags: Advocacy, covid-19, transit

The challenges of staying safe while using transit

Jun 2, 2020 | by Rylen Clark

Since March, the Active Trans Bus Organizing Fellows have been conducting online surveys with essential workers from historically marginalized communities who depend on public transit to get to their jobs. The survey examines the demographics of these workers, the condition of the buses, and the speed and reliability of the routes they take. This is one of a series of articles sharing the results of these surveys. For people who must rely on transit during the COVID-19 crisis, it’s not an easy task trying to maintain physical distancing and protecting themselves from coronavirus. Among the riders we’ve been surveying, numerous concerns have been brought up about transit agencies’ lack of transparency and lack of steps taken to ensure safety for...

Tags: Advocacy, Back ont he Bus, covid-19

Take action to restore Chicago transit and Divvy service

Jun 2, 2020 | by Active Trans

As Chicago grapples with social unrest and an unprecedented global pandemic, we need reliable transportation options more than ever. But CTA service is suspended again Monday evening. And Metra and Divvy remain out of service. Sign a letter to Mayor Lightfoot and your alderman urging them to restore transit service. We appreciate the unprecedented position Chicago’s leaders are in at this moment. Balancing the need to maintain public safety while protecting the rights of residents is a complex task under normal circumstances, let alone during a global pandemic. However, we urge the City of Chicago and transit agencies work to fully restore transit and Divvy service immediately. In the event services need temporary rerouting or temporary suspensions due to safety,...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, biking, Bus, Chicago Central, chicago north, Chicago North Side, chicago north west, chicago south, Chicago South Side, Chicago West & Southwest Side, Chicago West Side, covid-19, Downtown, Equity, public transit, transit, Transit Equity

Safe streets are much more than crosswalks and bike lanes

Jun 1, 2020 | by Active Trans

The murders of George Floyd, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others continue to demonstrate our society’s systemic devaluing of Black lives. Safe streets mean so much more than crosswalks and bike lanes. We cannot have mobility justice without racial justice. As we advocate for healthy, sustainable, and equitable communities through walking, biking, and transit, we must be centered around efforts to dismantle white supremacy and structural racism. As a majority-white organization, we know that our actions mean more than our words and we will continue to address racial equity inside and outside our organization. As the public responded to these crimes by exercising their constitutional rights, we were deeply dismayed by images and reports of Chicago...

Tags: Advocacy, Equity

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