Tag Archives: Bicycling

Victory! Illinois legislators eliminate local match for walk/bike infrastructure

Jun 1, 2021 | by Kyle Whitehead

Update (8/30/21): Illinois House Bill 270 is now law. Effective August 30th, the state will cover 100 percent of the cost of walking and biking infrastructure on state roads. After many months of effort from advocates and legislators, the Illinois House and Senate passed a bill mandating that the state cover 100 percent of the cost of walking and biking infrastructure on state roads, just like they do for cars and trucks.  Active Trans championed the legislation along with Ride Illinois and the Metropolitan Planning Council. The bill is now being sent to Governor Pritzker’s desk and should be signed into law this summer. It passed with strong bipartisan majorities in both chambers.  HOW IT HAPPENED  Advocates from across Illinois stepped up...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, biking, legislation, Walking

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Why Illinois should eliminate the local match for walking and biking infrastructure

May 20, 2021 | by Active Trans

The following post is excerpted from George Fero's recent testimony before the Illinois Senate Transportation Committee about House Bill 270, which eliminates the 20 percent local cost share for walking and biking infrastructure. Fero serves as an alderman on the city council in Lebanon, a Southern Illinois town with about 4,500 residents. He also serves on the board of the statewide bike advocacy organization Ride Illinois and is vice-president of Gateway East Trails, his local walking and biking advocacy group. ___________________________________________________ The City of Lebanon, with a population of just under 5,000, is located at the eastern edge of metropolitan St. Louis, at the crossroads of US highway 50 and Illinois Route 4. Both highways are maintained by IDOT. We...

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

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Take action now for more sidewalks and bike lanes on state roads

May 17, 2021 | by Kyle Whitehead

After passing in the Illinois House of Representatives last month, our bill — HB 270 — to eliminate the local cost share for walking and biking infrastructure on state roads has now passed out of committee in the Illinois Senate. But there's only two weeks left in the legislative session and we need to make sure it's called to the floor for a vote. ___________________________________________________ Please ask your senator to co-sponsor HB 270 and vote for it when it's called on the floor.  ____________________________________________________ Under current law, when the state is rebuilding a road, the state covers 100 percent of the cost of infrastructure for car and trucks, such as travel lanes and markings. But if the state’s analysis determines...

Tags: Advocacy, Back on the Bus, Bicycling, biking, Equity, legislation, Walking

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Now is the time for a transformative capital plan

Apr 26, 2021 | by Jim Merrell

The just-announced Chicago Works Five Year Capital Plan offers Chicago an extraordinary opportunity to show how walking, biking, and transit can help spark and sustain an equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan highlights a number of inspiring and potentially transformational projects, including $159.2 million dedicated to the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) in 2021 and 2022 for Complete Streets improvements — like protected bike lanes and dedicated bus lanes. Unfortunately, the plan also risks missing out on some enormous benefits by taking a business-as-usual approach to transportation. The approach risks letting politically popular projects like car-centric re-paving beat out smart, long-term planning and investment in cleaner, healthier, and safer modes of transportation. The plan lacks details on how Complete Streets investments will...

Tags: Bicycling, transit, Walking

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Give your advocacy skills a boost with these virtual workshops

Apr 5, 2021 | by Maggie Melin Czerwinski

Ever wondered about the best time for advocates to get involved in a new transportation project? Or maybe you’ve been stumped about the most effective way to gather input about transportation projects from a wide range of people in your community? These are just a couple of the thorny questions addressed in a series of workshops held during Active Trans’ Suburban Action Week. The event, which included more than 35 speakers, enabled Active Trans to put together an extensive collection of resources intended to help community members successfully advocate for walking, biking, and transit. Some of the discussions focused on specific advocacy efforts while other presentations focused on walking, biking, and transit projects underway at the county level. Some presentations...

Tags: Bicycling, Suburbs, transit, Walking

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Get the latest on projects underway in your suburban community

Apr 2, 2021 | by Maggie Melin Czerwinski

Wondering about walking-, biking-, and transit-related projects currently underway in Chicagoland’s suburban communities? Well, here’s your chance to find out what’s happening. During our recent Suburban Action Week event, we heard directly from county staff in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties. Staff from county departments of transportation, councils of mayors, forest preserves, and other agencies shared overviews of current and upcoming walking, biking, and transit projects in each county. Additionally, staff from Pace Bus and Metra Rail each discussed how they’re navigating COVID-19 and what’s in store for the future of suburban transit. Check out recordings of these talks below!   COOK COUNTY Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways staff — Beth Davis, Benet Haller,...

Tags: Bicycling, Suburbs, transit, Walking

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Inspiration and guidance for advocates in suburban communities

Mar 30, 2021 | by Maggie Melin Czerwinski

If you’ve ever considered pursuing a walking, biking, or public transit improvement project in your suburban community, you’ll find this series of videos to be a treasure trove of information. The Active Transportation Alliance recently hosted its first-ever virtual Suburban Action Week, featuring 25 short online talks and workshops with advocates, county staff, and community leaders throughout the region. Ten of the sessions focus on successful suburban campaigns to improve walking, biking and transit – from Elgin to Roseland to Brookfield and beyond. Advocates share advice on how to build relationships within a community, how to work effectively with elected officials, and how individuals can make a difference in their own towns. They describe their on-the-ground strategies for creating slow...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, Suburbs, transit, Walking

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Recognizing the people working for healthier, more equitable transportation

Mar 29, 2021 | by Ted Villaire

This year, Active Trans is celebrating 35 years of advocating for better transportation options in the region. To commemorate this milestone, we recently gathered virtually with fellow supporters to socialize, have some fun, and look back at the important work accomplished over the years. The main focus of the event, however, was recognizing local individuals who are dedicated to making our region and our world better places for walking, biking, and public transportation. Our four 2021 honorees have done a great deal to shape a more livable world with better transportation options, whether it be through elected office, advocacy and policy changes, or business and philanthropy. The videos below offer the brief remarks from each awardee (you can also watch...

Tags: Bicycling, Events, Transit Equity, Walking

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Action alert: More senators needed to co-sponsor bill to make state roads safer

Mar 26, 2021 | by Kyle Whitehead

The Illinois House is advancing Active Trans' bill to eliminate the local share of the costs for walking and biking infrastructure on state roads, but the state senate has yet to take action on it. We need your help to make sure the senate takes action. One way to show broad support is to recruit more co-sponsors of the legislation. Under current law, when the state of Illinois is rebuilding a road, the state covers 100 percent of the cost of infrastructure for cars and trucks, such as travel lanes and road markings. But if the state’s analysis determines a sidewalk, side path, or bike lane should be added and there’s community support for it, then the local community is...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, biking, legislation, Walking

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A local champion for transportation justice

Mar 24, 2021 | by Ted Villaire

Active Trans is thrilled to be recognizing US Representative Jesús García for our 35th Anniversary celebration. Known to most people as “Chuy,” Rep. García is receiving Active Trans’ Public Leadership Award for his tireless efforts fighting for better public transportation, walking, and biking. Having served as a Chicago alderman, a Cook County Board member, and a state senator, he now represents Illinois’ fourth district for the US House of Representatives, where he founded the Future of Transportation Caucus. In the past year, Rep. García successfully led the call to include adequate support for public transportation as part of the federal pandemic relief funding. In recent months, he introduced a measure with other members of Congress that would boost transit funding...

Tags: Bicycling, mobility justice, transit, Transit Equity, Walking

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