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New Divvy pricing offers more options for two-wheeled fun

Jan 24, 2018 | by Active Trans

Today the City of Chicago announced tweaks to the pricing structure for the Divvy bike share system. Active Trans is hopeful these changes will encourage more people to try Divvy while also providing existing users with a better experience.Ultimately, attracting more people to use Divvy will make more resources available for additional stations, expanded access through low-cost membership programs like Divvy for Everyone, and increased outreach and educational programming. “Cycling is surging in Chicago in large part because Divvy has it made it easy for experienced and new cyclists alike to travel by bike,” said Ron Burke, Active Trans Executive Director. “Giving people more time between dockings makes Divvy even more convenient. It's a change many Divvy riders have asked for and...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, Chicago Central, Chicago North Side, Chicago South Side, Chicago West & Southwest Side, Chicago West Side, Walking

Suburban superstars: a tale of two walking advocates (part 1)

Jan 22, 2018 | by Active Trans

Last year, as part of the Bike Walk Every Town suburban advocacy program, the Active Transportation Alliance hosted several advocacy skills-building workshops.We were privileged to cross paths with several dedicated leaders who have spent years working to improve walking, biking and transit conditions in their communities. We wanted to learn what motivated them to volunteer their time and persist through the oftentimes bumpy road of transportation advocacy. Two Chicagoland women, Anne Nagle and Geraldolyn Harris, who attended the trainings stood out for their work in walking advocacy and their participation in the America Walk’s Walking College program. America Walks is a national nonprofit focused on making communities more walkable and livable. Their 12-week online Walking College offers an interactive experience that...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, North Suburbs, Walking

Parents share their hopes for Milwaukee Ave.

Jan 17, 2018 | by Active Trans

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) is completing a major reconstruction of the highly-trafficked corridor between Belmont Avenue and Logan Boulevard. The goals for the project, according to CDOT, are to create public space, improve walkability, achieve Vision Zero by enhancing traffic safety and access to the area, and harmonize the various modes of transportation. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape this popular corridor.The first public meeting for the project was held this past summer, at which CDOT shared with residents how the corridor is currently used by different modes of transportation and CDOT provided an overview of the physical space itself. For example:From Logan Square to Belmont, two-thirds of the space is dedicated to cars. The percentage of residents who bike to...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, Chicago North Side, Walking

An advocate’s lesson in making a difference

Jan 9, 2018 | by Active Trans

One of the highest priority transportation proposals in McHenry County has been a three-quarter mile multi-use trail along Bull Valley Road just south of the City of McHenry in the northwest suburbs.This proposed trail extension that runs between Route 31 and the Illinois Prairie Path was also highlighted in the Active Transportation Alliance’s Trail Connect Chicagoland map, which envisions a continuous trail network in Northwest Illinois.Closing the trail gap would establish the western link of the Millennium Trail by connecting east to Moraine Hills Park and eventually extend all the way to Lake Michigan.The trail would provide several important benefits: recreation, business, tourism and safety.As a member of the McHenry County Bicycle Advocates (MCBA), resident Greg Glover decided in 2016...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, North Suburbs, Walking, West Suburbs

An advocate’s lesson in making a difference

Jan 9, 2018 | by Anne Evans

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, North Suburbs, Planning, Walking, West Suburbs

January events on the Lakefront Trail

Jan 5, 2018 | by Active Trans

Happy new year to all! May your 2018 be filled with walks, runs and rides along the Lakefront Trail. The Active Transportation Alliance compiles a list of events happening each month along the Lakefront Trail. See what's going on in the month of January so you can better plan your walking, biking or running route. As winter weather consumes our city, there are fewer events to watch out for. For regular updates about the Lakefront Trail, follow our Lakefront Trail Twitter page and the #chiLFT hashtag. NOTE: For updates on the Lakefront Trail separation construction, visit the Chicago Park District’s page. Temporarily, all path users are asked to share the newly separated bike trail between Fullerton Parkway and North Avenue. Reminder,...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, Chicago Central, Chicago North Side, Lakefront Trail, Walking

Back on the Bus: Create more effective ways to enforce bus lanes

Dec 21, 2017 | by Active Trans

Of the paltry four miles of dedicated bus lanes that exist in Chicago, the city already struggles with keeping them clear from car traffic. As we are calling for more bus lanes, Active Trans would also like to ensure the bus lanes are enforced so they are effective in improving bus speed and service. Buses are slowed when lanes are used illegally for pickup and drop-off, private shuttle buses, and people using the lanes to skip ahead of other traffic or make illegal right turns. Active Trans acknowledges that enforcement is a sensitive issue given the Chicago Police Department's battles with systemic racism. Police enforcement would provide an additional platform for officers to unfairly target black and brown communities. We’ve...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, Chicago Central, Walking

Back on the Bus: Establish a local dedicated revenue stream to fund transit

Dec 21, 2017 | by Active Trans

Cuts to transit funding were buried in this summer’s state budget agreement. This is unacceptable given the proven economic, environmental and public health benefits of public transit investment. To continue to invest in Chicago’s public transit system, we need a new consistent stream of local funding.CTA, Metra, and Pace all face enormous backlogs of repairs just to maintain current bus and rail infrastructure. In the meantime, the state continues to pursue costly and ineffective road projects that only lead to more driving and sprawl.With the first fare hike since 2009, the onus is being put back on riders to fund transit. Meanwhile, other cities that are actively expanding and upgrading their transit networks – like Denver, Los Angeles and Seattle...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, Chicago Central, Chicago North Side, Chicago South Side, Chicago West & Southwest Side, Chicago West Side, Walking

Stay informed with the Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Council

Dec 19, 2017 | by Active Trans

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) organizes and chairs the Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Council (MBAC), which meets quarterly at city hall, and is open to the public. The meetings are a great way to stay informed on CDOT projects and learn about new initiatives and improvements to infrastructure around the city. The most recent session, which convened last week, started with the sobering statistics of fatalities of people riding bikes. There have been six fatalities year to date, according to the Chicago Department of Police. Next, Rosanne Lubeck, the Vision Zero Coordinator, gave an update on the progress the Vision Zero West Side Outreach team has accomplished in 2017. She highlighted the truck side guard rail ordinance as a win for the Vision...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, Chicago North Side, Chicago South Side, Chicago West & Southwest Side, Education, Lakefront Trail

Books for young readers

Dec 18, 2017 | by Active Trans

There is something exquisite about children’s books, in the lean, sometimes wry, prose and magical illustrations. I knew this, of course, before becoming a parent. What I didn’t expect was the variety of books for young children that celebrate bicycling and public transit. As 2017 winds down and the winter holidays and gift giving begin, I wanted to share some of my family’s favorites.My son’s first favorite book was Bus Stops, by Taro Gomi. He was only a few months old when my husband and I discovered this board book at 57th Street Books, but he would gurgle with pleasure as the bus winded through the suburbs, through downtown, and then back through the ‘burbs. The magic of Bus Stops lies in...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, Education, Walking

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