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Take action now to stop public transit and Divvy shutdowns

Aug 14, 2020 | by Active Trans

The following is an organizational statement from Active Transportation Alliance Executive Director Amy Rynell. For more on the shutdowns, see Lynda Lopez's blog post, The needless harm done by shutting down public transit. Public transit provides access to opportunities for thousands of working-class Chicagoans. Buses, trains, paratransit, and bike share connect people to their jobs, healthcare appointments, grocery stores, and their families. When it's taken away, riders are cut off from where they need to go or forced to pay much more for a taxi or ride-hailing trip. The repeated evening and overnight shutdowns of CTA, Divvy, and paratransit service in the downtown area sets an alarming precedent. City officials are making this call without providing the public a clear...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, biking, Bus, Chicago, Chicago Central, Downtown, public transit, transit, Transit Equity

Illinois Bike Summit to focus on infrastructure, education, and inclusion

Jul 29, 2020 | by Active Trans

Local advocates, transportation planners, engineers, and anyone interested in making biking for recreation and transportation better on their block or in their community are invited to attend the Illinois Bike Summit on Tuesday, September 15. This online event is organized by Ride Illinois — the statewide, nonprofit, bike advocacy organization. The summit’s keynote speaker will be Bill Nesper, executive director of the League of American Bicyclists. The themes for the summit — infrastructure, education, and inclusion — will be woven into many of the presentations and breakout sessions. Several Active Transportation Alliance staff will moderate informal Coffee Talks at the start of the day and share their knowledge during breakout sessions. At the end of the day, there will be Q&A...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, Events, Illinois

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

Active Trans member reaches big biking goal

Jul 27, 2020 | by Active Trans

A tip of the golden bike helmet goes to Active Trans member Jon Gottlieb for crossing the 100,000-mile finish line. Although many people treasure the Lakefront Trail as an urban retreat, as far as we know there’s only one Chicagoan who has ridden 100,000 miles over 44 years with 90 percent of that being accomplished on the trail. Gottlieb was very close to completing his 100,000-mile goal when the Lakefront Trail was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Once the trail reopened, he was able to complete the final handful of rides to take him across the finish line. Describing himself as “just an ordinary guy doing an ordinary thing that in spite of himself evolved into something that became...

Tags: Bicycling, Lakefront Trail

Transportation issues on the city’s West Side during COVID-19

Jul 23, 2020 | by Lynda Lopez

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot of what we perceive and know about mobility and transportation. In recent months, Active Trans met with more than 100 stakeholders who are invested in our work. We spoke with community partners, elected officials, department of transportation and transit agency officials, and residents across the city and suburbs. As part of this process, we held a series of small-group conversations and solo conversations with stakeholders and an elected official on the city’s West Side. Though not all-encompassing, here’s a glimpse of what residents on the West Side are experiencing. TRANSIT As changes are made to public transit to accommodate the needs of public health, one of the top concerns we heard on the...

Tags: Bicycling, Chicago West Side, transit, Walking

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

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 challenges in the time of COVID-19 on Chicago’s South Side

Jul 6, 2020 | by Julia Gerasimenko

COVID-19 has impacted transportation and mobility in profound ways. To better understand the transportation needs of the people and communities most impacted by the pandemic, Active Trans embarked on a listening tour of over 100 community leaders and public officials. This is part of a series of blog posts sharing what we learned. To learn more about the specific transportation and mobility challenges that people in Chicago face — particularly in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic — we held 11 conversations with community partners and elected officials on Chicago’s South Side. We spoke with two state elected officials, three aldermen, and several community partners and leaders from Bronzeville, Chatham, the East Side, Englewood, Hegewisch, Hyde Park, Riverdale, South Chicago,...

Tags: Bicycling, Chicago South Side, covid-19, public transit, Walking

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

During Chicago Bike Week, let’s recommit ourselves to safer streets

Jun 29, 2020 | by Jim Merrell

As we begin the annual celebration of Chicago Bike Week, we are faced with tragic reminders of how far our region still has to go before people of all ages and abilities are able to enjoy the benefits of biking. Over the past several weeks, two teenagers have been killed and one adult seriously injured while biking in our region. Each and every fatality and serious injury is preventable. We have long had the knowledge necessary to create streets that are truly safe, but tragedies like those that have unfolded recently continue to happen because our elected leaders and public officials continue to fail to take action. Protected bike lanes. Side-guards on trucks. Streets designed for safety, not speed. And...

Tags: Bicycling, crash

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