Tag Archives: Walking

Lathrop Homes path adds to growing Chicago River Trail

May 13, 2019 | by Steve Simmons

Biking, walking and access to the local bus route is about to get easier at Lathrop Homes with the expected completion of a riverfront path this summer. Lathrop Homes, a housing development north and south of Diversey Avenue along the Chicago River's North Branch, includes a new half-mile long trail that runs alongside the housing development on the east side of the Chicago River. The path ducks under the Diversey bridge and features a decked trail in the river south of Diversey (see below). It's exciting to see another section of the river trail opening soon, moving the city closer to a continuous 27-mile Chicago River Trail. A complete Chicago River trail would promote walking and biking and support healthy...

Tags: Advocacy, biking, Bus, Chicago North Side, Chicago River Trail, Walking

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Will you join Mayor Rockingham?

May 8, 2019 | by Ted Villaire

Mayor Leon Rockingham wants to see his city of North Chicago become a better place for walking and biking. He knows the residents of this Lake County community want safer streets and they want a healthier, cleaner place to live. And like any community that wants to see these changes, he relies on the state to help. The problem is that state lawmakers often seem to only care about people driving cars. As legislators in Springfield mull a capital bill, Mayor Rockingham has joined a call for lawmakers to ensure that the bill funds walking and biking infrastructure. While transportation projects will likely receive the lion’s share of the capital budget bill, early drafts of the bill don't include any...

Tags: Bicycling, legislation, North Suburbs, Walking

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Connecting the 312 RiverRun to Lathrop Homes trail

May 6, 2019 | by Steve Simmons

As exciting as it is to see new trails emerging along the Chicago River, it's important to keep in mind that trails return the greatest public benefits when they are connected, linking people to jobs, shopping districts and recreational opportunities. One area that offers a prime opportunity to connect trails is from the end of the 312 RiverRun Trail at Belmont Avenue south to the path at Lathrop Homes (pictured), a housing development that runs north and south of Diversey Avenue. Adding a trail along this one-mile stretch of the river would create a continuous path from Diversey Avenue north to Lawrence Avenue. To build momentum for this connection, we've recently started facilitating a community-led project that'll develop a vision...

Tags: Advocacy, biking, Chicago North Side, Chicago River Trail, Walking

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Manor Greenway adds to emerging Chicago River Trail

Apr 23, 2019 | by Steve Simmons

In another big step toward a continuous Chicago River Trail, the city has completed the Manor Neighborhood Greenway on the Northwest Side. The greenway adds a comfortable on-street connection for people walking and biking on Manor Avenue between Lawrence and Montrose Avenues (Pictured: raised crosswalk at Lawrence and Manor Avenues). By adding these facilities, the neighborhood greenway makes it safer to travel between Horner Park to the south and Ronan Park to the north, where you can pick up the North Channel Trail. The greenway also makes it easier to walk and bike to the CTA's Francisco Brown Line Station. With the greenway under consideration since 2014, we're thrilled to see another project finished that adds to a Chicago River...

Tags: biking, chicago north, Chicago River Trail, Walking

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Elgin legislators support funding trails and safe streets

Apr 22, 2019 | by Barb Cornew

On a recent beautiful Friday afternoon along the Fox River Trail in Elgin, State Senator Cristina Castro and State Representative Anna Moeller said they will advocate for funding projects in a capital bill that will make the city safer and more friendly to people walking and biking. This is good news for Active Trans and partners across the state who are calling for state legislators to dedicate $50 million annually to safe streets and trails projects in a capital bill. The Elgin event brought together various supporters in the area, including Elgin Bike Hub, Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgin, members of Elgin City Council and longtime bicycling advocate Tom Armstrong. See coverage of the event in the Daily Herald. The...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, North Suburbs, Walking

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Support Emmett St. affordable housing project

Apr 18, 2019 | by Steve Simmons

The high cost of housing near sustainable transportation options — CTA train stations in particular — is a major barrier to our vision for Chicago in which all residents can easily walk, bike and take public transportation. That's why we hope to see the proposed affordable housing project on Emmett Street (pictured) in Logan Square get built. Many of our partners, including Logan Square Neighborhood Association and Metropolitan Planning Council, have worked for years to advance this proposal. It's great to see it moving forward with strong community support at the same time there's tremendous demand for affordable housing. Our mission is to promote walking, biking and public transportation so that we can create healthy, sustainable and equitable communities. We...

Tags: Advocacy, biking, chicago north, logan square, transit, Walking

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Helping shape Chicago for better transportation

Apr 18, 2019 | by Maya Norris

February 2020 update: John Buck will be receiving the Active Trans Visionary Leadership Award at our 2020 Awards Reception on March 5. Please join us.   ______________________ More people live and work in the Loop than ever before. And many credit John Buck in part for helping to contribute to that soaring growth and vibrancy of the city’s central business district. Considered one of the patriarchs of commercial real estate development in Chicago, Buck (pictured left) has spent the last 40 years shaping the Chicago skyline with his iconic buildings in the Loop, helping to create a dense, compact downtown that lends itself to walking, biking and public transit. Now as a donor to Active Trans, Buck is partnering with his...

Tags: Bicycling, Chicago Central, Walking

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Coalition advances river trail initiatives

Apr 11, 2019 | by Steve Simmons

The emerging network of trails along the Chicago River presents a valuable opportunity to string together a 27-mile path along the length of the river. It's an ambitious goal given that the river runs through so many neighborhoods and is a source of great interest for so many businesses, nonprofit organizations and individuals — as well as a growing number of private development projects. For these reasons, we believe the Chicago River Trail coalition will serve as a key element in the development of the trail. The coalition serves as an important forum where members identify challenges and opportunities and collaborate to address them. Recently, the coalition met with developers (photo below) to ensure that their developments include separated paths...

Tags: biking, chicago north, Chicago River Trail, chicago south, Walking

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Mayor-elect Lightfoot can create safer streets for all

Apr 3, 2019 | by Kyle Whitehead

The election is over and Mayor-elect Lightfoot must quickly get to work building a transportation network in which everyone can get where they need to go. As mayor, Lori Lightfoot can reduce traffic crashes and ease congestion by making it easier to get around without driving or riding alone in a car. Lightfoot supports upgrading Chicago’s transportation network with more bus lanes, bike lanes and off-street trails – all of which have proven to boost the health, sustainability and equity of Chicago neighborhoods. She says progress on safe streets has slowed in recent years and she would “redouble Chicago’s efforts,” citing declines in the number of bump-outs, enhanced crosswalks and bike lanes relative to peer cities. Lightfoot says she will...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, biking, Chicago Central, Chicago North Side, chicago north west, Chicago River Trail, Chicago South Side, Chicago West & Southwest Side, Chicago West Side, Elections, Equity, transit, Walking, zero vision

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Take action for safer streets and trails in Illinois

Apr 1, 2019 | by Kyle Whitehead

A bill that could boost funding for Illinois communities looking to be more bike- and walk-friendly passed out of committee in Springfield. Now we need your help to make sure it passes the Illinois General Assembly and is sent to the governor’s desk. Take action now for safer streets and trails in Illinois. Senate Bill 2016 (SB2016) establishes a Complete Streets and Trails Local Grant Program in Illinois. Local governments could apply for grants to build and extend trails or make street improvements for vulnerable users on foot and on bikes. Eligible projects would include pedestrian refuge islands, crosswalk countdown timers, pedestrian crossing signs, upgraded trail crossings and bike lanes that create orderly street space for all. Tell your state legislators...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, legislation, Walking, zero vision

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