In the news: 2016

Finally, CDOT plans safer cycling access to Big Marsh (Chicago Reader; December 2016)
Transportation advocacy groups, including Active Trans, applauded the Chicago Department of Transportation’s announcement that it will install bike lanes on some key roadways leading to Big Marsh, the 278-acre Southeast Side nature reserve and bike park. Cycling advocates are generally thrilled with Big Marsh, but they have repeatedly expressed concerns about how dangerous it can be to cycle to the park because nearby roads have high-speed traffic and large numbers of trucks.

 

Ambitious proposal would make Chicago River the city’s new backyard (Chicago Tribune; October 2016)
Active Trans lays out a bold vision in a report suggesting ways to make a continuous bike and pedestrian trail along the entire 27-mile Chicago River by 2030. The nonprofit contends that off-road trails are the best way to get people to consider getting around by biking or walking. In addition, a trail along the whole river would benefit tourism, the local economy, public health and the environment. About 35 percent of the city’s population, or 945,000 people, live within a mile of the river.

 

Floating Trail System Could Help Create 27-Mile Chicago River Path By 2030 (DNAinfo; October 2016)
Active Trans’ newly released RIver Trail Action Plan envisions the development of a continuous 27-mile riverfront trail along the Chicago River by 2030. A continuous river trail would spur economic development, create opportunities for recreation and transportation, and connect neighborhoods to one another.

 

Active Trans Wins $150K Grant to Help Accelerate Slow Chicago Bus Service (Streetsblog Chicago; October 2016)
Transit Center, a New York-based foundation dedicated to improving urban mobility, awarded Active Trans a $!50,000 grant to fund its Speeding Up Buses campaign. The project involves Active Trans working with the CTA and the Chicago Department of Transportation to eliminate some of the roadblocks to faster transit and higher ridership on the city’s buses.

 

Chicago Ranked Most Bike-Friendly City in U.S. (CBS Chicago; September 2016)
Chicago earned the top spot as the most bike-friendly city on Bicycling magazine’s annual list. The magazine cited the city’s growing network of protected bike lanes and its expansion of the Divvy bike-sharing program into low-income neighborhoods in the South and West Sides.

 

New Illinois Bike Law Gives Bicyclists Same Rights as Drivers (DNAinfo; August 2016)
The Illinois Legislature passed a bill strengthening the rights of bicyclists by clarifying that cyclists have the same right-of-way traffic rights as drivers of cars and trucks.

 

New Campaign Aims to Curb Dangerous Bike Lane Blockers (Chicagoist; August 2016)
Active Trans launches the Clear the Way campaign, urging Chicagoans to call 311 and send photos and a brief description to Active Trans when they encounter dangerous blockages on bike lanes and sidewalks.

 

What should we do when bike lanes are modified? (WGN Radio; August 2016)
Active Trans Executive Director Ron Burke spoke to WGN Radio about improving bike safety, what should be done when bike lanes are changed because of construction, and how education can lead to fewer crashes and fatalities.

 

South Side Lakefront To Get Separate Paths For Bikes, Pedestrians (CBS Chicago; August 2016)
Active Trans Executive Director Ron Burke lauds the city for creating separate lakfefront paths for bicyclists and pedestrians on the South Side. The project will relieve congestion on the paths and help prevent collisions between joggers and cyclists.

 

Seeking a bigger voice on transit, freight issues, Cook offers transportation plan (Chicago Tribune; July 2016)
Active Trans Executive Director Ron Burke praises Cook County’s new transportation plan for giving priority to walking, biking and public transit and recognizing those modes of transportation as crucial to the county’s long-term future.

 

All New Cars To Have Significant Autonomous Vehicle Technology (Forbes; June 2016)
Active Trans hosts a forum examining the impact of driverless cars on walking, biking, public transit and suburban sprawl.

 

Chicago Gears Up For Annual ‘Bike Commuter Challenge’ (WBEZ 91.5 Chicago; June 2016)
Active Trans Registration Manager Sean Blay promotes the Bike Commuter Challenge, the annual competition sponsored by Active Trans that encourages Chicago-area workplaces to get their employees to bike to work for bragging rights and prizes.

 

Why it’s so hard to make bike trails (Daily Herald; June 2016)
Bike trails are difficult to build because they are expensive and require cooperation among various government agencies — a task Active Trans helps to facilitate as part of its mission.

 

Big Marsh could be a terrific bike park, but it’s not yet safe to pedal there (Chicago Reader; May 2016)
Because Big Marsh Bike Park is not easily accessible by walking, bicyclng and public transit, Active Trans collaborated with Slow Roll Chicago and the Pullman Porter Museum on an access study that recommends improvements such as installing bike lanes and adding wayfinding signs.

 

Advocates Want A Bike Path To Connect The Chicago River’s North And South Branches(Chicagoist; March 2016)
Active Trans Campaign Director Jim Merrell touts the benefits of building a bike path along the Chicago River.

 

Active Trans Celebrates 30 Years With a New Commitment to Healthy Streets (Streetsblog Chicago; February 2016)
Active Trans marks its 30th anniversary in February 2016 with a fundraiser at Germania Place, celebrating its achievements and outlining its vision for the future.

 

Experts and Advocates Weigh in on Rauner’s Proposal to Widen the Stevenson (Streetsblog Chicago; February 2016)
In the wake of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s proposal to add new lanes to the Stevenson Expressway to ease traffic congestion, Active Trans Executive Director Ron Burke argues for investments that reduce car-dependent travel.

 

Winter Bike to Work Day is Friday (Redeye; January 2016)
Active Trans encourages bicyclists to get their bikes out of storage and brave the cold for the annual Winter Bike to Work Day and Winter Bike Challenge.

 

New Skokie policy sets ‘Complete Streets’ standards (Chicago Tribune; January 2016)
Active Trans is working with Skokie to develop the village’s Complete Streets policy, which prioritizes the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users.