Mayor Emanuel, City of Evanston, Groupon honored for their support of biking, walking and transit

Released: November 19, 2013

Contact: Ted Villaire
312.427.3325 x288
312.563.1118 mobile
ted@activetrans.org

Mayor Emanuel, City of Evanston, Groupon honored for their support of biking, walking and transit
Active Transportation Alliance presents awards at annual reception

(Chicago, IL) — Active Transportation Alliance’s 2013 Awards Reception brings together government officials, business leaders and transportation advocates to recognize those who have made important contributions to the movement for better walking, biking and transit in Chicagoland.

Active Trans’ top honor, the Extra Mile Award, goes to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel for catapulting Chicago to the forefront of the national effort to create innovative transportation options. He has changed the landscape of Chicago transportation through the Divvy bike sharing program, new bus rapid transit routes, reconstruction and extension of CTA’s red line south and building the Bloomingdale Trail. In just 2.5 years, Chicago has made remarkable progress toward achieving the mayor’s first-term goals of building 100 miles of protected bike lanes. 

“We’re thrilled to showcase leaders who have advanced the vision for better transportation through their cities, wards and business,” said Ron Burke, executive director of the Active Transportation Alliance. “All of these award recipients have done an outstanding job of helping create communities that are more vibrant and inviting places to live.”

Active Trans is presenting a Public Leadership Award to the city of Evanston for designing vibrant, liveable streets and public spaces that support walking, biking and transit. This award recognizes Evanston as the first suburban community in Chicagoland to create protected bike lanes, and its current project of updating its bike plan to further develop comfortable corridors that even novice cyclists and children will like to use.

Several Chicago alderman are receiving Public Leadership Awards: 42nd Ward Ald. Brendan Reilly, 25th Ward Ald. Danny Solis and 27th Ward Ald. Walter Burnett. These aldermen have made stands for better transportation by supporting protected bike lanes in their wards, supporting innovative transit projects, launching bike education programs and welcoming Open Streets events to their wards.

Also recognized with a Public Leadership Award will be the Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Gabe Klein for overseeing the rapid improvement of transportation in Chicago during the past couple of years. Klein, who is stepping down from his position in coming weeks, used his business acumen and his strong interest in giving Chicagoans a full menu of transportation options to make the city a national leader in the movement for better biking, walking and transit.

Receiving Business Leadership Awards are bicycle component manufacturer SRAM and the e-commerce company Groupon. Both of these Chicago-based companies are being recognized for their dedication to creating communities that are more walkable and bikable.

The Active Transportation Alliance 2013 Awards Reception, to be held tonight at the Revolution Brewery Tap Room on North Kedzie Avenue, has reached capacity and is no longer accepting registrants.
Photo editors: please get in touch for photos following the event.

The Active Transportation Alliance is a non-profit, member-based advocacy organization that works to make bicycling, walking and public transit so safe, convenient and fun that we will achieve a significant shift from environmentally harmful, sedentary travel to clean, active travel. The organization builds a movement around active transportation, encourages physical activity, increases safety and builds a world-class transportation network. Formerly the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, the Active Transportation Alliance is North America’s largest transportation advocacy organization, supported by more than 7,000 members, 1,000 volunteers and 35 full-time staff. For more information about the Active Transportation Alliance, visit www.activetrans.org or call 312.427.3325.