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Chicago’s bike share system should remain public

Mar 15, 2019 | by Kyle Whitehead

Update [3/26/19]: We recently sent a letter to Chicago City Council enthusiastically supporting the proposed amendment of the City of Chicago’s existing contract for the operation of Divvy, Chicago’s highly successful bike share program. The proposed deal achieves the goal of expanding Divvy citywide, while keeping the system in public hands. Please join us in voicing support for Divvy expansion by contacting your alderman! ---------------- Divvy is two-wheeled public transit. All Chicagoans deserve access to an expanded, well-run bike sharing system that is integrated with other forms of public transit. Active Trans doesn't have any preference when it comes to the system's vendors, but there are important differences between the two proposals from Lyft and Uber that were released this week....

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

Take action for safer biking and walking on state roads

Mar 13, 2019 | by Kyle Whitehead

A resolution calling for the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to better protect people biking and walking on state roads 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 biking and walking on state roads. Senate Joint Resolution 24 (SJR24) calls for IDOT to update its policies and design guidelines to reflect the needs of everyone using the road. It resolves to make it easier for low-income communities to fund critical pedestrian safety improvements, and urges the state to implement outstanding action items from the Illinois 2012 bicycle plan, among other recommendations. In Illinois, serious and fatal traffic...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, biking, Equity, legislation, Walking

Divvy expansion to boost transportation options

Mar 12, 2019 | by Kyle Whitehead

Active Trans has long advocated for making Divvy available in every Chicago neighborhood as part of a broader strategy to give all Chicagoans convenient and affordable access to bikes and safe places to ride. Therefore, we’re excited about the city’s proposed agreement with Lyft to expand Divvy citywide and nearly triple the number of bikes. Lyft purchased Motivate – the private company that Chicago contracted to operate the Divvy system – last year. Under the proposed deal, Divvy will expand to all 50 wards by 2021, adding 175 stations and 10,500 docked and dockless bikes. All the new bikes will be electric-assist. Lyft will provide $50M in capital funding for the expansion and $7.5M in revenue annually to the city...

Tags: Bicycling

Villa Park advocates build support for safer biking

Mar 12, 2019 | by Maggie Melin

Advocate and Village Trustee Bob Wagner is working with a core group of volunteers in the Village of Villa Park to promote bicycle safety and increase public awareness of the village’s recently-developed Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. Active Trans partnered with the village to lead the effort in developing the master plan, which has three main goals: ⇒ Create better connections between the Illinois Prairie Path, Great Western Trail, Salt Creek Trail and other local destinations ⇒ Improve sidewalks and intersections for pedestrians ⇒ Develop a bicycle network with a focus on north/south connections As part of the community engagement process, a 16-member steering committee was formed that consisted of village staff, elected officials, local business owners and residents. Eager...

Tags: Bicycling, Trails, Walking, West Suburbs

Rep. Mah takes on sustainable transportation issues

Mar 6, 2019 | by Maya Norris

Since being elected to the Illinois House of Representatives for the 2nd District in January 2017, Rep. Theresa Mah (D-Chicago) has actively pushed for legislation that improves walking, biking and public transit. The freshman lawmaker’s most recent win occurred when then Gov. Bruce Rauner signed the Bike Safety and Dutch Reach Act. The law adds bike safety to the state’s Rules of the Road manual and the driver’s license exam. They will include information about the Dutch Reach method, which encourages drivers and passengers to use their far hands and reach across their bodies to open car doors, forcing them to look back for approaching cyclists before exiting their cars. Mah worked with Active Trans to get the legislation written...

Tags: Bicycling, Chicago South Side, legislation, Walking

Advocates fight for bike/walk education in schools

Mar 4, 2019 | by Maggie Melin

Would you like to see your local schools teach walking and biking safety to kids? With your help, we can make that happen. Last year, thanks to the efforts of Active Trans and our partners, a law was passed requiring that K-8 public schools teach walking and biking safety to students. Now we’re working with advocates in communities across the Chicago region to help implement the Illinois Bike Walk Education in Schools Act and encourage districts to comply with the new requirement. Talk to school leaders To accomplish this, we're calling on residents in the suburbs to meet with their school district leaders to build awareness and help ensure walking and biking education is incorporated into curriculum of their schools....

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, Walking

Lynda Lopez, an advocate for transportation equity

Feb 28, 2019 | by Maya Norris

Lynda Lopez is on a mission to prove that transportation is about much more than just getting from point A to point B. She contends that creating safe walking, bicycling and public transit conditions are fundamental to creating thriving, vibrant communities in Chicago. As a reporter for Streetsblog Chicago, Lopez explores how transportation and mobility intersect with social justice and equity, giving voice to the residents and communities that are grappling with these issues. Her insights and advocacy work around transportation equity have earned her Active Transportation Alliance’s Advocate of the Year Award, which she received several months back at Active Trans' annual member meeting. Transportation is access “Transportation seems to be very niche, but it shouldn’t be because it’s...

Tags: Bicycling, Equity, transit, Walking

Wild Mile adds to dynamic Chicago River Trail

Feb 27, 2019 | by Steve Simmons

Adding green space along the Chicago River will create a dynamic experience for people walking, biking and running on a 27-mile continuous river trail. The city has taken an exciting step toward this vision with a plan for the Wild Mile Chicago , a 17-acre floating park along the North Branch Canal. Approved in the North Branch Framework Plan, the park will run in-stream from North Avenue south to Chicago Avenue. Enhancing natural areas around the river would create attractive destinations easily accessible via a trail. A continuous trail will transform areas around the river into vibrant open spaces and connect people to jobs, shopping districts and recreation opportunities. We're pleased to support this initiative, which is led by the...

Tags: Bicycling, Chicago North Side, Chicago River Trail, Walking

A Q&A with Jeff Speck

Feb 27, 2019 | by Ted Villaire

Jeff Speck is one of the leading voices in the nation for creating cities that are better places to walk, bike and use transit. He's a city planner and author of several books, including, most recently, "Walkable City Rules: 101 Steps to Making Better Places." This book was a followup to his very popular, "Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time." We recently had an opportunity to ask Jeff his take on what's needed to make Chicagoland a better place for biking and walking. Active Trans: What’s the biggest barrier to walkability in a large North American city like Chicago? Jeff Speck: I will mention an insurmountable barrier and a surmountable one. Insurmountable is the...

Tags: Bicycling, Planning, transit, Walking

REI to be honored for its longtime support

Feb 25, 2019 | by Maya Norris

We will be honoring REI by giving the company a Business Leadership Award at our 2019 Active Transportation Alliance Awards Reception on March 7. Please join us as we recognize REI as well Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Logan Square Neighborhood Association. Specialty outdoor retailer REI does more than just sell clothing and gear for the outdoor enthusiast. The nation’s largest consumer co-op is committed to connecting people with nature and outdoor recreation, encouraging them to live active, healthy lifestyles that include bicycling and walking. And locally, REI has been a longtime supporter of Active Trans, providing funding and other resources to help create and promote more sustainable transportation infrastructure in the region. "Active Trans’ mission resonates with REI and...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, Walking

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