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Wheel & Sprocket’s ties to advocacy and community

May 24, 2019 | by Ami Schwartz

Since 1973, the Wheel & Sprocket has been benefiting the cycling community with a passion for fitting customers to the proper bike and encouraging safe biking. Wheel & Sprocket operates a number of bike shops in Wisconsin and has two shops in Illinois — in Evanston and in Oak Park. For 40 years, Chris Kegel brought his knowledge and excitement to Wheel & Sprocket. Kegel, who passed away in recent years, started as a bike mechanic at the shop and eventually became the owner, over time working at nearly every role in the shop. People around him say he had a strong desire to create an exciting and safe cycling community. Kegel’s passion for cycling and creating an encouraging community...

Tags: Bicycling

Des Plaines River Trail continues to improve

May 21, 2019 | by Matt Gomez

Users of the Des Plaines River Trail (DPRT) will be happy to hear that there are some exciting opportunities and improvements coming to the trail. For starters, the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and engineers from Terra Engineering hosted a public meeting last week to show people options for the trail to cross the Union Pacific railroad tracks between Golf and Central Roads near Oakton Community College. This presentation is part of a larger engineering effort — that Active Trans and nearby communities have been a part of — to identify the best way to cross the tracks. Last week, the engineers showed a bridge design that could get pedestrians and bicyclists safely across the tracks. From here, the...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling

Mayor Lightfoot can reduce Chicago’s car dependency

May 20, 2019 | by Kyle Whitehead

To tackle traffic congestion and make transportation more affordable, healthy, and equitable, Chicago must make it easier to get around without a car. During the campaign, Mayor Lightfoot and many council members supported strategies to move Chicago in this direction, including increasing transportation options in the city’s transit deserts and reducing serious traffic crashes that are concentrated on the city’s South and West Sides. They recognized that urban transportation is changing, and cities must adapt to remain competitive in attracting new businesses and residents. Now it’s time to get to work and move Chicago past decades of car dependency and into a new mobility future. During the campaign, Active Transportation NOW — a 501(c)4 affiliate of Active Trans — and...

Chicago needs more bikeways

May 10, 2019 | by Jim Merrell

As a new mayor and city council prepare to take office, we need to ensure that Chicago builds upon its success by creating more bikeways for all ages and abilities and ensure that they are accessible to all Chicagoans. The transition to a new administration provides a natural opportunity to reflect on recent progress and future opportunities to improve our network of bikeways. That’s why we’ve called on the city to build 100 miles of new bikeways by 2023. Mayor Lightfoot and 24 members of city council have already endorsed this goal. Since 2011, Chicago’s bike network has grown rapidly, adding nearly 150 new miles of bikeways. Despite this progress, 60 percent of Chicagoans still do not have access to...

Tags: Bicycling, Trails

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

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

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

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

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

Get ready for Fifth Third Bike the Drive on May 26

Mar 29, 2019 | by Clare McDermott

Notice anything different? MB Financial Bank recently merged with Fifth Third Bank, and Active Trans is thrilled to announce this new partnership. Welcome to Fifth Third Bike the Drive ! Participants will still enjoy a car-free Lake Shore Drive and experience all the magical moments that this event has become famous for. Join this iconic two-wheeled celebration on May 26 and feel proud knowing that you're supporting efforts to make biking, walking and transit safe and easy options for getting around Chicagoland. Since 2010, MB Financial Bank has served as the title sponsor of Active Trans’ marquee event. Along with its support, the event has grown into one of the nation's best and largest organized bike rides. Active Trans is...

Tags: Bicycling, Events

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