Tag Archives: covid-19

Further impacts of the transit shutdown in Chicago

Jul 11, 2020 | by Active Trans

The recent CTA shutdown stirred a lot of emotions among residents throughout the city. It also caused lot of discomfort and inconvenience. The shutdown came at a time when widespread social unrest over police-involved killings was happening in Chicago and the nation. Following the abrupt transit shutdown were the calls for accountability for the city officials and mayor. The bus fellows at Active Trans saw an opportunity to capture these concerns and launched a rapid survey response. We wanted to hear from people impacted on the ground by the shutdown and how it disrupted their lives. While speaking with five people who shared their stories, two main points came up often regarding the shutdown: concerns about lack of access to Divvy Bikes and the...

Tags: covid-19, divvy, transit, Transit Equity

Read More

Biking during the pandemic

Jul 7, 2020 | by Lynda Lopez

Biking has never been a neutral act. There are a lot of associations with riding a bike on the street and the power that comes with occupying that space. During the past few months, biking has taken on another role because of the pandemic. It is now increasingly being seen as a safe alternative to public transit and other forms of mobility. It has been a conflicting time for me as I process the world unfolding and how movement and our perception of movement shifts. I struggle with how to love biking and not perpetuate beliefs that may harm marginalized communities. As more people take up bikes in my community, many seemingly for recreational purposes, I am adamant not to...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, covid-19

Read More

Mobility challenges in the time of COVID-19 on Chicago’s South Side

Jul 6, 2020 | by Julia Gerasimenko

COVID-19 has impacted transportation and mobility in profound ways. To better understand the transportation needs of the people and communities most impacted by the pandemic, Active Trans embarked on a listening tour of over 100 community leaders and public officials. This is part of a series of blog posts sharing what we learned. To learn more about the specific transportation and mobility challenges that people in Chicago face — particularly in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic — we held 11 conversations with community partners and elected officials on Chicago’s South Side. We spoke with two state elected officials, three aldermen, and several community partners and leaders from Bronzeville, Chatham, the East Side, Englewood, Hegewisch, Hyde Park, Riverdale, South Chicago,...

Tags: Bicycling, Chicago South Side, covid-19, public transit, Walking

Read More

COVID-19 transportation listening tour

Jun 17, 2020 | by Lynda Lopez

In May 2020, Active Trans’ advocacy team embarked on a listening tour with more than 100 stakeholders who are invested in our work. We spoke with community partners, elected officials, department of transportation and transit agency officials, and residents across the city and suburbs. COVID-19 has impacted transportation and mobility in profound ways and these one-on-one and group conversations via Zoom were a way for our organization to have a more grounded understanding of the effects region-wide. These conversations will allow us to point to transportation priorities that are specific to different parts of the region. As part of this process, we will be sharing what we’ve learned in a series of posts on the Active Trans blog. While our...

Tags: Bicycling, covid-19, Equity, transit, Walking

Read More

How some transit agencies are keeping riders informed

Jun 5, 2020 | by Lynda Lopez

The coronavirus pandemic has presented unique challenges for transit agencies across the country. As Chicago and other cities continue to shift into the next phases of reopening, transitioning public transit safely and effectively for riders and operators is a key part of that process. This includes presenting information transparently and consistently, creating user-friendly websites, and using innovative approaches to keeping in touch with riders. The following are some communication strategies and tools that transit agencies across the country have used: Clear information about covid-19 cases: The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System website allows visitors to see the number of confirmed covid-19 cases of frontline employees and the corresponding routes they served. User-friendly website: A key part of helping riders get...

Tags: covid-19, transit

Read More

More steps needed for safe, convenient bus service

Jun 3, 2020 | by Jamaine Gooding

Since March, the Active Trans Bus Organizing Fellows have been conducting online surveys with essential workers from historically marginalized communities who depend on public transit to get to their jobs. The survey examines the demographics of these workers, the condition of the buses, and the speed and reliability of the routes they take. This is one of a series of articles sharing the results of these surveys. To keep COVID-19 from spreading among CTA passengers and staff, the transit agency has been changing the way it operates during the pandemic. Buses in particular have some new procedures designed to prevent the spread of the disease. Some of the more visible changes are: Requiring rear door boarding for all riders except...

Tags: Advocacy, covid-19, transit

Read More

The challenges of staying safe while using transit

Jun 2, 2020 | by Rylen Clark

Since March, the Active Trans Bus Organizing Fellows have been conducting online surveys with essential workers from historically marginalized communities who depend on public transit to get to their jobs. The survey examines the demographics of these workers, the condition of the buses, and the speed and reliability of the routes they take. This is one of a series of articles sharing the results of these surveys. For people who must rely on transit during the COVID-19 crisis, it’s not an easy task trying to maintain physical distancing and protecting themselves from coronavirus. Among the riders we’ve been surveying, numerous concerns have been brought up about transit agencies’ lack of transparency and lack of steps taken to ensure safety for...

Tags: Advocacy, Back ont he Bus, covid-19

Read More

Take action to restore Chicago transit and Divvy service

Jun 2, 2020 | by Active Trans

As Chicago grapples with social unrest and an unprecedented global pandemic, we need reliable transportation options more than ever. But CTA service is suspended again Monday evening. And Metra and Divvy remain out of service. Sign a letter to Mayor Lightfoot and your alderman urging them to restore transit service. We appreciate the unprecedented position Chicago’s leaders are in at this moment. Balancing the need to maintain public safety while protecting the rights of residents is a complex task under normal circumstances, let alone during a global pandemic. However, we urge the City of Chicago and transit agencies work to fully restore transit and Divvy service immediately. In the event services need temporary rerouting or temporary suspensions due to safety,...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, biking, Bus, Chicago Central, chicago north, Chicago North Side, chicago north west, chicago south, Chicago South Side, Chicago West & Southwest Side, Chicago West Side, covid-19, Downtown, Equity, public transit, transit, Transit Equity

Read More

Chicago launches Our Streets as part of COVID-19 response

May 29, 2020 | by Active Trans

Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a new program to create more space for people walking and biking during the COVID-19 pandemic.  According to the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), the Our Streets initiative “invites Chicago neighborhoods to request that local roads be converted into corridors for improved, safe travel and healthy activity.”   This includes designating some residential streets as “shared streets” by adding traffic barriers and limiting through traffic to allow for physically distanced walking and biking. The list of streets is still in development, although 47th Ward Alderman Matt Martin announced Leland Avenue in his North Side ward will be the city’s first COVID-19 shared street starting Friday.  Shared streets are a first step to help Chicagoans feel safe walking and biking during the pandemic, but much more needs to be done. To date, the city’s plans fail to address the mobility...

Tags: Advocacy, Back on the Bus, Bicycling, Chicago, Chicago Central, chicago north, Chicago North Side, chicago north west, chicago south, Chicago South Side, Chicago West & Southwest Side, Chicago West Side, covid-19, Equity, Fair Fares Chi, transit, Transit Equity, Walking

Read More

A few questions for Amy Rynell

May 22, 2020 | by Maya Norris

Amy Rynell joined Active Trans as its new executive director in March. An experienced nonprofit leader with a deep commitment to social justice and human rights, Rynell comes to Active Trans having served in various research and policy roles at Chicago-based Heartland Alliance over the last 22 years, most recently serving as director of research and policy. Amy shared her thoughts about what it’s been like to lead the organization through the COVID-19 crisis, how she plans to advance Active Trans’ mission, and how she uses sustainable transportation in her own life. What attracted you to Active Trans? Amy: Transportation access and safety can make or break someone’s ability to succeed economically. As someone who has worked on social justice...

Tags: biking, covid-19, transit, Walking

Read More