Tag Archives: legislation

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

Read More

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

Read More

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

Read More

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

Read More