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Explore the Heritage Corridor this fall with Metra

Sep 12, 2023 | by Ted Villaire

Metra is offering special service on the Heritage Corridor Line on Saturdays this fall, giving Chicago-area residents opportunities to explore the biking and running paths, festivals, craft breweries, restaurants, and communities along the Metra route that runs southwest of the city to Joliet. Dubbed “Rails, Trails and Ales,” the program offers three round-trip trains, each equipped with Metra’s new bike cars to carry extra bikes, on Saturdays through Oct. 14. The trains will leave Chicago Union Station at 10:30 a.m., 4:15 p.m., and 8 p.m. and make all stops to Joliet. Inbound trips will depart Joliet at 8 a.m., 1:45 p.m., and 6:30 p.m. making all stops to Union Station. In a news release, Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski said...

Tags: metra, South Suburbs, transit

CTA takes a step toward greater transparency

Aug 7, 2023 | by David Powe

We commend CTA’s recent initiatives to improve service and elevate transparency with the launch of an even more robust interactive performance dashboard, as part of its “Meeting the Moment” plan. This forward-thinking initiative responds to the calls from riders and advocates for more transparency and reliable service. As a part of its Meeting the Moment plan, CTA's performance metrics report has evolved into an info-packed interactive visual dashboard that is updated monthly. This newest version of the dashboard provides riders with a 13-month operational history alongside key performance indicators that include: Service delivery performance, filtered by rail line and bus route Bus and rail operator hiring and attrition statistics Status of elevators and escalators Instances of bus and rail...

Tags: Bus, transit

A quick rundown of sustainable transportation projects in Chicago

Jul 28, 2023 | by Olivia Borowiak

Active Transportation Alliance recently invited local advocates to gather for the latest news and updates about projects impacting sustainable transportation in the region. Kicking off the discussion was an update on Mayor Brandon Johnson’s transition transportation subcommittee. Active Transportation Alliance, which served on the subcommittee, was pleased that priorities like restricting right turns on red lights and limiting commercial traffic on residential streets were among the recommendations. The committee also recommended closely considering the impacts of development and making sure to invest in transportation systems in underserved areas. (You could read more about Mayor Johnson’s transition report here.) The discussion covered a handful of ongoing initiatives that are intended improve public transportation. The Better Streets for Busses Plan, which is...

Tags: Bicycling, transit, Walking

Bold solutions needed from state to address serious transit problems

Mar 15, 2023 | by Ted Villaire

At a recent hearing held by the Illinois Senate, the Active Transportation Alliance and other advocates urged lawmakers to step up with needed support for a host of transit problems, including a looming funding cliff and the need for better governance for the transit agencies. “The impending transit funding cliff forces us to ask hard questions about the structure of our future transit system,” said Audrey Wennink, senior director of transportation at Metropolitan Planning Council, in her testimony at the hearing. “In the next year legislators are going to be asked to make some important and tough decisions. Now is the time to be preparing for that.” During the hearing, Illinois Senate committee members heard from the leaders of the...

Tags: CTA, metra, Pace, transit

Better bus service is a crucial election issue

Feb 14, 2023 | by Courtney Cobbs

The Active Transportation Alliance is part of the Safe Streets for All, Transit That Works coalition that is working to educate Chicago voters for the municipal elections on February 28 and April 4. The coalition developed a platform based on concerns and wishes for Chicago’s transportation landscape. While the platform covers a range of topics surrounding sustainable transportation, two of the top concerns of the platform are unreliable bus and rail service and slow bus service. Given the CTA operator shortage, it’s crucial for the CTA to attract and retain new transit operators. The Safe Streets for All, Transit That Works election platform recommends better compensation and schedules that allow for operators to have a healthier work-life balance. Providing restrooms...

Tags: Advocacy, Bus, transit

RTA’s plan for the future needs more details

Jan 12, 2023 | by David Powe

The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) recently released its draft strategic plan, Transit is the Answer, for public comment. The RTA coordinates the Chicago region’s transit system (CTA, Pace, and Metra), oversees its financing, and coordinates regional planning for public transportation in Northeastern Illinois. Active Transportation Alliance joined forces with a handful of local nonprofits to send a letter to the RTA on ways to improve the 80-plus page draft plan. Co-signatories were Access Living, Elevated Chicago, Environmental Law and Policy Center, Equiticity, High Speed Rail Alliance, Illinois Environmental Council, Metropolitan Planning Council. Each of the organizations that signed the letter were involved in the process leading to the publication of this draft plan. While we offered support for the principles...

Tags: Advocacy, CTA, metra, Pace, RTA, transit

Speak up for a greener, safer, more equitable Grant Park

Jan 6, 2023 | by David Powe

Last year, the Chicago Park District began developing its 2023 Grant Park Framework Plan. The plan seeks to define Grant Park’s role as a neighborhood park, a key destination, and as a public space, and it will outline next steps in the park’s development. The park district is hosting a series of public meetings to share updates on the design process and allow the public to ask questions. There are three in-person opportunities to learn more about the project and provide feedback. The open-houses (which will each offer the same format) will be 5-7 p.m. as follows: Tues., Jan. 24 at the Chicago Cultural Center, Preston Bradley Hall Thurs., Feb. 2 at the Art Institute of Chicago, Ryan Learning Center,...

Tags: Bicycling, Downtown, transit, Walking

Commuters Take Action presses CTA to improve unreliable service

Dec 8, 2022 | by Maya Norris

Commuters Take Action has only been around since April 2022. But in that short period of time, the resident-led advocacy organization has made a name for itself, representing a movement of frustrated commuters fed up with the slow and unreliable service of the Chicago Transit Authority’s buses and trains. Micah Fiedler, Olivia Gahan and Fabio Göttlicher co-founded Commuters Take Action after experiencing long waits and service gaps during their own commutes on the CTA’s buses and trains. Active Transportation Alliance recently recognized the vital work that the trio is doing by honoring them with an Advocate of the Year award at our recent annual member meeting. We specifically wanted to recognize their effort to cast spotlight on the problem of...

Tags: Advocacy, Bus, transit, Transit Equity

Let’s move ahead with the Red Line Extension Transit TIF

Nov 7, 2022 | by Active Trans

For decades, people on the far South Side have heard promises about the extension of the Red Line. Now, finally, we're thrilled to see the plan moving forward. There is broad community support for the project. Extending CTA's L system to the far South Side will improve residents’ access to education, employment, healthcare, and other crucial services. The Red Line Extension will also attract construction jobs and future development along the proposed corridor. We at the Active Transportation Alliance are enthusiastic supporters of this project. We also support the proposed funding mechanisms, including the Transit TIF (tax increment financing). Ensuring inclusive growth across the entire city means investing in the fundamental building blocks of healthy communities in each neighborhood. ...

Tags: Chicago South Side, transit, Transit Equity

City council hearing puts CTA problems front and center

Sep 20, 2022 | by W. Robert Schultz III

Active Trans recently joined with allies to mobilize around a city council hearing that shined a light on CTA’s recent service shortcomings and reliability problems. Before the hearing, a press conference was held by aldermen, transit worker unions, and several organizations, including the Active Transportation Alliance. The same day our allies at Commuters Take Action rallied outside the CTA board meeting. All these efforts together resulted in greater visibility for the serious issues currently afflicting our transit system. WHERE'S THE CTA PRESIDENT? When the Chicago City Council Committee on Transportation and the Public Way convened its long-awaited hearing on current CTA issues, many participants were dismayed that its president, Dorval Carter Jr., failed to appear. In the parlance of post-pandemic...

Tags: Advocacy, Bus, transit

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