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Advocates urge Lightfoot to explore congestion pricing

Jul 2, 2019 | by Kyle Whitehead

Active Trans joined a coalition of advocates in calling on Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to make the city’s ride-hailing fee more equitable and analyze possible congestion pricing options. In a letter sent to Mayor Lightfoot and relevant committee chairs, the group argues that changes to the fee structure would encourage more people using sustainable transportation options, such as shared rides, walking, bicycling, and public transit. Transportation is the leading contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the country. In Illinois, more than half of all emissions come from the Chicago area. Also signing the letter was the Metropolitan Planning Council, Center for Neighborhood Technology, Shared-Use Mobility Center, Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development, and Via ride-share service. HOW TO REFORM RIDE-HAILING AND...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, biking, Chicago, Chicago Central, Downtown, Equity, transit, Walking

Ron Burke to step down as head of Active Trans

Jun 17, 2019 | by Kyle Whitehead

After nearly nine years with the Active Transportation Alliance, Ron Burke will step down from his role as the organization’s executive director next month. During Burke’s tenure, Active Trans contributed to many victories, from the growth of Chicago’s advanced bike lane network and launch of Divvy bikeshare, to the creation of separate biking and walking trails on the lakefront, introduction of dedicated bus lanes, and expansion of suburban trails. Active Trans also had wins in Springfield during Burke’s tenure, including legislation requiring K-8 public schools to teach biking and walking education and the recent passage of a state capital bill that includes $50 million annually for walking and bicycling projects. "Under Ron’s leadership, Active Trans has become a more visible...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, biking, Education, Lakefront Trail, legislation, Planning, Trails, transit, Walking

Fair Fares Chicagoland

Jun 17, 2019 | by Lynda Lopez

What is Fair Fares Chicagoland? Fair Fares is a campaign led by the Active Transportation Alliance seeking a discounted transit fare for low-income transit riders in the Chicago region. It would include all public transportation options that are part of the Regional Transportation Authority: Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Pace, and Metra. Why is this necessary? Approximately 20 percent of transit riders of working age made under $20,000 a year in Chicago. As of 2019, a monthly CTA pass costs $105 or $1,260 per year. If a transit rider makes under $20,000, 6 percent or more of their yearly income would go towards CTA transit costs. As an example, a 50 percent discount for a low-income transit rider could save someone...

Tags: transit

Victory! Active Trans campaign for state walking and biking fund wins $50 million per year

Jun 3, 2019 | by Kyle Whitehead

For the first time ever, Illinois’ long-term capital program includes dedicated funding for walking and biking projects. Legislators passed a $33 billion, six-year transportation capital program in an extended session over the weekend. Gov. Pritzker has indicated he will sign the bill into law. The bill includes $50 million annually for walking and bicycling projects. Funds will be administered statewide through a competitive grant process using the existing Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP), which is currently entirely federally funded. The additional funds from the state will double the size of the program and could fund 125 new projects every year. Thanks to everyone who took action and the legislators who championed this issue in Springfield. Legislators told us this never...

Tags: Advocacy, Bicycling, biking, Chicago Central, chicago north, Chicago North Side, chicago north west, Chicago South Side, Chicago West & Southwest Side, Chicago West Side, legislation, South Suburbs, transit, Walking

Seeking transit rider stories for Fair Fares Chicagoland

May 23, 2019 | by Lynda Lopez

Have you ever faced challenges affording the costs of transit? If so, we want to hear your story. The Active Transportation Alliance recently launched a new campaign to create a discounted fare for low-income transit riders in the Chicagoland region within the Regional Transit Authority. As of 2019, a monthly CTA pass costs $105. If a transit rider makes under $20,000 a year, 6 percent or more of their yearly income would go toward CTA transit costs. To further understand the potential affordability challenges transit riders may face, we will be interviewing riders about their experiences. We plan to release a report on Fair Fares in the fall that will include some of these stories. We are also distributing a...

Tags: Bus, Equity, transit

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...

Rush hour bus lanes coming to Chicago Avenue

Apr 19, 2019 | by Kyle Whitehead

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced a new Bus Priority Zones program featuring upgrades to several of the busiest routes in the city, including Chicago Avenue, 79th Street and Western Avenue. The upgrades include rush hour bus lanes on Chicago from Larrabee to Michigan Avenue — through the heart of the River North area where congestion routinely slows down packed buses traveling to the West Side. Other investments include a new cul-de-sac at the Chicago/Milwaukee/Ogden intersection and traffic signal optimization on several routes. The initiative aims to boost bus speed and reliability, and ultimately increase ridership. Mayor Emanuel linked the program to the city's climate goals to reduce carbon emissions and a new policy to support transit-oriented development (TOD) along bus...

Tags: Advocacy, Chicago Central, Chicago North Side, Chicago South Side, transit

Support Emmett St. affordable housing project

Apr 18, 2019 | by Steve Simmons

The high cost of housing near sustainable transportation options — CTA train stations in particular — is a major barrier to our vision for Chicago in which all residents can easily walk, bike and take public transportation. That's why we hope to see the proposed affordable housing project on Emmett Street (pictured) in Logan Square get built. Many of our partners, including Logan Square Neighborhood Association and Metropolitan Planning Council, have worked for years to advance this proposal. It's great to see it moving forward with strong community support at the same time there's tremendous demand for affordable housing. Our mission is to promote walking, biking and public transportation so that we can create healthy, sustainable and equitable communities. We...

Tags: Advocacy, biking, chicago north, logan square, transit, 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

Chicago’s bike share system should remain public

Mar 15, 2019 | by Kyle Whitehead

Update [4/10/19]: Chicago City Council voted to approve the contract amendment and expand Divvy to all 50 wards! Thanks to everyone who took action and helped keep Chicago's bike share system public. Stay tuned for ways to help fight for an inclusive, equitable expansion process. 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. ---------------- 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...

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

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