Blog

Keep up with the latest news on Active Trans and topics that we care about in the region.

What’s happening with the remaining section of the Weber Spur Trail?

Mar 1, 2024 | by Maya Norris

The Weber Spur Trail on Chicago’s Northwest Side has been subject to a series of starts and stops over the last decade, resulting in slow, sporadic progress for the rails-to-trails project.

But the trail may finally be making some progress as the North Branch Trail Alliance re-engages local communities and stakeholders and works to ensure the project is top of mind with elected officials and government agencies.

The Weber Spur is a 2.7-mile trail that starts at Touhy Avenue in Lincolnwood,

Surveys help refine DuPage County Trails Plan

Feb 14, 2024 | by Maya Norris

The DuPage County Department of Transportation recently completed a survey that will help inform a trails plan that is expected to be approved this year.

The new trails plan, which has been in development for several years, will focus on the maintenance and operations of nearly 100 miles of trails, including the Illinois Prairie Path, Great Western Trail and Southern DuPage County Regional Trail.

Sid Kenyon, a senior transportation planner for DuDOT,

Inadequate hiring pipeline continues to impact CTA service

Feb 2, 2024 | by Julia Gerasimenko

Rail service at the CTA, unfortunately, continues to be plagued by issues surrounding hiring and  training.

The persistent problems with the agency’s employment pipeline means riders continue to be frustrated with unreliable, infrequent transit service, and CTA workers continue to be frustrated by lack of adequate job growth opportunities. 

In late December, we mobilized nearly 900 transit supporters in response to the proposed 2024 CTA budget.

The goal was to get the CTA board to invest in operator training and increase the number of courses offered.

North Shore Channel Trail extensions would bridge trail gaps

Jan 25, 2024 | by Maya Norris

Walking and biking trails are dotted throughout Evanston. While many of Evanston’s residents take advantage of those trails, they also find them frustrating.

Many of the trails don’t connect to other local and regional trails, forcing people to walk and bike along dangerous and stressful roadways if they want to move from one trail to another.

But that may change if the Evanston Transit Alliance has its way.

The advocacy group is making progress on connecting the North Shore Channel Trail in Skokie to trails north of Evanston,

Tags:

Bike racks find a new home thanks to local partnerships

Jan 25, 2024 | by Active Trans

It was an early holiday surprise in mid-December when the residents of Baldwin-Green apartment complex in Palatine acquired six bike racks valued at $3,000.

The bike racks, which were being discarded by the Chicago Botanic Garden, initially didn’t have a new home.

Then the Chicago Botanic Garden reached out to the Chicago Tool Library to offer the racks as a donation.

Active Transportation Alliance got involved,

Tags:

IDOT looks closer at crashes and how to respond effectively

Jan 18, 2024 | by Maggie Melin Czerwinski

Towards the end of 2023, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) released its 2023 Vulnerable Road User (VRU) Safety Assessment for the state.

As mandated by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the assessment identifies safety trends, policies, and strategies to enhance the safety of pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vulnerable road users.

The following are highlights from the report:

 

SAFETY TRENDS

IDOT compiled and analyzed safety data spanning from 2005 to 2022,

Tags:

Uncleared snow makes sidewalks treacherous for the most vulnerable people

Jan 12, 2024 | by Active Trans

Winter in Chicagoland means clearing those sidewalks of snow so that pedestrians have safe walkways to traverse during the winter.

Shoveling sidewalks is not only the neighborly thing to do, but it’s also the law in some places, including Chicago.

While we strongly support the effort to make sidewalk snow removal in Chicago a municipal service, snow removal—for now—continues to be the responsibility of the property owner.

According to Chicago’s municipal code,

Tags:

Community spirit pushes the Great Western Trail forward

Jan 8, 2024 | by Maya Norris

The Great Western Trail, a 30-mile path tracing the legacy of the Chicago Great Western Railway, stands as a testament to advocacy and perseverance.

Broken into two segments due to geographical hurdles, this trail is a labor of love, continuously championed by the Friends of the Great Western Trail.

The newer of the two sections is 12.7 miles and runs between Villa Park and West Chicago in DuPage County,.

The older,

Mayor Johnson should make 2024 the Year of the Bus 

Jan 3, 2024 | by Julia Gerasimenko

At the Active Transportation Alliance, we often hear from Chicago transit riders who are fed up with buses that are unreliable and often delayed.

Indeed, it’s a major barrier that keeps many people from using buses. Slow buses that are undependable ensure that people will find other ways of getting around the city.

Thankfully, we know how to fix this problem — and the solution is very do-able.

Countless examples in other cities have shown that bus priority infrastructure is the most cost-effective intervention when it comes to improving the experience for riders and operators.

Our top ten walking, biking, and transit stories of 2023

Dec 21, 2023 | by Ted Villaire

2023 was a year of unprecedented progress for our movement.

Dozens of major infrastructure projects across the region created safe places for people to walk and bike where they did not exist before. There are more concrete protected bike lanes, pedestrian bump outs and islands, and smooth trail connections.

Illinois and Chicago passed bold new laws that put us on the path towards a more sustainable and equitable transportation system.

Why does it matter?

Tags: