Campaigns

A street is not complete until everyone is accommodated: cyclists, children, seniors, pedestrians, people with disabilities and motorists.  Active Trans works to make sure all levels of government adopt policies that accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians at every stage of road projects from design to construction. Illinois, Chicago and DuPage County all have adopted Complete Streets policies. If you want Complete Street in your community, contact Adolfo Hernandez at adolfo@activetrans.org or 312.427.3325

Active Living on the Block
Block parties exemplify what neighborhoods can be – places where fast-moving traffic is replaced with people enjoying themselves, feeling safe, conversing with neighbors and exploring their community.

Active Living on the Block brings our transportation experts to these festive scenes to lead workshops where residents can share their ideas and concerns about their blocks. The workshops get residents to start thinking and talking about safety and the way we all get around. Together, they can discuss local data like traffic volume and crash numbers that give a picture of transportation safety on the block.

Active Living on the Block targets lower income neighborhoods in particular because they experience a disproportionately higher rate of bicycle and pedestrian crashes. You can bring Active Living on the Block to your block party. Contact Cynthia Bell at 312.427.3325 x244 or Cynthia@activetrans.org. 

Home Zones
When you imagine your ideal street, it probably doesn’t include speeding cars or congestion. Home Zones are areas where walking, biking, playing, socializing and green space have priority. Think of it as a space that is somewhere between a street and a park.

These protected, ultra-low-speed areas are designated by legislation and can be created by signs and changes in street designs that redirect traffic and blend public and private property.

Home Zones have had great success in Europe, where specific speed restrictions and severe penalties are implemented. They are starting to pop up here, too

Educating the public on laws and traffic safety will make our streets better for walking and biking. Drive With Care programs work to stigmatize and stop reckless driving through enforcement, improved street design and individualized marketing.

The boulevards and streets around a park can be extensions of the park into the community.  If the walking and bicycling routes to parks are safe and convenient, more people will utilize that space. Plus, they will be traveling to parks in fun and active ways. A 2006 Illinois law provides the legal framework for Safe Park Zones, requiring a reduced speed limit for streets in and around parks as well as increased fines for traffic violations.  Active Trans is working to pilot one of these Safe Park Zones a Chicago-area park.