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. Read more about this campaign here. And read about how we are building Complete Streets block by block here.

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.