Neighborhood greenways make side streets a dream

Whether you're an 8-year-old child or 80-year-old grandmother, you should be able to ride a bike on the street without fearing for your safety. One key strategy to making biking on our streets safe and easy for everyone is by building "neighborhood greenways."

Also called "bike boulevards" and "bike/walk streets," these are slow-speed, low-volume streets that have been optimized for bike traffic.

People who bike in their neighborhood quickly learn which streets they feel comfortable on, and conversely, which intersections and streets feel intimidating. Many people find they feel comfortable riding on quiet side streets, even when there’s no designated bike lane.

They discover special routes that get them from one end of the neighborhood to the other without encountering much car traffic.

But often these routes are interrupted by hazardous intersections, frequent stop signs that keep cyclists from maintaining their momentum, or traffic that may still feel threatening at times. What if the city could help make these “special routes” even more ideal places for biking by removing some of those barriers? That’s where neighborhood greenways come in.

Active Trans suburban roundup

Here are some of the exciting events and activities happening in the Chicago suburbs.

West suburbs

DuPagers make a good showing at Active Trans Social
More than 25 bicycling and walking enthusiasts got together in Wheaton on September 22 to mingle with one another and meet Dan Thomas, new trails coordinator for DuPage County.

Lively discussion ensued, focusing on the local needs for bicycle facilities and education efforts. Participants were especially enthusiastic with the sneak preview of Wheaton’s new bicycle plan. The evening concluded with door prizes donated by Alta Planning + Design and Midwest Cyclery.

Suburban communities recommended for regional grants
Active Trans helped the Village of Downers Grove get a thumbs up from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning for receiving an $80,000 grant for a Bikeway and Pedestrian Plan.

Also in the Western Suburbs, Active Trans will be partnering with Trans Systems on a project to improve sidewalks and transit stops in the City of Elgin. The project was recommended by CMAP for funding of $100,000.

Commuter Profile: Rafael A. Valadez

Where do you live and work, Rafael?

I live near Ridgeland Ave. and Jackson Ave. in Oak Park, Ill. I work as a clinical social worker in Bloomingdale, Ill., located 7 miles north of Wheaton.

What’s your commute like?

I ride my bicycle to the Metra station in Oak Park and that train takes me to Wheaton, and then the 711 Pace bus takes me to Bloomingdale. I ride when the streets are clear in the winter; hidden ice under the snow can be frightening. On occasion, my wife will give me a ride to the Metra station if the weather seems unforgiving.

What made you choose to bike and use public transportation to get to work?

This is complex question because I think there are a multitude of reasons for this choice. Of course financial and health concerns are obvious. Environmental concerns play also play a role, but there are other reasons, too.

Using these modes of transportation has allowed me to save enough money to do extensive travel—even to travel with a bicycle to Europe.

Commuting by public transportation builds a sort of community. I have found golfing partners, talked to people from all over the world, made friends, and helped build a community of supportive people on the trains and buses that I use.

Randy Neufeld looks back over the history of Active Trans

By John Greenfield 

To mark Active Trans' quarter century of sustainable transportation advocacy (yes, it's been 25 years!), ModeShift is publishing a series of articles highlighting the history of the organization and history of active transportation advocacy efforts in the Chicago area. Here's the second in this series of articles.

Randy Neufeld needs no introduction for many Active Transportation Alliance members. In 1987 the former political organizer approached the fledgling organization with an unusual proposal: he would work as the group’s first staff member for free until he could raise funds to pay himself.

Neufeld served as Executive Director until 2004 when he handed the reigns to Rob Sadowsky and created a new position for himself as chief strategy officer, exploring ways to expand the organization’s mission, such as promoting walking, transit use, and cycling, and successfully lobbying for Complete Streets policies in local and state government.