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In 2008, former transportation engineer Chuck Marohn founded the Strong Towns organization as an effort to make American cities more walk/bike/transit -friendly and fiscally sound. Nowadays, our city has a local branch of the movement, Strong Towns Chicago.

• Sun-Times letters: Transit advocate and environmental policy analyst Nik Hunder lists Carter's downsides, another reader credits the CTA chief for trying

This week, the Chicago Transit Board appointed Dorval Carter’s Chief of Staff Nora Leerhsen to serve as the acting president for the agency, replacing the departing — and controversial — president until a permanent replacement is found. 

This week, the RTA announced intentions to seek more control over partner transit agencies as funding and service constraints continue to threaten regional public transit. And on Wednesday afternoon, RTA Chairman Kirk Dillard discussed the RTA’s “Transforming Transit” initiative — a $1.5 billion vision to create a fully funded, seamless, and accountable transit system that will be able to serve everyone in and around the Chicago area —during a luncheon at the City Club of Chicago. 

• CTA chief of staff Nora Leerhsen to become acting president after Dorval Carter’s retirement (Tribune, Sun-Times, WTTW, CBS, ABC)

Today could have been the day when Chicago joined New York City, Boston, Seattle, Portland, and even neighboring suburb Evanston in voting in favor of reducing the speed limit in the city to 25 mph. However, questions and concerns among fellow City Council members were numerous enough for Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st) to take the expected vote off the agenda for today's City Council meeting. 

As it stands today, Chicago’s United Center — the home of the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks professional sports franchises — is surrounded by a sea of parking lots with thousands of parking spaces. 

• Chicago officials pitch $1.5 billion plan to fix transit woes (Bloomberg)

Despite its status as the most populous city in the Midwest, Chicago infamously does not have a BRT system. So last month, I traveled to Madison to spend a day in Wisconsin's capital city to experience what it might be like to live in a midwestern city with a bus rapid transit system.