John Greenfield

It's time for the fifth installment of our series "Streetsblog Chicago versus smoking on the CTA." This is an effort to find holistic solutions (not simply more policing) to the aggravating problem of smoking and vaping inside railcars. Take a look at part one for an intro to my perspective on the issue. It's common knowledge that smoking on the 'L' is a major hazard for people with disabilities, seniors, and young kids. It's also unhealthy and annoying for the rest of us, and it causes people to instead choose modes like driving and ride-hail, contributing to crashes, pollution, and congestion.

• "Metra to test new ticket process with riders scanning tickets before boarding" (NBC, Metra)

Recently, Josh Mark stepped down as chief of staff for the 47th Ward, represented by Ald. Matt Martin. The North Side district contains parts of North Center, Lincoln Square, Uptown, and Lakeview, and Martin is one of Chicago's most sustainable transportation-friendly City Council members. Many walking, biking, transit, and equitable TOD projects have happened in the ward since he took office in May 2019. Especially in recent years when Mark served as COS, he's been a key lieutenant to the alder who helped get those things done.

• Driver charged in DUI hit-and-run that seriously injured pedestrian in Barrington (CBS)

• Trump administration backs off threats to cut $50M in CTA funding over safety issue, but they're putting the screws on IDOT (Tribune)

Earlier this month Streetsblog wrote about the March 3 case of an SUV driver fatally striking a woman on foot near Foster Avenue and Pulaski Road in the North Park neighborhood. While this was the first case I'd seen in news reports this year of a deadly crash involving a vulnerable road users on Chicago surface streets, I noted there were indications that other people people on foot and bike may have been killed. After doing some more research, I've identified some more of the incidents.

• Don't mess with Illinois! "Feds press the Illinois transportation department over CTA safety" (Tribune)

It seems like the average SBC reader was amused by my nickname for "the mostly right-leaning folks using weekly anti-Archer [Avenue traffic safety] project protests as a political hook": "The Make Archer Great Again" (MAGA) posse.

• 2 children were among at least 5 people injured in a serious 4-vehicle crash involving a CTA bus Friday around 5:30 PM near 115th/Racine in Pullman (ABC)

With apologies to The B-52s, turn your watch back about 34 years. That's when triathlon racer Jon Boub was badly injured on a training ride when his front wheel got stuck in a bridge gap on Saint Charles Road in west-suburban DuPage County. That was because a Wayne Township road crew had removed the asphalt filler from between the wooden planks, making it unsafe for cycling.