Sharon Hoyer

•Person hit and killed by Blue Line Train downtown (CBS)

Bike/walk/transit advocacy – like any advocacy - is ceaseless and often complicated work. As an advocate on climate, energy and transportation matters for over 20 years, Bay-area-based Carter Lavin knows this well. So well, in fact, that he’s written a handbook on the subject entitled "If You Want to Win, You’ve Got to Fight." For the book, Lavin drew on his extensive experience campaigning at the local and state levels, and interviewed fellow advocates from across the country about their challenges, triumphs, and tactics to improve transportation infrastructure and safety in their communities.

•"A decade ago, the city committed to eliminating traffic deaths by 2026. It's not even close" (Sun-Times)

•"CTA gets $74M from Metra, Pace to delay 40 percent service cuts next year" (Sun-Times)

• Family pleads for answers after boy with autism dies of injuries during fight on CTA station steps (CBS)

Today at Union Station, a coalition of transit, labor and environmental advocates held a rally to "Fix and Fund Public Transit," demanding that Illinois lawmakers reconvene and provide full funding for public transportation. Speakers called for a special summer session to pass a bill that would rescue Chicagoland transit from some 40 percent service cuts and 3,000 layoffs.

•Maria Tampico, busker at CTA Blue Line Washington station, has died at 76 (Sun-Times)

•Delays hit Metra Union Pacific-North trains (Sun-Times)

Last Thursday, the Active Transportation Alliance held its annual Movers and Shakers Ball, a fundraising gala to support the work of the advocacy group, which celebrates its fortieth anniversary this year. 

"I’m tired of making ghost bikes," said Christina Whitehouse. She's the founder of Bike Lane Uprising, a Chicago-based civic tech platform that makes it "easy to report cars in bike lanes and hold violators accountable." BLU also helps organize the installation of white-painted "ghost bike" memorials to people killed while riding bikes that are installed along too many of Chicago’s streets. "We buy materials for ghost bikes in bulk. We have them in our basements," she said.