Recent Streetsblog CHICAGO posts about Beyond Chicagoland

A CTA bus driver on Inner Lake Shore Drive. Photo: John Greenfield

Lightfoot endangers CTA workers and riders by stalling on pandemic safety measures

By John Greenfield | Apr 2, 2020 | No Comments

Waiving fares bus fares and requiring rear-door boarding would reduce drivers' exposure to COVID-19. And more service is needed to prevent dangerous crowding.

Typical evening rush-hour traffic on Lake Shore Drive. Photo: John Greenfield

What legacy will you leave?

By Courtney Cobbs | Mar 31, 2020 | No Comments

In addition to a pandemic, we are living through the climate crisis. We can't go back to how things were before the "Stay at Home" order largely emptied our streets.

34th Street in Queens is one of several New York City roadways that is being opened for car-free recreation. Photo: Shekar Krishnan via Twitter

Database documents cities that are repurposing car space during the pandemic

By Steven Vance | Mar 29, 2020 | No Comments

During the pandemic, cities are recognizing it makes sense to take road space away from cars and give it to people.

Residents attempting to practice social distancing on The 606 yesterday. Photo: Michael Burton

Closing trails during pandemic, without opening streets, is misguided and inequitable

By John Greenfield | Mar 26, 2020 | No Comments

If the closures are going remain in effect, the mayor should at least follow New York's lead by creating more space for safe, socially-distanced recreation elsewhere.

If crowding on the Lakefront Trail gets worse, this may become the only way to practice social distancing. (Note that this method won't protect you from gangsters and angry luchadores.) Image: Jonathan Roth

Chicago’s lack of car-free streets is creating unsafe crowding on trails during the pandemic

By John Greenfield | Mar 25, 2020 | No Comments

To help Chicagoans to travel and recreate safely, without being exposed to the virus or dangerous drivers, let's create a citywide network of car-free major streets.

An Open Streets car-free event on Milwaukee Avenue in Wicker Park in 2013. Photo: John Greenfield

Let’s respond to coronavirus and climate change with car-free streets, bus and bike lanes

By Courtney Cobbs | Mar 25, 2020 | No Comments

Creating more car-free streets for safe transportation and recreation during the current pandemic crisis would also address the longterm challenge of climate change.

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