Recent Streetsblog CHICAGO posts about Neighborhoods

The Heart of Italy Cafe Street on Oakley. Photo: John Greenfield

Newest car-free Cafe Streets mostly appear to be doing booming business

By John Greenfield | Jul 14, 2020 | No Comments

Taking away space from cars and making it available to people is providing a shot in the arm to the struggling hospitality industry, while allowing pandemic-weary residents to enjoy some nightlife.

Parents pushing babies and tots riding bikes in the roadway: good signs that a Slow Street is working as intended. Photo: John Greenfield

Eyes on the Street: The Dickens Slow Street is getting great use

By John Greenfield | Jul 10, 2020 | No Comments

There were plenty of adorable kids riding scooters and bikes, an indicator species of a successful Slow Street.

Metra commuters earlier this year during the pandemic. Photo: Charles Edward Miller

Metra releases ridership data to help customers avoid crowding

By Courtney Cobbs | Jul 8, 2020 | No Comments

Metra launched a Ridership Dashboard to give riders a heads-up about crowding issues, so that they can make an informed decision when planning their commutes.

Ida B. Wells Drive / Congress Parkway as it typically appears, and being repurposed for human-scale use (below). Images: Google Maps, Maudlyne Ihejirika/Chicago Sun-Times

Protests are placemaking

By Olivia Grenzebach | Jul 8, 2020 | No Comments

These instances of road repurposing and placemaking are born from pain and anger, and yet they have brought communities together and created beauty.

Map: Here are the latest Chicago Slow Streets and Cafe Streets

By John Greenfield | Jul 8, 2020 | No Comments

Hopefully the city will take action to address geographic discrepancies, so all Chicagoans can reap the safety, health, and economic benefits of car-free streets.

A socially distanced line at Lem's Bar-B-Q. Photo: James Porter

Chatham business owners discuss the decision to cancel the Cafe Street plan for 75th

By James Porter | Jul 7, 2020 | No Comments

Some say that pedestrianizing the street would have caused traffic headaches. Others say the increased sales would have been well woth any inconvenience to drivers.

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