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Smart Growth America Equity Summit envisions a community-led approach to planning
The summit laid out a vision for a transportation planning process that assess errors of the past and the needs of the present, and envisions the future in a spirit of trust, celebration and healing.
February 2, 2021
RTA plans to focus federal COVID stimulus funding to transit-dependent areas
The Regional Transportation Authority is planning to use federal stimulus funding to support transit services to "to the places and people across the region who most need transit" during the pandemic.
January 25, 2021
There’s movement on south Red Line extension, but service launch pushed back 3 years
Advocates say it's disappointing that South Siders will have a longer wait for service, but it's encouraging that the project is moving forward.
December 22, 2020
Before stimulus, advocates pushed for transparency on cuts. That’s still important.
The possibility of transit cuts is now less of an immediate threat. But it's still important for local transit agencies to be transparent about what would be cut in the event that the federal funding runs out.
December 22, 2020
What will the new COVID stimulus bill mean for Chicagoland transit?
Chicago-area transit agencies and advocates are generally taking a glass-half-full view of the news, noting that in the short term the subsidy will prevent a "beyond-doomsday" scenario.
December 21, 2020
ATA’s transit justice talk discussed relationship between transit deserts, food insecurity
These two basic needs are often unmet in Black and Brown communities, and are now exacerbated by the pandemic.
December 19, 2020
Biden picks Buttigieg for USDOT chief over Emanuel, who would have been a divisive choice
Some might not be overjoyed about Buttigieg as the next transportation chief, but I'd argue that we, especially Chicagoans, could have done a lot worse.
December 15, 2020
Fighting for funding: ATA gathers leaders across sectors to discuss future of transit
The Active Transportation Alliance gathered seven leaders in transportation advocacy, legislation, management, and labor to discuss the financial crisis facing transit systems nationwide as the pandemic rages on.
December 15, 2020
Why the history of racism in transportation enforcement and planning still matters today
Mobility justice advocates discussed how the past must inform efforts to address present-day transportation inequities.
December 14, 2020
Free advice to Biden: Do yourself a favor and don’t hire Rahm Emanuel as USDOT chief
Announcing Emanuel as your choice would almost certainly fill the streets of Chicago with hundreds or thousands of justifiably angry protesters. You really don't want to kick off your administration that way.
November 30, 2020