Sustainable Transportation Advocacy

In May 2024, Juan Sebastian Arias started his current position as executive director of Elevated Chicago, an organization that helps encourage equitable transit-oriented development. Here's an interview with him from back then by Streetsblog Chicago's John Greenfield.

On Tuesday, I hopped on my bicycle and high-tailed it from Chicago to Springfield, Illinois, the state capital, in an effort to sample my first-ever horseshoe sandwich. In case you're not familiar with that delicacy, it's an open-faced sandwich composed of thick-sliced toast, a protein (often hamburger patties, but there are several other options), cheese sauce, and french fries. It's an indigenous dish of Flower City and, as far as I know, it's no longer available in the Windy City.

• "Federal Agents Cause Crash, Tear Gas Protesters On Southeast Side Street" (Block Club)

Judging from expensive-looking billboards prominently placed on Broadway in Uptown and Edgewater, you might assume these neighborhoods are dead-set against Broadway Upzoning.

This post is sponsored by Keating Law Offices.

On Tuesday, the curtains closed on last month's "Save Chicago Transit: The Comedy Show," a weekly series presented by Funny You Should Care at Second City. Meanwhile, it's now October, the month in which Illinois state legislators will hopefully pass a public transportation reform and finance bill that will rescue our region from the looming transit fiscal cliff.

• "Pritzker announces $50.6 billion multi-year infrastructure program" including lots of transit projects (Capitol Fax)

The CTA held the last of its 2025 budget town halls yesterday, allowing more members of the community to voice their concerns and opinions about the looming $771 million regional transit fiscal cliff. The event took place at Malcolm X College, 1900 W. Jackson Blvd. While officials acknoewledged the budget crisis, it was a "good news and bad news"-style meeting.

• At Milwaukee Complete Streets event in River West, "Johnson calls more Chicago protected bike lanes ‘ultimate goal,’ touts milestone" (Tribune)