Recent Streetsblog CHICAGO posts about Chicago Park District

A live performance of Blackstone Bicycle Works' fantastic safety video "Stay in Your Lane." Photo: Anne Evans

CDOT Presented Awards to Advocates at Today’s Soggy, Fun Bike to Work Rally

By John Greenfield | Jun 16, 2017 | 1 Comment

This morning’s dismal weather didn’t seem to dampen people’s spirits at the annual Bike to Work Rally, the traditional kickoff for Chicago’s Bike Week. The highlight of the event was a rain-soaked live rendition of youth education center Blackstone Bicycle Works’ awesome new Rhymefest-produced safety video “Stay in Your Lane,” featuring kids holding up colorful […]

Under the plan, the existing mixed-use path between North and Fullerton will be designated for pedestrian use only, and a new paved bike-only route will be built in the grassy area to the right of this photo, close to Lake Shore Drive. Image: Google Street View

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A Sneak Peek at How Trail Separation Will Work on the North Lakefront

By John Greenfield | Apr 19, 2017 | 23 Comments

Renderings of Lakefront Trail separation between Oak and Fullerton were recently released. Here are some thoughts on how this will function.

The hardest-shirking machine in snow business: The 606 Snowplow

Streetsblog Chicago’s Exclusive Interview With The 606 Snowplow

By John Greenfield | Dec 20, 2016 | 11 Comments

The Chicago Park District continues to do a bang-up job of clearing the Lakefront Trail. When I rode it on the North Side Monday afternoon in the wake of last weekend’s snowstorm – the second snowfall in as many weekends — the pavement was generally dry as a bone. Last I heard, the trail on […]

The north Lakefront Trail was in great shape yesterday evening, but not The 606. Photo: John Greenfield

Why Is the Lakefront Plowed but Not the Bloomingdale?

By John Greenfield | Dec 16, 2016 | 18 Comments

The park district's diligence with clearing the lakefront trail makes a lot of sense. The same should be true with The 606, but it's not.

Local Leaders Weigh in On 31st Street Beach Transportation Issues

By John Greenfield | Aug 9, 2016 | 33 Comments

Last month I reported on the Chicago Park District’s plans to expand a parking lot at the southwest corner of 31st and Lake Shore Drive, a short walk from 31st Street Beach and Harbor. The proposal would enlarge the lot, currently 60,000 square feet of asphalt, by 85,000 feet — that’s about 1.5 football fields […]

Parks Group Endorses Plan to Replace Two Acres of Green Space With Asphalt

By John Greenfield | Jul 5, 2016 | 20 Comments

[Last year the Chicago Reader launched a new weekly transportation column written by Streetsblog Chicago editor John Greenfield. This partnership allows Streetsblog to extend the reach of our livable streets advocacy. We syndicate a portion of the column on the day it comes out online; you can read the remainder on the Reader’s website or […]

Active Trans May Launch a Petition Drive to Keep The 606 Open 24/7

By John Greenfield | Mar 14, 2016 | 10 Comments

[The Chicago Reader recently launched a new weekly transportation column written by Streetsblog Chicago editor John Greenfield. This partnership will allow Streetsblog to extend the reach of our livable streets advocacy. We’ll be syndicating a portion of the column on the day it comes out online; you can read the remainder on the Reader’s website […]

Legalizing 24/7 Commuting on The Bloomingdale Trail Would Make It Safer

By John Greenfield | Feb 24, 2016 | 30 Comments

Last summer, a Chicago Park District spokeswoman told me that, according to the park district code, it’s legal to commute on the Bloomingdale Trail at all times of day. But in the wake of the mugging of a cyclist on the greenway last Friday night, the agency seems to have flip-flopped on the issue – […]

Police, Park District Still Disagree About Late-Night Travel on The 606

By John Greenfield | Jun 30, 2015 | 25 Comments

Some 80,000 people live within a half mile of the Bloomingdale Trail, aka The 606, the 2.7-mile elevated greenway that connects Humboldt Park, Logan Square, Bucktown, and Wicker Park. Many of these residents regularly bike commute home from work or entertainment after 11 p.m. It’s only logical that these people should be allowed to use […]

Is Late-Night Commuting on The 606 Kosher? Police, Park District Disagree

By John Greenfield | Jun 18, 2015 | 17 Comments

The Bloomingdale Trail, aka The 606, is a 2.7-mile walking and cycling corridor that connects many destinations across the Near Northwest Side and intersects with several key bike routes. Some 80,000 residents live within a half mile of the path. As such, it’s a no-brainer that people should be allowed use it for commuting 24/7, […]

#1 North Lake Shore Drive Request: Separate Bike, Pedestrian Trails

By Steven Vance | Oct 16, 2014 | 61 Comments

This week, the Redefine the Drive study team listed the most requested improvements (PDF) that Chicagoans want to see as part of the reconstruction of North Lake Shore Drive. By far the most popular is also among the easiest and least expensive ways to improve safety: creating separate paths for bicyclists and pedestrians on the overcrowded Lakefront Trail. […]

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