Recent Streetsblog CHICAGO posts about COVID-19

The Metra All-Day Pass. Photo: Igor Studentkov

That’s the ticket! Metra’s new All-Day Pass has been unexpectedly successful

By Igor Studenkov | Jun 29, 2021 | No Comments

The All-Day Pass was originally only meant to last a few weeks, but it's been hugely popular. According to the railroad, about a third of all riders currently use it.

Digital parking is a steep, jagged line breaking through the pre-pandemic benchmark exponentially faster than other recovery metrics.

Troubling: Loop Alliance report shows short-term Loop parking is skyrocketing

By Sharon Hoyer | Jun 14, 2021 | No Comments

Encouraging commuters and visitors to the Loop to bike or take public transportation needs to be a top priority.

An outbound Union Pacific North line train leaves Rogers Park station. Photo: Igor Studenkov

A bittersweet look back at 12 months of free Metra Union Pacific line rides

By Igor Studenkov | Jun 8, 2021 | No Comments

Union Pacific's refusal to collect fares during COVID cost Metra some $1M a month, but it opened up new options for affordable – or free – transit exploration.

The Grace Slow Street. Photo: Imelda March

The Active Transportation Alliance assesses CDOT’s 2020 Slow Streets program

By Courtney Cobbs | May 27, 2021 | No Comments

ATA provides its assessment of the 2020 Slow Streets program, which made room for safe, socially-distanced walking and biking during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Leland Slow Street this afternoon. New this year are signs advising drivers to go 5 mph. Photo: John Greenfield

Leland Slow Street reopens, and two more routes are opening in the 5th Ward tomorrow

By John Greenfield | May 27, 2021 | No Comments

Once the sun comes out, we'll surely see lots of people, including plenty of families and kids, enjoying these safer, traffic calmed streets again.

A message promoting CTA's cleaning protocols, along with cleaning supplies, at the 95th Street Red Line platform. Photo: John Greenfield

CTA hopes to coax back riders with a new program to spruce up 125 stations this year

By John Greenfield | May 20, 2021 | No Comments

Today the agency announced Refresh & Renew, a program to deep-clean and upgrade 90 percent of the system's rail stations.

April parking rates continued to be disproportionately higher than business activity and pedestrian counts compared to the same date in an average pre-pandemic year.

Loop Alliance April report shows a continued, alarming rise in downtown parking levels

By Sharon Hoyer | May 17, 2021 | No Comments

The report reveals increased personal car use has continued on a distressingly steep rise, even while foot traffic and office building occupancy remained on par or below March levels.

A drive-in testing site for COVID-19. Image: ABC Chicago

After United Center vaxx site becomes drive-through only, can you still walk to it?

By John Greenfield | Apr 27, 2021 | No Comments

After the stadium vaccination site switches back to drive-through only on May 8, will you be able to access it on foot? It's not clear yet.

Bike-share equity in the time of coronavirus

By Courtney Cobbs | Apr 20, 2021 | No Comments

How did bike-share companies' COVID-19 response impact access to their cycles and bike-share equity?

A Union Pacific North rail car photographed in late January. Photo: John Greenfield

Union Pacific finally caves, agrees to start collecting fares on Metra trains again

By John Greenfield | Apr 19, 2021 | No Comments

Was it really safety that motivated Union Pacific to refuse to have its conductors collect fares until long after conductors on Metra-controlled lines went back to walking the trains, or rather a desire to force Metra to the bargaining table?

Chicago-bound South Shore Line station in Beverly Shores, one of the sections where South Shore Line would put in a second track as part of the double-tracking project.

How will new Chicagoland stimulus transit cash be spent? We won’t know until fall

By Igor Studenkov | Apr 16, 2021 | No Comments

When it comes to transit funding from the most recent federal COVID-19 stimulus package, the common sentiment from transit agencies in Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana can be summed up as “wait and see.”

Trib’s Steve Chapman: Transit use is down right now, so we should never invest in it again

By John Greenfield | Apr 12, 2021 | No Comments

In the bizarro world of the the right-leaning Chicago Tribune, the lessons of the pandemic are that we should instead be putting more focus on car-based transportation.

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