Recent Streetsblog CHICAGO posts about participatory budgeting

Never Fear, the Rogers Park Greenway Is Still in the Works

By John Greenfield | May 5, 2014 | 2 Comments

I was nonplussed when I checked out the results of Saturday’s 49th Ward participatory budgeting election this morning. The most exciting proposal, a bike-priority neighborhood greenway, which was discussed at a community meeting in mid-April, wasn’t one of the winning projects, since it wasn’t even included on the ballot. Fortunately, the north-south greenway, originally proposed […]

Rogers Parkers Discuss Plans for Divvy Stations, Greenway

By Justin Haugens | Apr 22, 2014 | No Comments

The city is gearing up to add 175 more Divvy bike-share stations this year, bringing the total to 475. On Thursday, 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore hosted a community meeting at Eugene Field elementary to discuss potential Divvy station locations within Rogers Park. The meeting also covered the proposed north-south neighborhood greenway that’s a ballot item […]

No 5th Ward PB Election This Year, But Residents Still Have Input on Budget

By John Greenfield | Apr 17, 2014 | 12 Comments

As we recently reported, 5th Ward Alderman Leslie Hairston experimented with participatory budgeting process in 2013 but won’t be holding a PB election this year. However, it turns out that Hairston will still allow constituents to have some input on how the ward’s $1.3 million in discretionary “menu” funding is spent. Last year, only about […]

Pawar Didn’t Hold PB Election, But Residents Still Voted on Projects

By John Greenfield | Apr 14, 2014 | 7 Comments

As we’ve seen in several wards, the participatory budgeting process often results in residents choosing to spend some of the ward’s discretionary “menu” funds on walking, biking, and transit projects. 47th Ward Alderman Ameya Pawar, has has opted not to hold a full-fledged PB election, but for the second year in a row, he’s allowing […]

Hairston, Cappleman Pass on Participatory Budgeting This Year

By John Greenfield | Apr 8, 2014 | 11 Comments

As we’ve recently reported, the 49th Ward is holding its fifth participatory budgeting election this year, the 45th Ward is holding its second, and the 22nd Ward is taking the process for a spin for the first time. However, the 5th and 46th wards, which experimented with PB last year, won’t be taking part. It’s […]

Rogers Park Participatory Budgeting Ideas Include a North-South Greenway

By John Greenfield | Apr 2, 2014 | 11 Comments

Chicago aldermen traditionally use their $1.3 million in discretionary “menu” money for basic street, sidewalk and lighting improvements. However, this year a handful of wards are holding participatory budgeting elections. These often result in money being set aside for innovative transportation projects, and walking and biking infrastructure is a relative bargain. 49th Ward Alderman Joe […]

Mapped: Where Most Chicagoans Don’t Own Cars

By Steven Vance | Jan 29, 2014 | 46 Comments

A new interactive map shows what transportation mode people use to get to work in each neighborhood in Chicago, while also identifying the share of Chicagoans who don’t own cars. Shaun Jacobsen — who writes the Transitized blog and occasionally freelances for Streetsblog — created “How Chicago Commutes” to show that many residents will benefit more from […]

Will Rogers Park Use Menu Funds to Beef Up Its Divvy Network?

By Steven Vance | Nov 13, 2013 | 7 Comments

Next year, Chicago will expand Divvy bike-share from 300 stations to 475 or possibly 550 stations, and Rogers Park residents are excited about the news that far north side neighborhoods will get at least 15 stations in 2014. Melissa Manak is a member of the 49th Ward’s bikes and transit committee for the participatory budgeting process, where residents get […]

Chicagoans Gave Big Support to Ped/Bike Projects in PB Elections

By John Greenfield | May 10, 2013 | 7 Comments

The results of last week’s participatory budgeting elections show that, when you give them a chance, Chicago residents are happy to support projects that make our streets safer, more efficient and more vibrant. The 5th, 45th, 46th and 49th wards took part in the PB process, which allows citizens to propose ideas for each district’s […]

Voting for Transportation Projects in the 49th Ward Started Saturday

By Steven Vance | Apr 29, 2013 | 11 Comments

Residents of the 49th Ward, which includes Rogers Park and the Loyola University Campus, can now vote on how to spend their alderman’s discretionary “menu” money. In 2010, Alderman Joe Moore became the first U.S. politician to implement this democratic budgeting process, called participatory budgeting. This year he’s allocating $1 million of the ward’s $1.3 […]

Hairston Excludes Sustainable Transportation Items From Budgeting Election

By John Greenfield | Apr 12, 2013 | 12 Comments

The participatory budgeting process lets citizens brainstorm ideas and then vote on how ward money will be spent, but 5th Ward Alderman Leslie has decided to remove most transportation projects from consideration. The district, which includes parts of South Shore, Grand Crossing, Woodlawn and Hyde Park, is one of four wards where citizens will help […]

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