Recent Streetsblog CHICAGO posts about Promoted

Matthew Walsh of Walsh Construction; Tom Tunney, 44th ward alderman; Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky; Mayor Lori Lightfoot; U.S. Senator Dick Durbin; Kelley Brookins, Federal Transit Administration; Congressman Mike Quigley; Howard Brookins, 21st ward alderman; CTA President Dorval Carter. Photo: City of Chicago

It’s getting real: Construction began on Phase I of Red and Purple Modernization today

By John Greenfield | Oct 2, 2019 | 2 Comments

Work on the Belmont flyover, slated for complete by late 2021, kicked off today. RPM also includes the reconstruction of four station and extensive track and signal work.

A Car2go vehicle (and a dockless electric scooter) in Wicker Park. Photo: Courtney Cobbs

It’s a shame Car2go is leaving Chicago, but here are other ideas to reduce car ownership

By Courtney Cobbs | Oct 1, 2019 | 11 Comments

An all-electric, free-floating, equity-minded car-share service like Blue LA would be a great replacement. But we should also focus on improving transit and biking so that people rarely need to drive at all.

Thomas Chatman, photographed last year in police beat 1011 in North Lawndale, which previously saw the most bike tickets of any beat in the city. Photo: John Greenfield

Decrease in police targeting of Black cyclists is encouraging, but there’s still work to do

By John Greenfield | Sep 27, 2019 | 9 Comments

The total number of tickets written city wide has dropped almost 50 percent since 2016, according to a new Chicago Tribune report. But Black neighborhoods still see more than 50 percent of the citations.

An accessible pedestrian signal at Roscoe and Inner Lake Shore Drive. Photo: John Greenfield

Disability rights group is suing Chicago over lack of accessible pedestrian signals

By John Greenfield | Sep 24, 2019 | 3 Comments

In July Lori Lightfoot promised to install 100 accessible pedestrian signals within the next two years, but the lawsuit says that's not fast enough.

Still from the video tweeted by a witness.

How the Woodfield Mall SUV incursion reflected the madness of American car culture

By John Greenfield | Sep 23, 2019 | 20 Comments

Shopping malls were created to give residents of car-dependent malls a car-free pedestrian shopping experience, but Friday's terror shattered that illusion of safety.

A Vision Zero outreach event on Chicago's West Side. Image: CDOT

West Side Vision Zero Plan downplays the role of police enforcement, stresses education

By Lynda Lopez | Sep 18, 2019 | 3 Comments

West Side residents made it clear that they don't want Vision Zero to lead to traffic stops being used as an excuse to conduct searches.

No, Tribune columnist Rex Huppke, helmet-shaming isn’t the way to keep cyclists safe

By John Greenfield | Sep 17, 2019 | 8 Comments

If Huppke actually cares about keeping bike riders safe, he should instead lobby for infrastructure, laws, and enforcement that prevent crashes.

A Vision Zero outreach event. Photo: CDOT

Chicago unveils its West Side Vision Zero Traffic Safety Plan

By John Greenfield | Sep 12, 2019 | 3 Comments

The city says the program addresses traffic safety as a public health and equity issue. Mobility justice advocate Oboi Reed says he still wants assurance that it won't lead to increased police enforcement.

Biking on the Bloomingdale Trail. Photo: John Greenfield

Want to ride your bike more? Here are some tips for the casual cyclist

By Lynda Lopez | Sep 11, 2019 | 4 Comments

If you feel like you never get around to riding your bike, or are nervous about riding in the city but want to give it a spin, here are some steps you can take to make it happen.

Journalists check out the future site of the Belmont Flyover with CTA staffer Chris Bushell, right. The flyover will pass by the white control tower, with the tops of northbound Brown Line trains a bit higher than the top of the tower. Photo: John Greenfield

The CTA is getting ready for RPM, the mother of all Chicago transit projects

By John Greenfield | Sep 10, 2019 | 21 Comments

The project will increase capacity and reliability, and reduce crowding, but it will also include three-year closures of the Lawrence and Berwyn stops.

Carlos Vives and Shakira in the video for "La Bicicleta."

The joy and power of bike culture in POC music and art

By Lynda Lopez | Sep 4, 2019 | 1 Comment

If we can reflect diverse cultural backgrounds and experiences in biking through language, art, and music, we can open the doors for more people to be part of biking culture.

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