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A close, controversial Council vote to borrow $830M for infrastructure: Should safe streets advocates have a glass-half-full POV?
Streetsblog Chicago is a sustainable transportation news and advocacy website, not a publication that typically covers finance. So it's not really my role to opine on whether it was a smart fiscal decision for the City Council to approve an $830 million bond deal to pay for transportation infrastructure. But let's look at how the narrow 26-23 vote went down last Wednesday; some arguments against and for the financing by alders; and reactions from walk/bike/transit boosters.
March 3, 2025
At her joyful retirement party, the “Mayor” of the Armitage Brown Line station offers advice to live by for riders – and CTA brass
Last month, the grassroots transit advocacy group Commuters Take Action held a retirement party for controversial CTA President Dorval Carter Jr. While he did go out on a high note by securing $1.9 billion from the feds for the $5.7 Red Line Extension, he was highly unpopular with many riders due to the system's issues with unreliable service, crime, and sanitation. So the celebration was a tongue-in-cheek affair, and needless to say, the guest of honor was a no-show.
February 28, 2025
The CTA reveals the final plans for the path and public space under the new Red and Purple tracks. Will it have safe street crossings?
This week, the CTA released the final design concepts for a pedestrian path and other new amenities on a 1.3-mile segment under Red and Purple tracks, between the Lawrence and Bryn Mawr stations in Uptown and Edgewater. At the second of two community meeting this week, held last night at Truman College, 1945 W. Wilson, attendees seemed generally satisfied with the design.
February 27, 2025
Something to look forward to: Here’s a map of where CDOT is planning to install new bikeways in 2025
The day after the giant pierogi dropped in Whiting, Indiana, I wrapped up Streetsblog Chicago's Bike Lane Fest 2024, a quest to visit every new or upgraded bikeway the Chicago Department of Transportation completed last year.
February 26, 2025
No way to run a railroad: Governance is holding back transit in Chicagoland
When everyone is accountable, nobody is.
February 25, 2025
Discussing efforts to reboot Grand Illinois Trail, and build East Branch DuPage River Trail, during ATA’s Advocacy Connect chat
There was also discussion of ATA volunteering opportunities for National Bike Month and the Week Without Driving.
February 24, 2025
Local transportation advocate Micheál Podgers is going regional with a move from Better Streets Chicago to Climate Cabinet
Podgers discussed the history of BSC, and the things the grassroots group has accomplished that he's most proud of.
February 21, 2025
How they voted: More about yesterday’s City Council decision against a lifesaving speed limit change
Update 2/25/25, 9:45 AM: Here's the final City Clerk tally of who voted for/against a 25 mph speed limit. I've updated our map accordingly. Previously unknown:Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd): 👎 (opposed)Ald. Lamont Robinson (4th) 👍 (in favor)Ald. Desmon Yancy (5th) 👎Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) ❓ (didn't vote)
February 20, 2025
Majority of alders voted against 25 mph speed limit today, which means more Chicagoans will be seriously injured and die in crashes
There was bad news for safer streets in Chicago today as a proposed ordinance to lower the city's default speed limit from 30 to 25 mph was defeated in the City Council by a vote of 28 to 21. Data from other cities indicates this measure would have greatly reduced the number of serious and fatal traffic crashes.
February 19, 2025
A new Illinois bill would assert that people on bikes are “intended” users of every roadway in the state where it’s legal to ride
By Julius Otto
February 18, 2025
