Recent Streetsblog CHICAGO posts about West Side

Massive $73B Bill Would Finally Boost E-Buses

By Kea Wilson | May 7, 2021 | No Comments

Two Democratic senators want to give (almost) the same amount of funding to transit agencies to electrify nation’s bus fleet as President Biden promised to private drivers to electrify their cars.

Congressional rep Robin Kelly has proposed $2 million for rehabbing the Columbia Bridge over Chicago's Jackson Park Lagoon, located near the Music Court Bridge, where Jake and Elwood Blues famously forced Illinois Nazis to jump into the lagoon in the movie "The Blues Brothers."

Here are some earmarks Illinois Congressional reps are proposing for walk/bike/transit

By Courtney Cobbs and John Greenfield | May 7, 2021 | No Comments

Here are some of the walk/bike/transit-related proposals for the American Jobs Plan from Illinois’ Congressional representatives.

This post is supported by

Today’s Headlines for Friday, May 7

By John Greenfield | May 7, 2021 | No Comments

Illinois could fully reopen to “normal” by June 11, Pritzker says (Block Club) Metra plans to gradually add more train runs to its schedule as workplaces reopen (CBS) Canadian EV maker to build electric buses and trucks at new Joliet factory (Tribune) Lake County’s construction program features major intersection and resurfacing work (Tribune) Has the […]

A 7000-series train pulls into the Logan Square station. Image: Kyle Lucs

Electric slide? CTA says ‘L’ braking system isn’t to blame for wheel flats, noise

By John Greenfield | May 7, 2021 | No Comments

The CTA says its most recent cars don't have electric disc brakes, air brakes weren't a viable option, and much of the reason its trains are noisy has nothing to do with the braking system.

Detail from the NIMBY flier. Won't somebody think of the cars?

Parking Karens want to block Lincoln Square affordable TOD, advocates fight back

By John Greenfield and Courtney Cobbs | May 6, 2021 | No Comments

Fliers claiming Lincoln Square "has a parking deficit of 1,519 spaces" are based on an ancient, absurdly car-centric 1998 study.

This post is supported by

Today’s Headlines for Thursday, May 6

By John Greenfield | May 6, 2021 | No Comments

Kam Buckner op-ed against state financing for One Central – read our interview with him here (Crain’s) Tribune looks at the snail-like pace of Chicago accessible pedestrian signal installation Stevenson Expressway crash near Damen leaves 5 injured, 2 seriously (ABC) CPD releases images of suspect from March hit-and-run pedestrian crash in Humboldt Park (Fox) WBEZ […]

Buckner moves to block $6.5B in state financing for dubious One Central transit hub

By John Greenfield | May 5, 2021 | No Comments

So far Wisconsin-based Landmark Development has failed to make a case that the project would have enough public benefits to justify the massive subsidy.

The Damen advisory bike lanes last November and last week. Photos: John Greenfield and Courtney Cobbs

The case of the disappearing Damen bikeways

By Courtney Cobbs | May 5, 2021 | No Comments

Contractors should be required to install bikeway markings when the weather is conducive, so as to avoid wasting time and materials on restriping them later.

This post is supported by

Today’s Headlines for Wednesday, May 5

By John Greenfield | May 5, 2021 | No Comments

Lightfoot sets goal to “fully open” Chicago by July 4 (Sun-Times) Chicago’s new summer concert series is only open to fully vaccinated people (Block Club) Video shows SUV driver, 77, slam into West Town bar, narrowly missing pedestrian (ABC) King, residents argue over plan to reverse one-way street in Oakland as a traffic-calming measure (Block […]

Details on how to earn ride credit and schwag through Divvy’s Bike Angels program

By John Greenfield | May 5, 2021 | No Comments

Divvy bike-share recently launched a new program called Bike Angels where users can ride bikes from crowded stations to ones that are empty or running out of bikes in order to rack up rewards.