Recent Streetsblog CHICAGO posts about Beyond Chicagoland

Photos, clockwise: Jeff Zoline, Mary Wisniewski, John Greenfield, John Grenfield

Can we humanely improve conditions on the ‘L’? Here’s what’s happening in SF, NYC

By Mary Wisniewski | Feb 25, 2022 | No Comments

Now is not the time for the nation’s second-largest public transit system to go backwards, with conditions that scare people away people from using buses and trains.

While the bike lanes will calm traffic and help organize the street mid-block, the road will balloon to five lanes for drivers at stoplight intersections.

Skokie’s Crawford bike lanes, passing by 5-lane intersections, won’t be low-stress

By Courtney Cobbs | Feb 24, 2022 | No Comments

Skokie aims to be more appealing for cyclists. But a proposed redesign of Crawford Avenue misses the mark in terms of a design that will meaningfully grow the number of people traveling by bike.

The new Chevrolet Silverado at the Chicago Auto Show. The front end is nearly as tall as an adult. Photo: Al Di Zenzo

How my Chicago Auto Show tweets reignited the debate over unsafe vehicle design

By AJ LaTrace | Feb 23, 2022 | No Comments

If decisions about vehicle design are purely left to the market to decide, dangerous design language of American pickup trucks and SUVs will be around for many years to come, contributing to countless traffic deaths.

Almost all Chicago bike riders treat stoplights like stop signs, and stop signs like yield signs. Studies show that may actually be safer than following the letter of the current law. Photo: John Greenfield

Illinois lawmakers killed an “Idaho stop” bill this week, but one could pass in the future

By John Greenfield | Feb 17, 2022 | No Comments

Treating stop signs like yield signs is nearly universal among bike riders, and Idaho stop laws have been shown to reduce bike injuries. Rep. Janet Yang Roh explained why her bill didn't pass – this time.

A Metra Union Pacific West train and a CTA Green Line train cross paths on Lake Street. Photo: Jeff Zoline

What will it take to achieve transit fare integration in Chicagoland?

By Courtney Cobbs | Feb 11, 2022 | No Comments

The panel explored some of the challenges and opportunities for transit fare integration. Seamless transfers between transit systems is possible, but what are the barriers making it a reality in our region?

The futuristic BP station at Clark and LaSalle on Chicago's Near North Side. Image: Google Maps

Here’s why Pritzker’s plan to skip this year’s scheduled gas tax hike is a bad idea

By Steven Vance | Feb 1, 2022 | No Comments

The proposal, which is projected to cost the state $135 million in revenue, is unfair to people who don't drive. And it may not even save much money for drivers.

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