Recent Streetsblog CHICAGO posts about Federal Policy

“Bike Battles” Discusses the Decisions That Led Us to Car-Centric Cities

By John Greenfield | Jun 3, 2015 | 1 Comment

Right now in Chicago, advocates are calling for a coherent network of separated bikeways that will make it safe and convenient to get around the city on two wheels. More than a century ago, Windy City cyclists were doing exactly the same thing, according to James Longhurst, author of the new book “Bike Battles: A […]

The Way Forward: Gas Tax, Vehicle Miles Traveled, or Value Capture?

By John Greenfield | May 15, 2015 | 1 Comment

Local leaders agree that Chicago region’s public transit system, and Illinois transportation infrastructure in general, are sorely underfunded. However, it’s clear that the traditional strategy of relying on gas tax revenue to fund projects is no longer working. The state gas tax has been stuck at 19 cents a gallon since 1990, and due to […]

Union Station Study Will Look at Ways to Increase Capacity, Fight Congestion

By John Greenfield | Apr 10, 2015 | 1 Comment

This morning, local politicians heralded $7 million in new funding for a terminal planning study and service development plan that will help increase capacity at Chicago’s 90-year-old Union Station and on the rail lines that lead to it. This comes in addition to the $12 million that Amtrak pledged back in January for rehabbing the […]

The Parking Tax Benefit: A $7.3 Billion Subsidy for Traffic Congestion

By Tanya Snyder | Nov 18, 2014 | No Comments

The federal government spends billions of dollars a year on tax subsidies that make traffic congestion worse, according to a first-of-its-kind analysis by TransitCenter and the Frontier Group. The culprit is the parking commuter tax benefit, which costs taxpayers $7.3 billion in foregone revenue each year, all while adding more than 800,000 cars to rush-hour […]

U.S. DOT to Publish Its Own Manual on Protected Bike Lanes

By Tanya Snyder | Sep 23, 2014 | No Comments

Before the end of this year, the Federal Highway Administration will release its own guidance on designing protected bike lanes. The agency’s positions on bicycling infrastructure has matured in recent years. Until recently, U.S. DOT’s policy was simple adherence to outdated and stodgy manuals like AASHTO’s Green Book and FHWA’s own Manual on Uniform Traffic […]

Quigley Pushes Pedals, Better Transportation Funding, on Bike Tour

By John Greenfield | Sep 4, 2014 | 2 Comments

Yesterday, Congressman Mike Quigley (IL-05) took a spin on some of our city’s next-generation bikeways with a city staffer and local advocates, as part of his “Mike on the Move” campaign to highlight how federal funding can support Chicago transportation infrastructure. Quigley’s district covers a large swath of Chicago’s North Side and a few inner-ring […]

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