Recent Streetsblog CHICAGO posts about State Policy

Advocates Request a Fair Share of Bike Resources for Black Communities

By John Greenfield | Dec 19, 2014 | 35 Comments

A group of African-American bike advocates says they want to do whatever it takes to make sure more black Chicagoans have a chance to enjoy the health, economic, and social benefits of cycling. They’ve called for the city and state, as well as other advocacy groups, to commit to a more equitable distribution of bike […]

Could Rauner Stop the Illiana Boondoggle? Sure. But Will He?

By Steven Vance | Dec 12, 2014 | 7 Comments

The Illiana Tollway, a joint proposal by the Illinois and Indiana departments of transportation to build a 47-mile highway through thinly populated farmland about 40 miles south of Chicago, rolled over another hurdle yesterday when the Federal Highway Administration approved the project’s environmental impact study. FHWA’s approval allows IDOT and InDOT to proceed with soliciting bids for […]

MPC Hopes “Transportation Woes” Survey Will Get Lawmakers’ Attention

By John Greenfield | Dec 9, 2014 | 31 Comments

Have you had it up to here with crumbling sidewalks and faded crosswalks? Are you sick of pedaling over lousy pavement, or barely visible bike lanes? Fed up with CTA bus routes that have already stopped running by the time you need a lift home, or Metra trains that never seem to run on time? […]

The Next Governor of Illinois Is a Total Mystery on Transportation

By John Greenfield | Nov 5, 2014 | 37 Comments

Billionaire Republican Bruce Rauner is going to be the next governor of Illinois, and it’s not yet clear what that means for transit, biking, and walking in the Prairie State. Rauner avoided taking positions on transportation issues for the most part and failed to return a candidate survey from the Active Transportation Alliance. However, his […]

Quinn Talks Good Game On Active Transportation, But Does He Deliver?

By Steven Vance | Oct 28, 2014 | 42 Comments

Governor Pat Quinn, who is up for re-election next week, shared warm words about sustainable transportation with the Active Transportation Alliance in response to their candidate questionnaire [PDF]. His words haven’t always been matched by actions from his five-year-old administration — but unlike opponent Bruce Rauner, at least he’s talking to advocates. Quinn’s written response stated […]

Seven Ways to Stop The Illiana Boondoggle

By Steven Vance | Oct 10, 2014 | No Comments

Two votes yesterday by a committee of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Chicagoland’s federally-designated regional planning organization, have cemented CMAP’s approval of the sprawl-inducing, budget-busting Illiana Tollway. Since federal transportation dollars can only be spent on projects included in an adopted regional plan, this gives Governor Pat Quinn and the Illinois Department of Transportation the consent […]

Show More Stories