Streetsblog Chicago

The intersection of Dee, Oakton, and Busse. IDOT says this complex intersection, located just north of Metra tracks, can't handle a road diet. Image: Google Maps

IDOT explains why it’s being fussy about the Busse Highway bike lane plan

By John Greenfield | Oct 24, 2021 | No Comments

Compromising with a short stretch of sharrows in order to allow for a road diet with bike lanes on the rest of the project area would be far safer than the status quo, for drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists alike.

U.S. Cities Have More Car-Free Households Than You Think

By Kea Wilson | Oct 22, 2021 | No Comments

Even the most transit-poor U.S. cities have significant numbers of neighborhoods where almost no one drives, new research suggests.

What would you do if you were in this Divvy worker's shoes? Photo: Kyle Lucas, Better Streets Chicago

What should drivers do to avoid blocking bikeways – especially bike-share workers?

By John Greenfield | Oct 22, 2021 | No Comments

When the person clogging the bikeway is employed by a city-owned bike-share system, an entity whose entire purpose is to make bicycling easier, this kind of blockage can feel like a betrayal.

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Today’s Headlines for Friday, October 22

By John Greenfield | Oct 22, 2021 | No Comments

CTA 2022 budget calls for maintaining service levels, no fare hikes, cutting pass costs (Tribune)
Encuentro Square, 100-unit affordable housing project near Bloomingdale Trail, coming in 2022 (Block Club)
Police release description of car whose driver critically injured pedestrian in Chicago Lawn (Sun-Times)
Cop faces firing for allegedly detaining CTA employee who accused fellow officer of misconduct (Sun-Times)
Could Evanston get a 606-style elevated rails-to-trails? (Chicago NUMTOT)
Morton Grove close to establishing new TIF aimed at generating development near Metra station (Tribune)
Here’s a searchable map of public bathrooms in Chicago (Tribune)
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Moore, Lightfoot, King, and Martin pose with the new street signs. Photo: John Greenfield

4 months after racially-charged Council battle, signs for DuSable LSD unveiled

By John Greenfield | Oct 21, 2021 | No Comments

Another fight regarding the coastal highway is on the horizon, as the city and state prepare to reconstruct North DuSable Lake Shore Drive.

CMAP survey: Residents place a high value on ability to get places, access to amenities.

By Courtney Cobbs | Oct 21, 2021 | No Comments

The survey gauged close to 2,500 northeastern Illinois residents’ attitudes toward key quality of life factors, such as transportation, open space, and housing, and what they considered successes and challenges across the region.

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Today’s Headlines for Thursday, October 21

By John Greenfield | Oct 21, 2021 | No Comments

City will hold ceremony for renaming DuSable LSD today at 2:30 PM at Buckingham Fountain (NBC)
Sun-Times: New One Central renderings released, $6.5B subsidy for transit hub is still a bad idea
Equiticity’s Oboi Reed and Kate Lowe call for racial equity in the upcoming scooter program (Sun-Times)
Austin Weekly News looks at Equiticity’s “Biking Where Black” report
Chicago has relatively few public bathrooms – that’s a problem (Tribune)
Black woman-led skate collective creates space for traditionally underrepresented people (Block Club)
Wilmette cycle shop Pedal Power to host charity bike collection (Herald)

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Metra Twins pulling out of Union Station. Photo: Jeff Zoline

Metra 2022 budget calls for new day pass, more wheelchair-accessible Chicago stations

By Igor Studenkov | Oct 21, 2021 | No Comments

Metra is cautiously optimistic that ridership will rebound in 2022 as it prepares to approve its budget for next year.

New ‘Induced Demand’ Calculator Shows Exactly How Much Driving Your City’s Highway Expansion Will Encourage

By Kea Wilson | Oct 20, 2021 | No Comments

A groundbreaking new calculator gives advocates the tools they need to instantly show the real impacts of proposed highway expansions in their communities — and the experts behind the project hope that transportation agencies will someday be required to use it, too.

A sidewalk-clearing plow in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Photo: Wikipedia

The case for municipal sidewalk snow clearance in Chicago

By Michael Podgers | Oct 20, 2021 | No Comments

Better Streets organizer and local planner, Michael Podgers, makes the case for municipal sidewalk clearance in Chicago.

Today’s Headlines for Wednesday, October 20

By John Greenfield | Oct 20, 2021 | No Comments

Park will replace vacant lot at Kimball and The 606, city is doing cleanup of contamination (Block Club)
Man died after falling on tracks at Roosevelt; Green, Orange service were partially halted (CBS)
Several vehicles, including a police truck, demolished in Englewood crash, no word on injuries (CBS)
Boy, 5, found wandering around the Belmont Red station reunited with mother (CBS)
Ald. Hopkins organizes safety walk in Wicker Park after several shootings and robberies (Block Club)
John discusses the upcoming permanent dockless rental e-scooter program on WBEZ
Englewood neighbors are painting the 58th Street viaduct this weekend – here’s how you can help (Block Club)

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Kerry Warns Budget Bill Delay Will Hold Global Climate Goals Hostage

By Kea Wilson | Oct 19, 2021 | No Comments

Centrist bickering over the size of the Democrats’ budget reconciliation will have dire consequences for key international climate goals, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry warns.

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