Recent Streetsblog CHICAGO posts about IDOT

IDOT’s $400 Million Circle Interchange Expansion Won’t Fix Congestion

By Steven Vance | Feb 15, 2013 | 68 Comments

An expensive new interchange expansion that the Illinois Department of Transportation is pushing for downtown threatens to dump more traffic on Chicago streets, but the project still needs approval from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning to move forward. While IDOT is simultaneously proposing some improvements for biking and walking in the area, all of […]

CDOT Targets 50 Sites Near Parks and Schools for Ped Safety Fixes in 2013

By Steven Vance | Feb 12, 2013 | 3 Comments

The Chicago Department of Transportation plans to implement pedestrian safety measures at 50 high-priority sites near schools and parks this year, the agency revealed at last week’s meeting of the Mayor’s Pedestrian Advisory Council. The changes will include the addition of speeding enforcement cameras, high-visibility crosswalks, and signs to show drivers how fast they’re traveling. […]

IDOT Blocks Protected Bike Lanes on Several Chicago Streets Until 2014

By Steven Vance | Feb 5, 2013 | 69 Comments

Last month we noted that the Illinois Department of Transportation prevented the installation of a protected bike lane planned for Jackson Boulevard, allowing only a buffered bike lane on the segment of the street it controls. Now we know why: IDOT will not allow protected bike lanes to be installed on Chicago streets under its jurisdiction until […]

To Prevent More Traffic Deaths, Chicago Needs Better Crash Data

By Steven Vance | Jan 23, 2013 | 13 Comments

On Monday the Chicago Sun-Times noted the large uptick in pedestrian fatalities in 2012 compared to the three years prior. Last year, 48 pedestrians were killed by drivers in Chicago, compared to 35 in 2009, 30 in 2010, and 31 in 2011. Understanding the underlying causes is difficult: Right now, there is troublingly little information from […]

Redesigning North Avenue to Better Serve its Purpose: Shopping

By Guest Contributor | Jan 22, 2013 | 10 Comments

Shaun Jacobsen is an Uptown resident working in market research for a French company. He graduated recently from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with majors in French and sociology, and a minor in urban planning. He writes in a personal blog, Transitized, about international perspectives on local transportation issues. This article was originally published on Transitized on […]