John Greenfield

In addition to editing Streetsblog Chicago, John writes the transportation column for the Chicago Reader weekly paper. A Chicagoan since 1989, he enjoys exploring the city on foot, bike, bus, and ‘L’ train.

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greenfieldjohn@hotmail.com chi.streetsblog.org

Streetsblog Chicago |News

Don’t victim-blame architect Helmut Jahn for his tragic bike crash death

While Jahn reportedly ran a stop sign on his bike, all the facts of his death aren't clear yet, and he deserves our empathy.

John Greenfield

May 10, 2021

Streetsblog Chicago |Federal Policy

RTA survey: Most people who stopped commuting by transit during COVID plan to return

About 80 percent of respondents who weren't riding buses and trains on a frequent basis said they planned to to return to their pre-pandemic commuting habits once worries about the coronavirus ease.

John Greenfield

April 15, 2021

Streetsblog Chicago |Federal Policy

Unnecessary police foot chases endanger suspects, officers, and the public

As with vehicle chases, the issue at stake is the need for officers the weigh the potential threat posed to the public if a suspect is not pursued, with the possible harm that could be inflicted by a chase.

John Greenfield

April 6, 2021

Streetsblog Chicago |Bicycling

LaSpata’s ordinance would remove reference to traffic “accidents” from Municipal Code

It's common to refer to serious crashes as "accidents," implying they're unavoidable, when it's actually possible to reduce crashes through better roadway design and public policy.

John Greenfield

April 5, 2021

Streetsblog Chicago |Amtrak

Taking an Amtrak + bike camping trip during the time of the coronavirus

I was fairly comfortable using Amtrak for this journey, so as long as we don't see another major spike in cases, I'll probably make more such trips this year as a safer alternative to flying.

John Greenfield

April 5, 2021

Streetsblog Chicago |Bicycling

CDOT to the feds: The new draft of the MUTCD is still way too car-centric

Transportation chief Gia Biagi argued in a letter to the FWHA that the draft version of the next edition of the manual is "far too focused on motor vehicle operations and perpetuates the status quo."

John Greenfield

March 12, 2021

Streetsblog Chicago |enforcement

South Shore Line police-involved shooting raises questions about fare enforcement

What's the best way to deal with unruly fare evaders? It's a complex question, but a more lenient policy might be worth the downsides, if it helps prevent the kind of near-deadly scenario we saw last week.

John Greenfield

March 10, 2021

Streetsblog Chicago |Federal Policy

Chuy Garcia’s bill calls for four times the current amount of federal transit funding

Advocates acknowledged the goals is ambitious and achieving parity is unlikely this year, but a strategy of aiming high could significantly move the funding needle during this window of opportunity.

John Greenfield

March 9, 2021

Streetsblog Chicago |Driving

New data shows Chicago’s speed cameras are effective in preventing traffic deaths

Fatal or serious injury crashes increased by 1 percent near speed cameras between 2012-13 and 2017-18, compared to a 19 percent increase citywide.

John Greenfield

March 4, 2021

Streetsblog Chicago |Eyes on the Street

Better Streets calls on the city to develop a plan for municipal sidewalk snow removal

The group has launched a new campaign and petition, with almost 1,250 signatures, to exhort the city of Chicago to take charge of winter sidewalk clearance.

John Greenfield

February 15, 2021

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