Neighborhoods
Basics
Transportation planning needs better language accessibility, and more coalition building
In a field like planning, that is technical and political, and requires community participation, language accessibility is one necessary tool, but it does not guarantee that the voices of the community will have an impact.
December 31, 2021
Minimum parking, maximum rent: Let’s cut tenants a break by ending parking minimums
It’s time to build on the success of the transit-oriented development ordinance and eliminate parking minimums for housing city-wide.
December 14, 2021
Reality check: You can’t solve congestion by widening roads – invest in transit instead
Yes, driving to work in Chicagoland is terrible, but more lanes aren't the answer. We need faster, more frequent, and more reliable CTA and Metra service.
December 9, 2021
Mobility leaders assess 5 years of e-scooters, and draw insights from the Chicago pilots
Read the article citations here. E-scooters launched unexpectedly in the United States in the fall of 2017, wrecking havoc on many unsuspecting city residents and offering a novel new transportation option to others. Cities were forced to spring into action and formulate the best way to respond to this new mobility option. Policymakers ran the […]
November 30, 2021
Officials: As traffic deaths continue to climb, Vision Zero must be a top priority
Alderman LaSpata discussed his "crash not accident" ordinance: "There is no intention behind an accident. There is intention behind the actions that lead to traffic crashes and injuries."
November 8, 2021
I’m fairly optimistic about the future of public transportation – if we take action now
As Mark Twain might have said, reports of the death of transit have been greatly exaggerated, but we do need to take decisive action to make buses and trains a more reliable and appealing option.
November 3, 2021
“Biking Where Black” study shows relationship between lack of bike lanes, heavy ticketing
The report Barajas postulates that improved bicycle infrastructure could reduce citations and to some extent mitigate police overreach by reducing sidewalk riding.
September 28, 2021
Study: 15-minute walk/bike access to key resources is not enough to guarantee prosperity
While the 15-minute city is a great goal for Chicago, that alone will not guarantee equitable outcomes.
September 9, 2021
Dashed bike lanes: Better than nothing, or total trash?
Are they a pragmatic, better-than-nothing approach on streets where stripping parking is seen as a nonstarter. Or are they a depressing capitulation to car culture?
August 23, 2021
A closer look at CDOT’s plan to close Chicago’s transportation equity gap
August 4, 2021
