10 Apr 2013

Crossing Guard Appreciation Day, May 7

By Ethan Spotts

Crossing guards shepherd us safely across the street. They keep children safe from traffic throughout the year ? no matter the conditions: wind, rain, snow or sweltering heat.

Since 2005, the State of Illinois has been officially honoring these individuals with Crossing Guard Appreciation Day. This year, the event takes place on May 7.

In honor of Crossing Guard Appreciation Day, the Chicago Department of Transportation and the Active Transportation Alliance are asking neighbors to share stories about their local crossing guards. Chicago and suburban residents can share how much they value their crossing guard at www.activetrans.org/crossingguard.

The public is invited to share stories until through May 7, 2013 ? the day Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn declared as Crossing Guard Appreciation Day.

"Crossing guards provide an invaluable service to our communities," said Ron Burke, executive director of the Active Transportation Alliance. "They are out there every day making the streets safer by helping children get to school and guiding residents as they walk to their bus stop."

Here are a few ways you can help celebrate the efforts of your local crossing guards.

  • Download and present them with a certificate of appreciation: www.activetrans.org/crossingguard.
  • Write a thank you note.
  • Give the guard a gift card to a local business.
  • Share details about the great work that a particular crossing guard does in your neighborhood.
  • Visit www.activetrans.org/crossingguard to read comments people made about their favorite crossing guards in recent years.
22 Mar 2013

Take the DriveLessLiveMore Challenge for Earth Day

By Ethan Spotts
Track trips online, win prizes

CHICAGO - The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and the Active Transportation Alliance will launch the Earth Day Rideshare Challenge next month to increase awareness and appreciation by encouraging commuters to consider an alternative form of transit.

The new challenge encourages companies and their staff to participate in a free, team-based carpooling and vanpooling competition for Chicago-area employers by logging on to www.drivelesslivemore.com and tracking their trips. The website features a unique, interactive trip-tracking calendar, which can rank competitors and display statistics, such as greenhouse gases prevented, fuel and money saved, and calories burned. The Earth Day Rideshare Challenge begins April 8 and runs through Earth Day, April 22.

"Ridesharing is a great option for commuters who don't have easy access to transit or safe cycling routes to their job," said Richard Kwasneski, Chairman of the Pace Board of Directors. "Getting involved in ridesharing saves commuters money and is easy to do using our free, online matching service at www.PaceRideShare.com."

The Earth Day RideShare challenge will offer employers the tools to organize their workforce and participate in a fun competition that can encourage environmental and social change.

"Drive Less Live More has proven to be a groundbreaking program for the Chicago region," said Joe Costello, RTA Executive Director. "We're very excited how this contest has engaged our transit riders, companies and their employees to leave their cars at home and choose an alternative form of transportation,"

Challenge participants must register at drivelesslivemore.com, and then either create a team or join an existing team for their employer. Each team competes for the highest percentage of carpoolers and vanpoolers among similar-sized organizations.

Teams will find everything they need at the website to prepare their teams including: easy sign-up process, automated trip logging and team ranking, posters, and online resources. Team members can also choose to sign up as an individual participant, track their trips and be eligible to win prizes.

The companies with the highest percentage of employees who log rideshare trips at the website during the challenge win?and all teams will be publicly recognized!

A company wins if it has the highest percentage of employees logging an eligible commute to work in its category during the challenge time-frame. The winning team receives public recognition, a virtual winner's certificate, and the satisfaction of being the healthiest and greenest workplace in northeastern Illinois.

The RTA's transit system makes a significant impact on the region's environment by saving approximately 150 million gallons of gas annually. And as saving money continues to be on everyone's mind in this economic climate, the drive less live more challenge is another means to encourage travelers to see the value in public transportation and other alternative methods of greener travel.

Learn more by visiting www.drivelesslivemore.com. For all your travel plans, visit www.RTAchicago.com.

The RTA provides financial oversight, funding and regional planning for the three public transit operations in Northeastern Illinois: The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) bus and train, Metra commuter rail and Pace suburban bus and paratransit.  For more information, visit www.RTAchicago.com.

The Active Transportation Alliance is a non-profit, member-based advocacy organization that works to make bicycling, walking and public transit safe, convenient and enjoyable. We advocate for transportation that encourages and promotes safety, physical activity, health, recreation, social interaction, equity, and resource conservation. The Active Transportation Alliance is supported by more than 7,000 members, 1,000 volunteers and 35 full-time staff. For more information on the Active Transportation Alliance, visit www.activetrans.org or call 312.427.3325.

###

20 Dec 2012

Come to the Chicago Bike Swap, March 9

By Ethan Spotts
2013 Chicago Bike Swap debuts at a new UIC space in three huge gyms

Thousands expected to attend Chicago's downtown bike expo

Chicago Bike Swap 2013 anticipates more than 75 bike shops, businesses, nonprofits, bike clubs, bike teams and bike people to exhibit and sell bikes, bike parts, gear, clothing, bike event registrations and more.

Chicago's only downtown bike expo?the Chicago Bike Swap organized by the nonprofit Active Transportation Alliance, and also benefiting Chicago Bike Winter and The Chainlink.org?will take place at the University of Illinois at Chicago Physical Education Building, 901 W. Roosevelt Road, Chicago, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 9, 2013. Visit www.chicagobikeswap.org for more information.

Admission is $10 (cash only) or $5 for members of the Active Transportation Alliance and students, staff and faculty of UIC. Kids 12 and under free. The public is welcome to bring up to three bikes per person to sell in our giant Bike Corral. The service is admission plus $5 per bike. You set the price and we call you when a buyer is interested.

For only $30, you'll get admission to the swap and a one-year Active Transportation Alliance membership, which includes the Chicagoland Bike Map (a $10 value!).

In addition to affordable bike merchandise, you can expect presentations on topics like biking safely with children, updates on Chicago's new biking infrastructure and performances by the Racketeers, a women's BMX bike dance troupe.

The Active Transportation Alliance is a non-profit, member-based advocacy organization that works to make bicycling, walking and public transit so safe, convenient and fun that we will achieve a significant shift from environmentally harmful, sedentary travel to clean, active travel. The organization builds a movement around active transportation, encourages physical activity, increases safety and builds a world-class transportation network. The Active Transportation Alliance is North America's largest transportation advocacy organization, supported by nearly 7,000 members, 1,000 volunteers and 40 full-time staff. For more information on the Active Transportation Alliance, visit www.activetrans.org or call 312.427.3325.

Bike Winter ( http://bikewinter.org) is a Chicago-based campaign aimed at promoting the bicycle as year-round transportation by facilitating social and educational events to build confidence and enthusiasm for all-weather cycling. Bike Winter began with the efforts of a dedicated group of Chicago cyclists in 1999 and now includes efforts in Milwaukee, Madison and St. Louis.

The Chainlink, www.thechainlink.org, is the one-stop Chicagoland resource for connecting cyclists to share info on bikes, routes, rides, and events.

18 Feb 2011

Chicago Plan Commission approves major Lakefront Trail project

By Ethan Spotts

CHICAGO, Feb. 17, 2011 -- Today, the Chicago Plan Commission approved a major Lakefront Trail project commonly known as the Navy Pier Flyover. The Active Transportation Alliance said the cutting edge bridge design will create safer conditions and provide congestion relief for cyclists, pedestrians and other trail users on the trail near Navy Pier.

"We're so pleased with the Chicago Plan Commission's approval of the Navy Pier Flyover, and we applaud the Chicago Department of Transportation for their hard work creating a project that will improve transportation choices for Chicagoans," says Ron Burke, executive director at the Active Transportation Alliance.

Thousands of Chicagoans use the Lakefront Trail daily for commuting, recreation and accessing neighborhood services. Serving as a critical piece of Chicago's infrastructure and a centerpiece for the Chicago Park District, the trail's peak daily usage reaches up to 30,000 at its busiest points. "The Lakefront Trail is important to Chicago's residents and visitors for transportation, recreation and exercise," says Burke. "It serves as a link between our parks, beaches, neighborhoods, downtown and tourist attractions."

The Navy Pier Flyover project will address a confusing and dangerous stretch of the Lakefront Trail starting just north of Navy Pier south to where the trail is forced onto a tight sidewalk over the Chicago River. Current conditions on the trail include blind corners, narrow right-of-ways and traffic conflicts that severely limit trail traffic and create an often hazardous experience for pedestrians, motor vehicles, bicyclists and other trail users. The Navy Pier Flyover will address those problems, improving trail capacity and making this area safer for all users.

Active Trans has been involved in this project since the initial project meetings 10 years ago. The organization has worked with the city to provide input on the project concept and design, participated in public meetings with our members and worked to resolve concerns from nearby residents about the project.

"The city's thorough process has resulted in a strong project plan worthy of the Chicago Plan Commission's approval today," said Burke. "With funding for two of three phases of the project in place, we look forward to seeing construction start next year, but we will continue to advocate for funding to complete this important project."

The Active Transportation Alliance is a non-profit, member-based advocacy organization that works to make bicycling, walking and public transit so safe, convenient and fun that we will achieve a significant shift from environmentally harmful, sedentary travel to clean, active travel. The organization builds a movement around active transportation, encourages physical activity, increases safety and builds a world-class transportation network. The Active Transportation Alliance is North America's largest transportation advocacy organization, supported by nearly 6,000 members, 1,000 volunteers and 40 full-time staff. For more information on the Active Transportation Alliance, visit www.activetrans.org or call 312.427.3325.

Subscribe & Listen to Reader Podcasts

On Stands Now

 

Tagged Content

Two Ways to Subscribe

1. Subscribe to free weekly e-mail content updates.

You'll get both the current official narrative challenge and What's Happenin' in the Quad Cities.
(Did you know we publish a new Amy Alkon Advice Goddess, Real Astrology, Red Meat cartoon and RCR Crossword every week?) 

* indicates required

View previous campaigns.

2. Get 12 monthly issues mailed first class for $48

Get 12 issues mailed monthly for $48 per year.

Get the printed Reader edition mailed to you (or anyone you want) first-class for 12 months for $48.
$24 goes to postage and handling, $24 goes to keeping the doors open!

Click this link to Subscribe now.