Grid Chicago

New Wilson Red Line train station offers more flexibility,...

Sat, 13 Oct 2012 11:48:46 -0500

New Wilson Red Line train station offers more flexibility, better looks, and a long wait

Community planning meets technology and the web at Metropolitan...

Sat, 13 Oct 2012 05:57:03 -0500

Community planning meets technology and the web at Metropolitan Planning Council discussion

Pace picks up CTA’s slack while increasing service in Chicago...

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 17:57:30 -0500

Pace picks up CTA’s slack while increasing service in Chicago and suburbs

The Chicago Perimeter Ride: a century for all

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 12:00:01 -0500

The Chicago Perimeter Ride: a century for all

Bringing a bit of Copenhagen to Chicago: two north side aldermen...

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 05:52:50 -0500

Bringing a bit of Copenhagen to Chicago: two north side aldermen discuss their recent trip to the cycling mecca

Englewood resident Denise King tries out the new refuge island...

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 17:59:50 -0500

Englewood resident Denise King tries out the new refuge island at 63rd and Claremont.

I hate car-centric design. I equate it with theft. It takes away...

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 11:49:46 -0500

I hate car-centric design. I equate it with theft. It takes away space for efficient and free modes of travel and reduces the quality of air and aural serenity, not to mention the danger to those within and without a car. Improving bike infrastructure is secondary in making a bike culture: the most important task is to highlight the irresponsibility, risk, damage, inefficiency, and death that Chicago’s car culture brings to the city.

Fatality Tracker: Cyclist avoids dooring and falls under wheels...

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 06:00:05 -0500

Fatality Tracker: Cyclist avoids dooring and falls under wheels of semi truck.

The Regional Transportation Authority is a financial...

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 17:53:53 -0500

The Regional Transportation Authority is a financial administrator and cooperative service planner at the top of the Chicagoland transit hierarchy. Or at least it’s supposed to be. But transit in Chicagoland doesn’t act regionally, and hasn’t for a long time (if ever). Here’s the evidence.

CTA reveals designs for new Wilson Red Line station and adds...

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 11:56:06 -0500

CTA reveals designs for new Wilson Red Line station and adds entrance on Sunnyside

Sorry for abandoning Tumblr for so long

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 11:55:52 -0500

It’s hard to manage so many social networks. We’re back on our game, though.

From the Chicago Pedestrian Plan: After the severe winters of...

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 17:55:04 -0500

From the Chicago Pedestrian Plan: After the severe winters of 1978 and 1979, many of Chicago’s streets were converted from two-way to one-way to improve mobility during the winter and to allow plows to go through. However, two-way streets have many advantages over one-way streets. These ‘skinny streets’ reduce vehicle speeds and can also increase connectivity for all users by providing more ways to traverse the city’s grid. Skinny streets should be considered on all one-way streets that are wider than 30 feet.

There’s a significant update in the story of cabdriver John...

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 11:54:17 -0500

There’s a significant update in the story of cabdriver John Kesse, his manic driving, and the death of Eric Kerestes, on his way to work. Kesse was arrested Monday for reckless homicide; bail has been set at $200,000. Congregants at a church Kesse helped found in Lincoln Square plan to raise the 10% needed to release Kesse from jail.

Last year I wrote a Newcity cover story with the subtitle, “Can...

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 05:51:11 -0500

Last year I wrote a Newcity cover story with the subtitle, “Can Open Streets downtown sell City Hall on future ciclovias?” For this year at least, the answer was no.

Do you find yourself in this situation?

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 05:56:42 -0500

Do you find yourself in this situation?

A press conference was held last Thursday at the southeast...

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 17:59:18 -0500

A press conference was held last Thursday at the southeast corner of Dearborn Street and Madison Street to announce the city’s first pedestrian plan. Present were commissioners of transportation and public health, Gabe Klein, and Bechara Choucair, respectively, Metropolitan Planning Council vice president Peter Skosey, and various CDOT staff.

Fatality Tracker: Hit-and-run of pedestrian on Damen overpass, but charges filed

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 11:58:53 -0500

Fatality Tracker: Hit-and-run of pedestrian on Damen overpass, but charges filed :

Robert Butler, a 51-year-old resident of Bellwood, Illinois, was killed in a traffic crash on Friday, September 7, at 4:30 AM, on the Damen Avenue overpass of the Stevenson Expressway. He was a pedestrian in probably the least-pedestrian friendly area in the region. The driver and his passenger were arrested; the driver, Anthony Castillo, 23, was apprehended less than a mile away in the McKinley Park neighborhood and charged with…

Grid Shots: In the Loop It seems this theme could mean two...

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 06:00:39 -0500

Grid Shots: In the Loop

It seems this theme could mean two things, traveling to or within the central business district of Chicago, or knowing what’s going on. We’ll go with the former.

It’s official: Tracy Swartz is the new ‘L’ Challenge champ, and...

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 17:56:22 -0500

It’s official: Tracy Swartz is the new ‘L’ Challenge champ, and the first woman to wear the crown. No longer will competitive CTA riding be a boys club.

Back in March 2011, UK native Adham Fisher first popularized transit racing in Chicago when he came to town and visited all 143 CTA rail stations by train in 9:36:33. In February 2012, Danny Resner and I captured the title, completing the course in 9:30:59. That April Scott Presslak and Kevin Olsta set a new record, 9:24:05; a few days later they were beaten by Rob Bielaski and Ben Downey with a time of 9:08:56. Adham returned to town at the end of April and went head-to-head with Danny and me in a friendly ‘L’ race. Our time was 9:08:03; The Englishman smashed the nine-hour mark, clocking in at 8:56:33.

Last month dozens of transportation professionals from across...

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 16:22:32 -0500

Last month dozens of transportation professionals from across the Chicago area converged on the Sears Tower to learn about protected bike lanes and other new developments in bike facility design. The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the region’s official planning organization, hosted the workshop “Designing for Bicycle Safety,” led by veteran transportation engineer John LaPlante.