We also learn about incidents from the Chicago Police Department’s Media Major Incident Notifications website. In some cases, Police News Affairs can provide additional information.

Another source is the Monthly Fatal Crash Summaries released by the Chicago Department of Transportation. These reports are typically published a month or two after traffic crashes occur. Currently the most recent report is for July 2026.

Last week, I learnded of two more cases this summer where drivers fatally struck people who were walking, which Streetsblog had not covered before.

Hit-and-run driver killed woman, 42, on Ashland in Auburn Gresham

According to News Affairs, on Saturday, June 6, around 12:45 a.m., a 42-year-old woman was crossing the the street on the 7900 block of South Ashland Avenue in Auburn Gresham. At this location Ashland is a five-lane street, which encourages motorists to speed.

Per CPD, the speeding northbound driver of an unknown vehicle ran red light, struck the pedestrian, and fled the scene. The woman was taken to Christ Hospital in critical condition and later pronounced dad.

This was the third time a driver fatally struck a pedestrian on Ashland in Chicago this year. One of the other cases took place only a mile south of the June 6 crash. On Thursday, May 14, the hit-and-run driver of a sedan struck and killed a 36-year-old man near 87th Street and Ashland, also in Auburn Gresham.

Turning jeep driver fatally struck man, 71, on Pulaski in West Lawn

On, Thursday, July 2, around 6:47 p.m., a 71-year-old man was attempting to cross the street in a crosswalk at 7258 S. Pulaski Rd. in West Lawn, Police News Affairs said. At this location, Pulaski is a five-lane road, which makes it easier to drive at high speeds.

The 24-year-old driver of a large 2012 Jeep was speeding north when he attempted to turn west, failed to yield, and struck the senior, police said. The victim was transported to Holy Cross Hospital in serious condition, and later pronounced dead. The motorist stayed on the scene.

This was the fourth fatal pedestrian crash on Pulaski in our city this year. One of the other cases took place only about a half-mile south of the July 2 collision. On Tuesday, May 12, a hit-and-run SUV driver struck and killed Enrique Nieto, 53, while he was replacing a flat car tire in the street near 68th Street and Pulaski, also in West Lawn.

Chicago arterial streets where drivers killed multiple vulnerable road users in 2026

Here are arterial streets in Chicago that have seen multiple pedestrian, bike, and/or e-scooter fatalities this year.

Ashland Avenue: Three pedestrian deaths

Belmont Avenue: Two pedestrian deaths

63rd Street: One pedestrian death and one bicycle death

Central Avenue: Two pedestrian deaths

Halsted Street: One pedestrian death and one bicycle death

Irving Park Road: Two pedestrian deaths

Pulaski Road: Four pedestrian deaths

Western Avenue: Three pedestrian deaths and one e-scooter death

Clearly, more must be done to improve traffic safety on these corridors.

Fatality Tracker: 2026 Chicago pedestrian and bicyclist deaths on surface streets

Pedestrian: 20

Bicycle or e-scooter: 6

2026 Chicago pedestrian fatalities

• On Wednesday, January 7, around 8:44 a.m., a 42-year-old woman driving an SUV fatally struck a man, 64, crossing at 9498 S. Lafayette Ave. in Roseland.

• On Monday, February 16, around 4:12 p.m., a 37-year-old female truck driver struck and killed a woman, 63, in the 7200 block of West Bryn Mawr Avenue in Norwood Park.

• On Monday, February 16, before 7:30 p.m., a hit-and-run driver fatally struck a man, 69, in the 11900 block of South Halsted Street in West Pullman.

• On Tuesday, March 3, around 6:15 PM, an SUV driver, 70, fatally struck a female pedestrian in the 4000 block of West Foster Avenue in the North Park neighborhood.

• On Wednesday, March 11, sometime before 10 p.m., a hit-and-run driver fatally struck a woman, 32, in the 2100 block of East 83rd Street in South Chicago.

• On Friday, March 13, at around 12:06 p.m., the left-turning driver of a large vehicle fatally struck a pedestrian in a crosswalk at 3960 W. 26th St. in Little Village.

• On Sunday, April 12, around 9 p.m., a 17-year-old girl driving an SUV fatally struck a Fontella Wyatt, 43, crossing Ogden Avenue at Ashland Avenue on the Near West Side.

• On Sunday, April 19, at about 9:30 p.m., a hit-and-run pickup truck driver struck and killed Minerva Martinez, 65, in a crosswalk at Belmont and Central avenues in Belmont Cragin.

• On Monday, April 20, around 6 p.m., a semi-truck driver fatally struck Autumn Perez, 29, at 6341 S. Western Ave. in Chicago Lawn.

• On Tuesday, April 21, at around 4:24 p.m., a Honda driver, 47, fatally struck a male pedestrian, 78, at 4050 N. Central Avenue in Portage Park.

• On Wednesday, April 22, a driver failed to yield the right of way and fatally struck a pedestrian at 1498 N. California Ave. in West Town.

• On Saturday, May 2, around 2:40 a.m., after an argument, a driver fatally struck a man, 65, standing on the sidewalk on the 5000 block of S. Western Ave. in Gage Park, and then fled the scene.

• On Tuesday, May 12, Enrique Nieto, 53, was changing a flat car tire in the street on the 6800 block of South Pulaski Road when an SUV driver fatally struck him and fled the scene.

• On Thursday, May 14, a hit-and-run sedan driver fatally struck a man, 36, near 87th Street and Ashland Avenue in Auburn Gresham.

• On Saturday, May 23, around 5:15 p.m., a driver, 35, fatally struck Illeana Crisanto, 62, near Belmont and Kilbourn avenues, on the border of Irving Park and Hermosa.

• On Saturday June 6, around 12:45 a.m., a hit-run-driver ran a red and fatally struck a 42-year-old woman on the 7900 block of South Ashland Avenue in Auburn Gresham.

• On Thursday, July 2, 2026, around 6:47 p.m., a jeep driver failed to yield while turning and fatally struck a man, 71, at 6258 S. Pulaski Rd. in West Lawn.

• On Sunday, July 26, at around 10:47 p.m., a speeding SUV driver, 39, struck and killed a male pedestrian, 63, on the 5100 block of South Western Avenue in Gage Park.

• On Wednesday, July 29, at around 11:41 a.m., a hit-and-run truck driver struck and killed Belesda Toledo, 47, on the 2500 block of South Hamlin Avenue in Little Village.

• On Saturday, August 8, around 9:22 p.m., a sedan driver fatally struck Sarah Milcarek, 25, on the 1400 block of West Irving Park Road in Lakeview.

2026 Chicago bicycle and e-scooter fatalities

• On Thursday, January 24, around 8:20 p.m., the 33-year-old male driver of a Toyota fatally struck Roman Havelka, 63, on a bicycle in the 8600 block of West Irving Park Road.

• On Saturday, March 21,  around 8:30 p.m., a hit-and-run driver fatally struck Violet Harris, 15, on an e-scooter in the 2800 block of East 77th Street in South Shore.

• On Sunday, April 5, around 1:20 a.m., a speeding, hit-and-run SUV driver fatally struck Damian Gomez, 18, on a bicycle at 63rd Street and Kedzie Avenue in Chicago Lawn.

• On Friday, April 24, around 4:15 p.m., a Jeep driver struck and killed e-scooter rider Astrid Carrillo Noguera, 17, near 3340 S. King Dr. in the Douglas community.

• On Friday, June 5, around 4:40 p.m., a car driver opened their door on CDOT Planner Riley O’Neil, 35, causing him to clip the door and be thrown in front of a truck and fatally struck.

• On Wednesday August 5 at about 3:37 PM a semi driver and Alex Blacio, 16, riding an e-scooter, collided at 4025 N. Western Ave. in North Center, and the teen later died from his injuries.

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• “1 killed, 6 wounded in shooting on Chicago’s Northwest Side; injured driver crashes into CTA bus after being shot, police say” (WGN)

• “2 people hit, injured by driver while outside of vehicles on I-90, state police say” (ABC)

• “Girl, 15, due back in court on charges of shoving man onto CTA train tracks” (CBS)

• “Chicago police issue alert on sexual abuse at CTA Blue Line station in Wicker Park” (ABC)

• Active Trans: “A newly created Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) board convened this week for its inaugural meeting, marking a major milestone for the region’s transit future.”

• “Amtrak service will officially resume between Chicago and the Quad Cities for the first time in nearly 50 years” (Time Out Chicago)

• “Highway Caps for Chicago’s Future: Exploring a Shared Idea, Different Approach” (Metropolitan Planning Council)

• “America Has Never Built an Airport Express Railway. Chicago Is About to Try.” (High Speed Rail Alliance)

• “From the Chicago suburbs to short line railroad companies, proposed merger heightens concerns” (Tribune)

• “The Votes Are In: See Our 2026 Legislative Scorecard!” (Ride Illinois)

• “Metra Pass add-on now available to DePaul students” (DePaulia)

• “Can Rezoning 71st Street Boost Development In South Shore? Alderman Hopes So” (Block Club)

• “Bears fans, make Metra a part of your game plan”

• “Thanks to Gage Park Cyclists for organizing a great ride from Senka Park to the Mexican Independence Day Parade in Little Village” (Southwest Collective)

If you appreciate Streetsblog Chicago’s reporting and advocacy on local sustainable transportation issues, please consider making a tax-deductible donation here. Thank you!

Sam Kovnar is the founder of the Northwest Neighborhood Alliance, a local volunteer network focused on advocating for safe streets, fast frequent transit, and access to housing on the Near Northwest Side of Chicago. As a guest op-ed, this article does not necessarily reflect Streetsblog Chicago staffers’ perspectives on this issue.

In 2024, the CTA and the City of Chicago officially cut the ribbon on the brand-new Damen Avenue Green Line station. It had been a long, hard road to get the ‘L’ stop finished. Initially planned as a three-year project, the initiative ran into multiple complications after it was first proposed, before being delayed even further by the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing shutdowns and supply chain holdups. But on August 5, 2024, the station was finally completed and open for business.

Mayor Brandon Johnson and then-Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. (27th) celebrated the opening of the station as a win for mobility justice. The stop has improved access to rapid transit for neighborhoods that have historically been stripped of transportation options. It has supported the adjacent housing development at Damen Avenue and Lake Street. And, with the United Center redesign already in its early stages, this station is only going to become more important for supporting housing and economic development on the Near West Side.

However, there is another location that is in desperate need of attention. It is time for us to build a Green Line station at Western Avenue.

The Green Line is the only CTA rail line that crosses Western Avenue without a station. (The Yellow Line also lacks a station at the Evanston north-south street with the same longitude as Western, but there the road is called Asbury Avenue.)

The absence of a this bus-train transfer point at this location is one of the most visible gaps in the entire transit system, due to both its relative proximity to downtown as well as the highly successful bus corridor running beneath it. Western Avenue has the third highest ridership of any bus corridor in the city. When you look at the numbers, the reasons behind this are obvious. As shown in the chart and graphs below, compared to parallel routes on California and Damen avenue, Route 49 Western is faster, more frequent, and runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The success of the Western Avenue bus routes is no accident, but a success story of strategic investment and wise planning. As of last year, Western Avenue is part of the CTA’s “Frequent Network,” meaning that Route 49 is dispatched to appear at bus stops every ten minutes or less. Higher frequency means less waiting and easier transfers, but it also takes additional resources and careful planning.

Unlike Damen Avenue, whose recently-opened Green Line station replaced one that had been gone since 1948, Western Avenue never had a Green Line connection. In fact, back when the tracks that would eventually become the Green Line were built, Western Avenue did not exist. Instead, the Green Line had stations on Oakley Boulevard and Campbell Avenue – two streets which are now in quiet residential neighborhoods. When those stations were closed in 1948, no station was built to replace them.

Today, Western Avenue has caught the eye of many transit advocates as a candidate for Bus Rapid Transit, or even a future ‘L’ line. In addition to being the longest continuous street in the city, Western also has unparalleled connections with rail transit routes, including both Metra and ‘L’ corridors. These connections make Western Avenue an appealing choice for a north-south backbone transit route outside of the Loop. By building a Western Avenue Green Line station, we would be laying the groundwork for a future rapid transit corridor. And in the meantime, a Green Line connection to Route 49 has the potential to maximize the value of both our rail infrastructure and our bus network.

Last year, transit advocates across Chicagoland spent ten months pushing lawmakers in Springfield to save our transit system, and on the final day of the veto session, our state legislature pulled through. Now, for the first time in a long time, many of us are dealing with a new, unusual feeling: hope for the future. With that optimism has come a number of potential megaprojects vying for the attention of our elected officials.

In this landscape of big ideas, the Northwest Neighborhood Alliance puts forward this modest proposal that could have a seismic impact. Building the Western Avenue Green Line station would not be a megaproject, but a surgical strike. It would bring together our third-busiest bus corridor with a valuable yet underused section of the ‘L’ network. The project would bring fast, reliable rail transit to a neighborhood that has not previously had access. And most importantly, it would lay the groundwork for Chicago’s transit-oriented future.

Right now, we are at a critical moment that could decide the fate of this project. With municipal elections coming up in February, building a Western Avenue Green Line station has the potential to become an election issue in the 27th Ward. Incumbent Ald. Walter “Red” Burnett III (the son of Walter Burnett Jr., appointed by Johnson after the older Burnett stepped down in August 2025) has only hinted at the idea of a Western Green Line station. [See the statement from Ald. Red Burnett in response to this article in the update below.] However, one of his challengers, Nate Cornell, has made a campaign promise to build the new ‘L’ stop. We have a unique opportunity to push both of these candidates in the direction of bold, strategic transit planning, right here, right now.

Here is how you can help. The Northwest Neighborhood Alliance has launched a petition in favor of building a Green Line station at Western Avenue. It would mean the world to us if you would sign on. You can also contact Alderman Burnett’s office and let him know that this project is important to you.

This is our chance to help build a more connected Chicago. Let’s do it.

Here’s an interesting wrinkle. Fulton Market Association Executive Director Roger Romanelli, has opposed multiple sustainable transportation initiatives, from the Ashland Avenue bus rapid transit proposal to, recently, the Grand Avenue Complete Streets project. But he’s actually on the right side of the Western Green Line station issue, for a change. In June he and members of the association (he’s the only staffer) held a rally to call for the new ‘L’ stop, estimating the cost at $80 million. 27th Ward Challenger Nate Cornell spoke at the rally. – John Greenfield, editor

Update 9/14/26, 12:00 PM: This morning, Ald. Walter “Red” Burnett III reached out to Streetsblog Chicago with the following message and materials, which he gave us permission to share. – Ed.

“I wanted to address your article on the Western Green Line station. 

While I have talked about the importance of more stations in my newsletter and speaking at public forums, it seems that my commitment hasn’t been fully captured, so I want to provide more context on all of the public transit work that we are looking to accomplish and the timeline in which we have gone about this important issue.”

“September 24, 2025: I was appointed to City Council.

November 2025: I secured TIF funding for two future stations (north of a combined $100 million) in a year where we saw a historic TIF sweep that emptied the accounts. That would be a station at Madison and Paulina streets on the Pink Line, and another at Division and Orleans streets on the Brown Line. Both stops are adjacent to public housing that has historically been discriminated against in regards to transit access. 

March 2026: I sat down with CTA Chair Lester Barclay and expressed my goals for expanding train access across my ward, and the desire to move quickly on these processes.

April 2026: I spoke at CTA board meeting about the urgency of investing in transit access while we have funding that could support the development of stations, especially given the cost inflation of these projects. I have attached the video of my comments here. Most importantly, I advocated for three more train stations beyond the two agreed upon: Halsted Street, Racine Street, and Western Avenue on the Green Line, noting the increasing density in those areas, and the ability to connect to buses going north-south.” 

“May 2026: I sat down with the CTA team to discuss feasibility and funding of those stations, to which I was and am willing to support with TIF funds, and all of which fall within a TIF district that replenishes heftily on an annual basis, but expires in eight years. In that meeting I was shown the initial design of the train station on Madison, and what was needed to start the process on Division. I was also informed that Halsted is not feasible given the lack of land availability on the street, but that Western and Racine were possible. And not only is Western possible, it is being recommended to be funded by the state, something that we are advocating for down in Springfield this veto season. 

Regardless of the funding from the state, we have already started the process of designing Western Station, triangulating cost, and finding securing backup funding. Western Station will come to life. 

Additionally, we are close to getting the Metra station between Ashland and Ogden avenues finalized and start the process of acquiring the land.” 

“As an avid user of public transportation and the CTA (I don’t own a car), this is one of my deepest commitments to my community and something we need to make our western neighborhoods more accessible and equitable. So I’m glad you see it as a campaign initiative, but please do take into account all of the work I’ve done to this point and all of the work I’m committed to seeing through.”

Did you appreciate this post? Streetsblog Chicago is currently fundraising to help cover our 2025-26 budget. If you appreciate our reporting and advocacy on local sustainable transportation issues, please consider making a tax-deductible donation here. Thank you!

• More coverage of yesterday’s debut NITA board meeting (NITA, Tribune, Sun-Times, WTTW, Crain’s, Daily Herald)

• Metra launches art contest for kids to create a safety superhero (CBS)

• “100-plus projects proposed in revamped Naperville bike, pedestrian plan” (Naperville Sun)

• “After years of delay, funding to restart Chicago-Quad Cities rail service has Illinois back on track” (Tribune)

• “DuSable Lake Shore Drive Bridge To Close Nightly For Testing” (Block Club)

• “Elgin police chief assures public: No Flock cameras, no misuse found in license plate reader audit” (Daily Herald)

• “Affordable Apartment Building Opens In Austin As Part Of Historic Bank’s Redevelopment” (Block Club)

• “Rising Housing Costs In Avondale, Irving Park Continue To Push Out Longtime Residents, Study Shows” (Block Club)

Did you appreciate this post? Streetsblog Chicago is currently fundraising to help cover our 2025-26 budget. If you appreciate our reporting and advocacy on local sustainable transportation issues, please consider making a tax-deductible donation here. Thank you!

This article is by John Greenfield, with additional reporting on statements by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and State Rep. Kam Buckner by Igor Studenkov.

This morning there was another big milestone in the Chicagoland public transportation revolution. After the Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act went into effect on September 1, today was the NITA board’s maiden voyage at the former Regional Transportation Authority offices, 175 W. Jackson St. in the Loop.

During today’s public hearing, the directors chose ex-RTA board member Tom Kotarac, the leader of a NITA transition committee, as chair of the new board. And former Chicago Aviation Commissioner Jamie Rhee was selected as NITA’s interim executive director, which means she’ll pilot the search for a permanent one, which is supposed to take no more than one year. Almost of the directors supported these picks, and transit advocates I spoke to after Kotarac’s selection gave him high praise.

The two previous heads of the RTA, executive director Leanne Redden and board captain Kirk Dillard, stepped down from their positions at the start of this month. So the NITA board’s first order of business today was to appoint the new leadership.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle was the first to speak at today’s hearing. She encouraged her NITA board appointees, and the rest of the directors to think “regionally” and not in terms of “separate, siloed agencies.” “The success of our transit system depends on our ability to think regionally,” Preckwinkle added. “It’s absolutely critical that we do so. We have to coordinate service, plan for the future, make smart investments in our infrastructure, and ultimately provide riders with a system that is more reliable, more accessible and better connected.”

State Rep. Kam Buckner, along with Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado and Sen. Ram Villivalam, were the chief architects of the transit governance and funding reform bill. “The mobility in this country has always been connected with the struggle for freedom,” Buckner said, citing the Montgomery bus boycott as an example. He added that the ultimate measure of the transit system remix won’t be “how many meetings we have or how many acronyms we make up.” He added, “We have to build a system that is safer, faster, cleaner, more reliable, more coordinated, and easier to understand… We will be judged by whether somebody standing at the bus stop at six in the morning can say, ‘This works better than it used to.'”

Several directors put in a good word for Kotarac. “I have had the pleasure of serving on the RTA board with Tom Kotorac for the last two years,” said NITA and Metra director Dennis Modero. “I didn’t know Tom before then, and I had heard a lot about his transit passion and intellect, and I found that all to be true, unfortunately.” The crowd laughed. “He has the skills. The challenge will be getting this big coalition of interest from everyone together, and I pledge to work with you on that.” Ultimately Kotarac was elected anonymously, with 19 “Aye” votes.

“I’m outrageously humbled by your support, and the enormous amount of experience and passion and firepower that we hold as a collective,” Kotarac said after the decision. “It was less than a year ago that the region was staring down a historic fiscal crisis. Here at the RTA board we were planning, with our colleagues at the service boards, for 5,000 layoffs, and planning as the least-worst outcome a 40 percent reduction in service. And then really, really, really, really early on Halloween morning, the leaders who are here today stepped up and gave us the brand new opportunity that is here before us.”

“We have an enormous responsibility to deliver on that opportunity and the NITA Act provides us with historic levels of investment,” Kotarac added, citing the additional $1.5 billion in annual statewide transit funding, mostly allocated to Chicagoland. But just as importantly, it gives us new tools to coordinate, unify, and improve the transit service that the northeast Illinois region has long deserved.”

The board then retreated to a private session to discuss the election of an interim RTA director. I buttonholed a few advocates to get their thoughts on how things were going.

“I’m extremely encouraged by the appointment of Tom Kotarac to lead the board,” said Active Transportation Alliance Campaign Organizer W. Robert Schulz III. “He’s a person that I’ve run into in real life frequently. And he’s been a real advocate for transportation. We’ve ridden the train together. So I know he’s knows transportation from an eye level institutional standpoint, but he also knows it from a street level user standpoint. And so, for that reason, I’m very encouraged.”

“It’s a very exciting morning to have the beginning of Northern Illinois Transit Authority,” said Better Streets Chicago Executive Director Kyle Lucas. “The actual implementation of it is what will really matter to transit riders.So we’re here today to urge the board to heed… the mandate that’s been given by transit riders across the region who fought for this moment very, very hard in 2025, very tirelessly and selflessly. And to ensure that we’re building the transit system of the future, not just maintaining the status quo.”

“Tom Kotarac wil be a great leader,” said Audrey Wennink, a senior director leading the Metropolitan Planning Council’s transportation policy efforts. “He’s been on the inside in the establishment role. He has real political acumen from his days on Capitol Hill [in the Illinois congressional delegation]. And he knows how to manage board processes, as he’s already demonstrated, being on the ad-hoc committee. And he’s already been on the RTA board for a couple of years, and he’s demonstrated that he’s been effective.”

When the public meeting reconvened, there was an announcement that Jamie Rhee had been nominated for the interim executive director position, leading a nationwide search for her permanent replacement. Rhee would stay on the job for no more than a year. That’s in contrast to popular Acting CTA President Nora Leerhsen, who’s been at that posiiton for (checking my notes) 19 months.

Director Oswaldo Alvarez pushed back a bit, mentioning that he’d only just met Rhee, and was not aware that there was an open seat for executive director. He suggested holding an emergency meeting so that the board could vet other candidates.

Kotarac responded that Leanne Redden only announced her retirement eight days earlier. “The immediate results that are deliverable to the public need a CEO who’s accountable,” he said. “And having someone with Jamie’s stature having stepped in for us to take those responsibilities is something I think honestly we’re blessed with.” Ultimately, all the directors except Alvarez voted for her.

Rhee then entered the room. “I am deeply honored to step into this role, and I want you to know that I take this responsibility very seriously,” she told the board. “My career has been spent leading large, complex organizations through moments of challenge, transformation, and growth, and I bring that same steadiness and strategic focus to NITA. I come to this work with humility, and with respect for the professionals who operate this system every day. I also come with lived experiences. For years, transit was my lifeline to get to school, work, and places that shaped my life.”

During the public comment period, Better Streets’ Kyle Lucas did a good job of summarizing the challenges, and expectations the NITA board will face. “Congratulations on quite the momentous day,” he told the directors. “This is a day that is pretty emotional for people like me. I’m an organizer with Better Streets Chicago, and we fought all last year, tirelessly, alongside residents across the entire region, to save our public transit. But not just save our public transit, but to ensure that there was a mandate to bring us into the future, to start fresh, and ensure that we aren’t repeating the mistakes of the past.”

Marching down Randolph Street towards the State of Illinois Offices during the Save Transit Rally in July 2025. Photo: Paul Goyette

“It’s also really important that each and every one of you are taking their task seriously every single day,” Lucas added. “I also implore you to work with communities and with advocates to push forward a vision for the future of transit. What I can promise you is that we will hold you accountable. And that’s not a threat – that’s just a promise. Because Chicagoans have seen what happens when transit isn’t accountable, and they’re not satisfied with the status quo anymore. That’s why NITA is here.”

“So thank you for dedicating your time to this service, and we look forward to working with you to build a bright future for transit in Chicago,” Lucas concluded.

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• “Boy, 16, Fatally Shot At Grant Park Skate Park” (Block Club)

• “Family remembers man killed after being pushed from moving CTA Red Line train” (CBS)

• “‘Made everyone feel seen’: Coroner identifies father of 3, grandfather of 5 who was fatally hit by Metra train in Lake Forest” (L&MCS)

• …Chicago Department of Public Health: “If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.”

• Ald. Matt O’Shea (19th) who in 2012 told CDOT not to install any more bikeways in his ward, hasn’t allowed many since then, is calling it quits (Sun-Times)

• “NITA, Chicago’s new transit agency, is meeting for the first time. What will it change?” (Sun-Times)

• “Purple Line Pride: An essential guide to Evanston’s CTA stops” (Daily Northwestern)

• “CTA Park & Ride lot operator vows refunds after overcharging users at Howard lot” (CBS)

If you appreciate Streetsblog Chicago’s livable streets reporting and advocacy, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to support our work. Thank you!

• School bus driver fatally struck firl, 6, in suburban Frankfort, IL (ABC)

• “Person pushed to death from moving Red Line train on South Side; CPD investigating” (ABC)

• “Man maced CTA passenger, made antisemitic comments during attack” (NBC)

• “Chicago Named The Most ‘Climate Resilient’ City On Earth” (Block Club)

• Ald. Michael Rodriguez (22nd), who has signed off on a lot of bikeways in his district, isn’t running for reelection (Sun-Times)

• “Editorial: Northwestern’s Ryan Field, Amtrak, Emanuel, Quantum, O’Hare Flyer all beset by objectors” (Tribune)

• “Greg Hinz: The case against Chicago TIFs leaves out one inconvenient fact. They worked.” (Crain’s)

• “Conversion Of Former Logan Square Recovery Center Into Apartments Finally Moving Forward” (Block Club)

• “Open House Chicago Returns Next Month With Over 200 Sites — Including 20 New Ones” (Block Club)

If you appreciate Streetsblog Chicago’s livable streets reporting and advocacy, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to support our work. Thank you!

Chicago Bike PAC, a political action committee with the goal of electing politicians who support better bike infrastructure, and Complete Streets in general, launched in August 2025. It was founded by Kevin Borgia, “an experienced political advocate for sustainable solar power,” and Chris Ridgeway, formerly the political communications director for Ald. La Spata (1st). Currently, their top priority is electing a bicycle-friendly City Council next year.

With that goal, BikePAC is holding a Campaign Trail Party this Thursday, September 10, 5:30 p.m. at Midwest Coast Brewing Company, 2137 W. Walnut St. on the Near West Side. They’re billing the event, cohosted by Better Streets Chicago (Action Fund), Chicago Family Biking, and Bike Grid Now, as them “inviting the entire cycling community out for a party with a purpose.”

Streetsblog Chicago caught up with Ridgeway for more details on what to expect. The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

John Greenfield: I know the background of the Chicago Bike Political Action Committee. So, give me an update on what you folks have been up to lately. How much money have you raised? How much are you trying to raise? Who are some of the candidates you’ve been supporting?

Chris Ridgeway: We’ve been very focused on fundraising during this season, looking ahead to the municipal election in February 2027. We thought that we would only be focused on fundraising, but then we realized that already the races for some aldermanic seats have shaped up very early, and so we have done some expenditures to support candidates. We’ve raised, as of right now, $74,844.

JG: Oh wow.

CR: Yep. On our way to our $100,000 goal. We’ve stated pretty clearly that we want to raise $100,000 for this municipal election, so that elected officials would notice the issue of cyclist safety in the city.

JG: Can you tell me some of the alders who you’ve given money to so far?

CG: We haven’t announced this yet. Our donations are public record, so someone can find them. But we put out a clear statement about who we believe are sort Safe Streets champions are right now. They include five folks that have been, for their past record, safety champions, so they’re well known in the bike community. That includes Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st), Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th), and Ald. Matt Martin (47th). And then we’ve also been supporting sort early safety champions because of activity in their wards. Ald. Julia Ramirez (12th) and Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th). They’ll all be present at the event this Thursday.

Donations are a matter of the public record. For instance, when we made our donation to Julia Ramirez’s campaign a number of months ago, the Archer Guardians [the Astroturfed opposition against the Archer Avenue Completes Streets project, which held weekly protests near Ramirez’s office] found it and posted a photo of me and said some bad things. [Laughs.]”

JG: So yeah, if I was going to choose five alders who tend to be ahead of the curve on bike issues, those those five names you mentioned come to mind. There are probably a few others who I also would think of as being particularly bike friendly.

CR: I won’t mention other names yet, but we are doing a full endorsement process alongside Better Streets Chicago Action Funds. There definitely are other bike-friendly holders in the City Council. But we’re going to wait until after our endorsement process to announce the rest of who we’re supporting.

JG: What can people expect from Thursday’s event?

CR: We hope that my community comes together to raise the raise the rest of the funds we need to be noticed by our elected officials. We’re well on our way. I feel good about it.

Our party host will be Midwest Coast Brewing. The head brewer and other staff there are avid cyclists. Julia Ramirez will speak, as well as [Gil “Pookie’ Campo, an Archer counterprotest co-organizer, along wilth Alfredo Villadares Jr.] He’s a well-known Brighton Park cycling advocate.

Supporters and opponents of the Archer project last December at the first of dueling weekly rallies that lasted for six months. Photos: John Greenfield

So they’ll be presenting about the Southwest Side, and I think their message will be that good infrastructure shouldn’t be just for richer neighborhoods, but it should be for everybody.

I will have some some messages from Rebecca Resman and Tim Shambrook. As you know, Rebecca Resman is the head of Chicago Family Biking, Tim Shambrook is the father of Lily Shambrook, the three-year-old who lost her life a few years ago – we don’t want folks to forget her story. They’ll be bringing the message that Chicago families are watching elected officials on cycling issues.

And then we’ll assemble the elected officials that we are supporting, so people can see who they support, and how to support them through the election.

JG: There are some other groups besides Chicago Family Biking who are co-sponsoring the event, correct?

CR: That’s right. Again, we’ve got Better Street Chicago Action Fund, who’s also our partner for our endorsement process. Of course, Chicago Bike PAC is focused on cycling issues primarily, but a lot of the related general issues Better Street Chicago is covering really well. So we do it with them, together.

Chicago Family Biking hasn’t been involved politically significantly. Mostly they’re just training parents to organize Bike Buses to school, but are frustrated and fed up with the situation aboat cycling safety in the city, and kids need to bike for their school safely. And so, Chicago Family Biking has come on as a co-host. And then Bike Grid Now is well known for advocating for these issues.

JG: Can you tell me how you guys have gotten to the the 70s for raising money? Are there any major donors you can mention?

CR: Yeah. I would mention first that our average donation is $51. So we are significantly a grassroots pack from folks that care about the issue.

But we also do have some sponsors. We’ve been picking our sponsors based on those that we actually believe share our values, right? Our sponsors are on the website. But it includes SRAM, Lime, Christopher Burke Engineering, Keating Law Offices, and ALSO., the new e-bike manufacturer from Rivian.

JG: Is there anything else you’d like to say about Thursday’s event?

CR: We’re really encouraged by the progress in our fundraising and also the event. I know we’ll have ten or more elected officials there, and we’ve been getting inquiries from mayoral candidates to come by. We even got a backdoor inquiry for a mayoral candidate to come speak – I guess I won’t say which one – and we said no at this point because we feel like we don’t know who our champion is in that race. But we welcome candidates to come by and meet folks in here about the issues.

Politico Illinois featured us today in that newsletter, and that shows that the bike community has this new angle of raising political money to get folks to pay attention, and it’s actually working.

Learn more about Chicago Bike PAC at their website.

Check out the invite to the Campaign Trail Party here.

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The Active Transportation Alliance’s annual Bike the Drive, which opens all eight lanes of Chicago’s DuSable Lake Shore Drive for car-free cycling, is the highlight of our city’s sustainable transportation advocacy calendar. It shines a line on the fact this wonderful metropolis could become even better if we significantly reduced the amount of motorized traffic on our lakefront, and made our shoreline a more efficient and pleasant place to walk, bike, and ride transit.

This year’s BTD was particularly special because it was the 25th anniversary of the event, which doubles as Active Trans’ main fundraiser. The group’s cofounder Randy Neufeld discussed how the ride came to be in a recent ATA blog post.

The icing on the birthday cake was absolutely perfect weather, a pleasure to pedal in, cruising along an especially sparkly Lake Michigan. After riding from Edgewater to Hyde Park on the temporarily-bike-friendly motorway, I took advantage of the brilliant sunshine and ideal temperature by beach hopping back north to Uptown.

The battle for a people-friendly DLSD

This year’s Bike the Drive was also significant because last month advocates won a small victory in the fight to make Chicago’s coastline less car-centric as part of the North DuSable Lake Shore Drive Reconstruction Plan, aka Redefine the Drive. In 2024, the Illinois and Chicago transportation departments recommended a rehab of the roadway that mostly would preserve the Drive’s eight-lane layout, identifying that as the “preferred alternative.”

DLSD and the Lakefront Trail as seen from the North Avenue bike-ped bridge last July.

But walk/bike/transit boosters say the plan must, at the very least, convert two of the lanes currently used by motorists to dedicated transit lanes. That would prevent public transportation riders from getting stuck in traffic jams created by private, often single-occupant, car drivers. And groups like Better Streets Chicago call for transforming the highway into to a multi-modal surface-level boulevard, similar to what San Francisco did with the Embarcadero Freeway.

IDOT and CDOT recently edited the project website to acknowledge that, based on public input, no preferred alternative has been identified, so they’re going back to the drawing board. And at a public meeting in August, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning said that, after receiving feedback from more than 1,800 residents, CMAP would update its draft 2026 Regional Transportation Plan by removing “preferred alternative” language.

I was pleased to see that some of the dailies’ BTD coverage discussed the movement for a more people-friendly lakefront. For example, the Block Club Chicago article, “As Chicagoans Prepare To Bike The Drive, Some Dream Of A Car-Free Lakefront All Year,” featured quotes from Streetsblog Chicago contributing writer Ellen Steinke, who has been tirelessly lobbying about the issue. She even has an Instagram account on the subject: “More Lakeshore Less Drive.” Ellen told BCC’s Patrick Filbin, “We’re the best city in the country, if not the world, and yet we have this highway running through our public park where we have people exercising and children playing.”

Here are some other articles about Bike the Drive that featured Livable Streets advocates:

• “Some cyclists at Bike the Drive dream of safer roads for al” by Kaitlin Washburn for the Chicago Sun-Times

• “Without cars for a morning, thousands of cyclists fill DuSable Lake Shore Drive: ‘Chicago is a bike city'” by Finnegan Belleau for the Chicago Tribune

I took a slightly different approach. I encountered a couple of sustainable transportation-friendly North Side alders during that day, so I asked them for their thoughts on how we should rebuild NDLSD.

Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th)

Ald. Vasquez invited his constituents to meet him at 6 a.m. that morning at the new Ainslie Arts Plaza in Lincoln Square to ride a few miles to a Bike the Drive starting point at Bryn Mawr Avenue.

“I learned to ride a bike about five years ago,” Vasquez told me. “Bike the Drive has always been a pretty amazing experience. I like promoting it because I think there’s neighbors who may not know about it, or who may not feel comfortable joining. So it’s good to do one together as a group. This is actually the first time we’re trying it out, and my hope is that year over year we get to grow it out.”

Does he have an opinion about what street configuration he’d like to see on the new North DLSD? “We could do more than what’s currently being proposed,” he replied. “Obviously we have folks who wish we could pedestrianize the whole thing. I don’t know if that’s feasible, but I do think we can do more, and it’s worth a conversation with everyone. And a good, healthy balance between cyclists, pedestrians, transit riders, and drivers is what we should be shooting for: for everyone to be able to enjoy what is a public good.”

Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th)

Later, I spotted Ald. Manaa-Hoppenworth on the DLSD bridge over the Chicago River, which itself made the headlines last week. “It’s a beautiful day,” she told me. “I’m with my friends and neighbors, and couldn’t ask for anything more… I wish this was more than once a year.”

I noted that IDOT’s original plan was to rebuild DLSD as an eight-lane highway with no dedicated transit lanes, and asked Manaa-Hoppenworth what layout she would like to see. “Not that!” she replied with a laugh. “We should dream bigger. We have done incredible things in Chicago in the past, and just because something is laid in concrete doesn’t mean it’s there forever.”

What has she heard from constituents about this issue? “On my side of town, the noise pollution, the air pollution, the unfriendliness of our streets to pedestrians and cyclists and people who get around other ways, especially those with disabilities,” the alder responded. “It’s a moment right now when more and more people are loving their city in ways that they have not done in the past. They’re talking about why it’s important to to have opportunities to walk to places that they need to, or cycle to places that they need to, or take public transit.”

“And I don’t think that people have actually talked to their neighbors about that,” Manaa-Hoppenworth concluded. “I think that a lot of people take those kinds of things for granted. So we’re in a moment right now where we’re looking at the whole ecosystem and thinking, ‘How can we do this better?”

Scenes from a car-free DLSD

Here are some more shots I took on Sunday as I rode from the Ainslie Arts Plaza to the Museum of Science and Industry.

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• CPD: Man died after jumping from moving Red Line train, landing on 3rd rail, and being struck by an oncoming train, Monday around 3:30 PM near 69th Station (NBC)

• Man in his 50s fatally struck by Metra MDN train Friday around 12:20 AM near Waukegan Road and Old Mill Road in Lake Forest (Lake & McHenry County Scanner)

• …Chicago Department of Public Health: “If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.”

• CPD: Man, 25, driving reportedly stolen sedan fled attempted police stop, crashing into unmarked police vehicle, injuring 2 officers and man, 24, on sidewalk (NBC)

• “Future White Sox Owner Unveils Plans For South Loop Stadium As Part Of New ‘Railyards’ Development” (Block Club)

• Letters on the recent dueling rallies against and for synagogue redevelopment that would create a new temple and some 120 transit-friendly affordable units (Sun-Times, Tribune)

• “Could 124-Year-Old Cortland Bridge Lose Its Landmark Status? Alderpeople Push To Tear It Down” (Block Club)

• “Uber is cutting more than 350 jobs in Chicago” (Crain’s)

• “Some cyclists at Bike the Drive dream of safer roads for all” (Sun-Times)

• “Without cars for a morning, thousands of cyclists fill DuSable Lake Shore Drive: ‘Chicago is a bike city'” (Tribune)

• More BTD photos (Tribune)

• Nice video footage of BTD by Chicagoans Who Bike

• More coverage of the 25th annual Bike the Drive. We’ll run interviews with a couple of the alders who participated later today. (WGN, ABC, NBC, CBS)

• Ald. Matt Martin (47) hosts a Halloween-themed Spooky Ward Bike Tour, including new Clark PBLs 10/7 6 PM at Welles Park, 2333 W. Sunnyside. RSVP here.

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