The culprit is more people driving on roads that are designed for speed rather than safety

CHICAGO, IL — Suburban traffic fatalities in 2015 outnumbered those in Chicago nearly 3 to 1, according to a new report from the Active Transportation Alliance.

“Many people are shocked to learn that our suburban communities have a far greater number of traffic fatalities,” said Ron Burke, executive director of the Active Transportation Alliance. “Why? Suburban communities have more people driving more cars at faster speeds on roads that are often designed to maximize travel speeds at the expense of public safety.”

Burke said the most important strategies to improve traffic safety are more enforcement of traffic laws and streets designed with safety in mind for everyone who uses them.

In 2015, 301 people died while walking, biking and driving on roads in suburban communities, while the city of Chicago saw 119 traffic fatalities. The greatest contrast occurred with motorist fatalities: 228 people died in cars in the suburbs vs 66 in the city during 2015 (2015 is the most recent year that official crash data is available from the Illinois Department of Transportation).

Also in 2015, 59 people were killed while walking in suburban communities while 46 people in Chicago were killed while walking. For people biking, 14 people in the suburbs were killed while 7 people were killed in the city.

One of the most powerful strategies for making streets safer and more welcoming is an international movement called Vision Zero, which aims to reduce and ultimately eliminate serious traffic injuries and fatalities. The city of Chicago is preparing to release a Vision Zero plan in coming weeks. The Active Transportation Alliance urges suburban Chicagoland communities to follow Chicago’s lead and start drawing up Vision Zero plans.

“Our streets are valuable public spaces and using them shouldn’t require putting your life at risk,” said Burke. “The good news is that we know how to make our streets safer for everyone. Vision Zero has saved countless lives in the United States and around the world — we need to do the same here.”

Other points highlighted in the report:

• Traffic injuries are unchanged or decreasing since 2005 for people in cars, walking and riding bikes.
• Since 2005, traffic fatalities are mostly unchanged for people in cars and riding bikes, but have increased for people walking.

While many people think expressways pose the greatest danger for crashes in the Chicago region, it’s the arterial roads where crashes are most likely to happen — despite the fact that arterial roads comprise only 14 percent of regional roadways. Arterial roads, which are mostly controlled by IDOT, account for 53 percent of the reported crashes region wide.

About the Active Transportation Alliance
The Active Transportation Alliance is a non-profit, member-based advocacy organization that advocates for walking, bicycling, and public transit to create healthy, sustainable and equitable communities. The organization works to build a movement around active transportation, encourage physical activity, increase safety and build a world-class transportation network. The Active Transportation Alliance is supported by more than 7,000 members and 1,000 volunteers. For more information about the Active Transportation Alliance, visit www.activetrans.org or call 312.427.3325.

Illinois to participate in multistate ‘Border to Border’ crackdown

SPRINGFIELD, IL – As Memorial Day approaches, the Illinois Department of Transportation and state and local law enforcement agencies are joining forces to remind motorists to wear their seat belts and avoid impaired driving.

“Wearing your seat belt is the law, but it’s also a matter of common sense,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Randy Blankenhorn. “Making the right choice to buckle up, every time, no matter where you are seated, substantially increases your chance of survival in the event of a crash. By buckling up and avoiding impaired driving, you can help keep Illinois roads safer for all who are traveling.”

Motorists can expect to see increased patrols and enforcement zones throughout Illinois as part of IDOT’s “Click It or Ticket” campaign. To help kick off the campaign, law enforcement agencies throughout Illinois will join neighboring states Monday, May 22, from 4 to 8 p.m., in mobilizing the national “Border to Border” Operation, sending a zero-tolerance message to the public that driving or riding unbuckled will result in a ticket, no matter what state.

These unified efforts to crack down on unbuckled and impaired drivers come at a time when traffic fatalities are on the rise. Illinois has seen an increase in motor vehicle fatalities over the last two years. According to 2015 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, 42 percent of nationwide motor vehicle fatalities involved unbuckled vehicle occupants.

Seat belts are designed to keep you positioned safely in a vehicle. Should a crash occur, a seat belt helps slow down the body, works in conjunction with the air bag and spreads force over a wider area of the body, lessening the likelihood of injury or ejection.

“You can safeguard the lives of your passengers and fellow motorists simply by buckling up,” said Illinois State Police Director Leo P. Schmitz. “Whether you’re traveling block-to-block or border-to-border, make sure every occupant in your vehicle is wearing their seat belt.”

For more information on the “Click It or Ticket” mobilization, visit buckleupillinois.org.

IDOT, law enforcement campaign coincides with increase in traffic fatalities

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Illinois State Police (ISP) and hundreds of local law enforcement agencies throughout the state are vowing to crack down on seat belt law violators and impaired drivers this Memorial Day weekend. An increased number of patrols will be out in force 24/7, with a focus on late-night hours when unbuckled and impaired driving fatalities are at their highest.

The stepped-up enforcement comes as traffic fatalities are on the rise in Illinois and throughout the country. Last year, according to provisional data, 998 people lost their lives on Illinois roads, the highest total in seven years. As of May 20, 372 people have died in crashes, a nearly 18 percent increase in one year.

Heavier travel during summer months is often followed by an increase in motor vehicle fatalities. Last year, 13 people died in 12 crashes during the Memorial Day weekend.

“We are very concerned about the upturn of motor-vehicle fatalities in Illinois,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Randy Blankenhorn. “To start getting those numbers going in the opposite direction, we encourage everyone to take one critical action that can save them in a crash – buckle up. Don’t make this holiday weekend a tragic one.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than half of traffic fatalities involve someone not properly buckled up.

The federally funded Click It or Ticket enforcement period allows police to provide additional patrols that will include more than 50 roadside safety checks, with half of the patrols taking place during the nighttime hours. The Click It or Ticket program’s goal is to change behavior by strongly enforcing seat belt laws. Motorists choosing not to buckle up in every seating position will be ticketed. Impaired drivers will be arrested.

The 2016 construction season is under way and the Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways has announced a number of road and bridge projects throughout the region.
Projects this season include:

*        Lake Cook Road bridge repairs over Buffalo Creek in Buffalo Grove and over Wisconsin Central Railroad in Wheeling. The work will include the removal and replacement of existing strip seal expansion joints, structural repair of concrete and deck slab repair.

*        Pavement preservation and rehabilitation at  Busse Road from Golf Road to Lonnquist Boulevard in Mount Prospect and at the Edens East  Frontage from Lincoln Avenue to Harms Road in Morton Grove and Skokie.

*        Pavement resurfacing and rehabilitation with drainage improvements at Halsted Street and 144th Street in Riverdale.

*        Intersection improvements at 156th Street from Commercial Avenue to Halsted Street in Harvey.

*        Reconstruction with drainage improvements on Center Street between 171st Street and 159th Street in Harvey.

*        Reconstruction with drainage improvements and pavement preservation and rehabilitation on Plainfield Road from Willow Springs Road to East Avenue in Countryside; on 107th Street from 88th Avenue to Kean Avenue in Palos Hills; on 103rd Street from  88th Avenue to Kean Avenue in Palos Hills;  on Kedzie Avenue at Governors Highway in Flossmoor; on Kedzie Avenue from  183rd Street to 175th Street in Homewood and Hazel Crest; on Sauk Trail from Cicero Avenue to Governors Highway in Richton Park; and on Wolf Road at 139th Street in Orland Park.
In addition, the Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways will oversee pavement resurfacing and rehabilitation in Leyden Township on Winters Drive from Wolf Road to Roberta Avenue; on Scott Street from Armitage Avenue to Palmer Avenue; and on Dickens Avenue from Geneva Avenue to Manheim Road.
Work began for some projects in April and all the work will be completed by December.
Residents with questions or concerns can call (312) 603-1601 or email HWY.supt@cookcountyil.gov<mailto:HWY.supt@cookcountyil.gov>.

Improving the Lakefront Trail has been one of Active Trans’ top priorities since our founding more than 30 years ago 

CHICAGO, IL — After many years of advocating to create separate lakefront trails for people on bikes and people on foot, Mayor Emanuel has revealed that the Chicago Park District will do just that on two of the most congested portions of the Lakefront Trail.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the trail will be widened and split into separate lanes for bikes and people on foot between Fullerton and Ohio Street on the North Side and between 31^st Street and 51^st Street on the South Side.

On WBEZ radio, the mayor said these improvements will occur over a three year period. He also said three new miles of a crushed stone running/walking path will be added, although he didn’t specify where this would be during the interview.

Over the past year, Active Trans has been providing advice and recommendations to the park district on how to ease congestion and conflicts on the trail, with a focus on creating separate trails.

The plans announced by the mayor are among the ideas that Active Trans has recommended for near- and medium-term improvements, and we’re excited about new trail construction in the longer term that could accompany reconstruction of North Lake Shore Drive. Bike/Pedestrian separation and other trail issues have risen to the top of the conversation about the long-term reconstruction of North Lake Shore Drive.

“One of the most common concerns we hear about is congestion on the Lakefront Trail, and many people say they avoid the trail all together on summer weekends because it is so crowded,” said Active Trans Executive Director Ron Burke. “With tens of thousands of people moving at very different speeds crammed into a narrow trail, the summer Lakefront Trail experience can be hectic and prone to conflicts and crashes.”

The news came on the heels of the mayor’s exciting announcement Sunday that the city is moving ahead with its next rails to trails project in Pilsen and Little Village.

Creating a continuous, quality Lakefront Trail has been one of Active Trans’ top priorities since our founding more than 30 years ago.

In 2011, we worked with the Chicago Park District on a study of trail usage that featured the most in-depth trail user counts to date. The study found more than 30,000 people accessed the trail daily at the busiest points, and we estimated more than 100,000 used the trail on a typical summer weekend, making it one of the busiest trail in the U.S.

Those counts became the foundation for our 2013 People on the Trail Report with the Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA) and Friends of the Parks. The report analyzed results from a survey of more than 1,500 trail users, bringing attention to the highest conflict segments of the trail and identifying separation as the top priority for users.

More than 1,700 people signed our 2014 petition to the Chicago Park District in support of separation and we worked with Lakefront Trail crash victim Megan Williams to call for separating the trail at park district budget hearings and in local media.

Active Trans cannot fully evaluate the city’s plans as we have yet see them in detail, but we’re optimistic and will continue to work with the city to ensure leaders effectively implement these improvements and continue to upgrade trail infrastructure.

Our People on the Trail report outlines additional strategies to improve the trail experience, including better access to the trail, public education, directional signage, limiting conflicts associated with special events, and trail maintenance.

If you’re a regular user of the Lakefront Trail, Active Trans monitors trail conditions year-round with our @activetransLFT Twitter account and #ChiLFT. The hashtag tracks the many events happening on the trail and generates activity from the growing number of people who use the trail for commuting and other uses.

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. Formerly the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, the Active Transportation Alliance is supported by more than 7,000 members and 1,000 volunteers.

For more information about the Active Transportation Alliance, visit www.activetrans.org or call 312.427.3325.

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and Amtrak announced that they have reached an agreement to keep in place existing service levels on state-supported routes at a savings to taxpayers and without having to raise fares on the downstate Illinois routes.

“Passenger rail plays a vital role in connecting our state’s great communities and institutions,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Randy Blankenhorn. “This agreement preserves the service that riders have come to expect while saving taxpayer money and avoiding a fare increase for our downstate routes. We will continue to look out for the public’s best interests in future service agreements with Amtrak.”

The agreement will maintain the Amtrak schedule for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, at a cost of $38.3 million to the state. In the previous fiscal year, IDOT paid $42 million for state-supported Amtrak service in Illinois.

To keep the schedule in place, IDOT negotiated the use of credits to lower its annual payment to Amtrak. The credits cover previous equipment upgrades IDOT paid for on Amtrak’s behalf, as well as earlier state investments to establish onboard Wi-Fi service. The state also negotiated a $2.7 million reduction from Amtrak’s original request for equipment maintenance for the year.

The state currently supports four daily round trips between Chicago and St. Louis on the Lincoln Service, two daily round trips between Chicago and Quincy on the Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg lines, and two daily round trips between Chicago and Carbondale on the Illini and Saluki lines. Illinois and Wisconsin split the cost of operating seven daily round trips on the Hiawatha Line between Chicago and Milwaukee, with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation providing for 75 percent of the route’s cost.

“Our partnership with Illinois is one of the longest and the second-largest, growing to more than 2 million passengers a year,” said Jay Commer, Amtrak SVP/General Manager of the State-Supported Service Business Line. “Amtrak looks forward to working with the State of Illinois to continue to provide this important service to its residents.”

Click here for more information on IDOT and Amtrak or visit www.Amtrak.com.

IDOT online map offers real-time info to help Illinois travelers 

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Transportation reminds motorists to bookmark gettingaroundillinois.com on their computers and smartphones for quick access to the latest winter road conditions. The Getting Around Illinois map is updated 24/7 during winter weather, providing motorists with the latest information on what to expect before heading out on the roads.

“Illinois winters are legendary for their rapidly changing conditions,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Randy Blankenhorn. “The winter road conditions map gives you a quick, simple-to-understand view of road conditions throughout Illinois. It’s a great tool for knowing what to expect if you are traveling during snow-and-ice season.”

Click here or visit IDOT’s YouTube channel to watch our new video that shows how the data for the map is collected and passed along in simple red, yellow and green colors to give Illinois drivers the information they need this winter.

The Getting Around Illinois website averages one to two million visits during winter. Widely shared on social media, the page’s interactive map is a go-to resource for travelers, forecasters and anyone interested in seeing how the roads are looking during inclement weather. Users of gettingaroundillinois.com also can find other useful information for their travels, including points of interest, gas stations, restaurants, and hotels.

 Special patrols scheduled through weekend to reduce fatalities on Illinois roadways

CHICAGO, IL – As 2015 comes to a close, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Illinois State Police (ISP) and nearly 200 law enforcement agencies throughout the state will be working overtime this New Year’s holiday weekend. The effort has one simple goal – to save lives and reduce fatalities and serious injuries on Illinois roadways.

“Fatality numbers are a way to measure progress, but they are clearly so much more than just numbers. They represent friends, family and loved ones,” said IDOT’s Division of Traffic Safety Director Jared Thornley. “If you are going to drink this holiday, plan another way home before the celebration begins – and always remember to buckle up.”

During these final days of 2015, hundreds of additional law enforcement hours, funded through federal highway safety funds administered by IDOT, will provide additional roadside safety checks, seat belt enforcement zones and other patrols, reminding motorists to “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Click It or Ticket.”

“With fatalities on the rise, Illinois State Police troopers will be stepping up patrols on New Year’s Eve looking for Fatal Four violations: DUI, Speeding, Distracted Driving and Seatbelt Compliance,” said ISP Colonel Tad Williams. “The ISP will conduct numerous Roadside Safety Checks and roving patrols in fatality areas throughout the state. Designate a driver when making plans this holiday season. Drive Sober, or Get Pulled Over.”

Over the last five New Year’s holiday periods (2010-2014), which include New Year’s Eve, an average of 39 people died on Illinois roads, with 2,845 injured, according to IDOT data. Seventeen, or 44 percent, of those 39 individuals, died in crashes involving at least one driver who had been drinking.

During last year’s New Year’s holiday period, 10 people lost their lives and 856 were injured in motor-vehicle crashes. Five of the 10 fatalities resulted from crashes in which a driver had been drinking.

Illinois has experienced fewer than 1,000 traffic fatalities each of the last six years, the lowest numbers since 728 in 1920 and 887 in 1921. In 1922, fatalities rose above 1,000, where they remained until 2009, when 911 people lost their lives on Illinois roads.  Fatalities reached an all-time high of 2,600 in 1941.

Provisional data show 999 traffic fatalities so far this year in Illinois, an increase of 8.5% from a year ago. For a more complete breakdown of the data, click here.

The public can do their part to make this a safe holiday weekend and achieve zero fatalities by following these simple rules:

• Plan ahead. Designate a sober driver before going out and give that person your keys.

• If you’ve been drinking, call a taxi, use mass transit or call a sober friend or family member.

• Use your community’s designated driver program.

• Promptly report drunk drivers you see on the roadways to law enforcement.

• Wear your seat belt and make sure all passengers are safely buckled up. It is your best defense against a drunk driver.

     Drunk driving fatalities remain consistent; police aim to save lives

CHICAGO, IL – The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Illinois State Police (ISP) and 170 police and sheriff’s departments kicked off an all-out effort to keep drunk drivers off Illinois roads this holiday season. The end-of-year campaign comes as new National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics indicate that while Illinois drunk driving fatalities are not increasing, they are not declining, either.

“This most recent data clearly shows drunk driving is still very much a problem in Illinois and the nation,” said IDOT Director of Traffic Safety, Jared Thornley. “This holiday season, don’t put yourself or others at risk because, chances are, you’ll be caught.”

In 2011, NHTSA estimates there were 278 drunk driving fatalities (motor vehicle deaths involving at least one driver with a BAC of.08 or higher) in Illinois. But in 2012 and 2013, the number increased to 322, a 15 percent increase from 2011. There was a slight decrease in 2014, with 317 drunk driving fatalities in Illinois in 2014, according to NHTSA estimates. As recently as 2007, there were 439 drunk driving fatalities in Illinois.

Nationally, drunk driving fatalities decreased just one percent, from 10,076 in 2013 to 9,967 in 2014. The statistics for 2015 will be available in late 2016. Click here for a year-by-year breakdown for Illinois and nationally.

This month, Gov. Bruce Rauner has issued a proclamation declaring December as Impaired Driving Prevention Month in Illinois, asking motorists to do their part to make our roads safer by not driving under the influence.

This year’s holiday enforcement campaign features the familiar “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Click It or Ticket” messages and will include stepped-up DUI and seat belt law enforcement efforts. Through the first weekend of 2016, Illinois motorists will see this life-saving effort in their communities and throughout the state. Law enforcement will be increasing enforcement efforts, conducting roadside safety checks and safety belt enforcement zones.

“Driving under the influence remains a significant factor in fatal traffic crashes,” said Illinois State Police Colonel Tad Williams. “The ISP will be doing our part to help keep the roadways safe this holiday season by conducting extra patrols with an emphasis on removing impaired drivers. You can do your part by planning ahead to designate a driver or arrange for other responsible transportation methods. Voluntary compliance with safe driving laws is the goal for the ISP. Help make this a better holiday for everyone. Remember, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”

Data compiled by IDOT shows seven people died in six fatal crashes last year during the extended Christmas weekend (crashes from 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 24, to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 28.) Two of those seven individuals lost their lives in crashes involving a driver who had been drinking. 594 people were injured in crashes during the same time frame in 2014.

The Illinois “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Click It or Ticket” programs are administered by IDOT and supported by the Illinois State Police and local law enforcement.

Advocates urge city to add more features over time to further reduce travel times

CHICAGO, IL – Service will begin in the Loop Link corridor – Chicago’s first bus rapid transit project – on December 20, the City of Chicago announced.
The Active Transportation Alliance released the following statement from Executive Director Ron Burke reacting to the news:

 
“The Loop Link is an exciting improvement for the thousands of Chicagoans who ride the bus, bike and walk across the Loop every day. The addition of dedicated bus lanes rightly gives transit riders priority downtown while freeing up space for protected bike lanes and people walking. We urge the city to continue to improve the corridor by adding more features like prepaid boarding that will further speed up service.”

 
In addition to red dedicated bus lanes on Madison St. and Washington Blvd. connecting Ogilvie and Union Stations to Michigan Ave., the project includes eight new downtown bus stations with better protection from weather for waiting passengers and raised platforms to ease the boarding process.

 
With the number of people biking downtown growing every year, new protected bike lanes will be added on Washington Blvd. and Randolph St., as well as a new two-way protected bike lane on Clinton St. that’s already being used. The city is installing its first protected intersections at five spots along the corridor, allowing people riding bikes to more safely travel through these high-conflict areas where crashes most often occur.

 
The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) have said they are continuing to test technology that would allow riders to pay before they board the bus and speed up the boarding process.

 
Active Trans spoke with transit riders from neighborhoods throughout Chicago who are excited about the potential benefits of the new additions to corridor.

 
Courtney Cobbs, 24-year-old social worker from Edgewater:

 
“I ride the 20-Madison bus often and always add at least 20 to 30 minutes to the estimated travel time due to the congestion. The city needs to continue to invest more in transit to attract millennials, save money and improve access to jobs.”

 
Ian Adams, 29-year-old Ukrainian Village resident who works in the Loop:

 
“Getting to the Loop is pretty straightforward, but transit within the loop is really lacking. I’ll likely ride the bus more often with the new corridor and ride my bike in the new protected bike lanes when the weather is good. I’m in business school in Streeterville and need to get across the Loop in the evenings when the streets are totally jammed.”

 
John Aquilina, 64-year-old architecture and construction project manager:

 
“I often need to make east-west trips across the Loop on a tight schedule and will likely ride the bus more often with the new corridor. Sometimes I avoid the Loop during rush hour because the congestion is so bad.”

 
Curtis Kuhn, 36-year-old consultant from Edgewater:

 
“I never take the bus across the Loop because I can walk faster. If the bus was faster and more consistent, I’d be much more likely to consider it.”

 
Matt Carley, 27-year old Lakeview resident:

 
“I frequently travel to Ogilvie and Union Stations to ride Metra to the suburbs to visit family and friends, and the dedicated bus lanes will save me time. I don’t have a car and rely on public transit and my bicycle to get around and truly experience the city.”