Green Parent Chicago

Significant CTA Fare Hike In the Works: Let Them Know What You Think

It's that time of the year, as the Chicago Transit Authority has unveiled its new budget including plans to raise fares once again. The agency is considering an ordinance to adopt a new 2010 Operating Budget and Program, the 2010 Capital Program of Projects and the Financial Plan for 2011 and 2012, along with proposed fare increases and service reductions.

Public hearings will be held on the city's north, south and west sides to allow comment by the public on the proposed plans. The dates and times of the hearings are:

-Monday November 2, 2009 at 6:00 PM at Lane Technical High School located at 2501 West Addison Street, Chicago, Illinois

-Tuesday November 3, 2009 at 6:00 PM at the South Shore Cultural Center located at 7059 South Shore Drive Chicago, Illinois  

-In addition, The CTA will hold an informational meeting on the proposed fare increase and service reduction on Thursday October 29, 2009 at 6:00 PM at the Austin Town Hall located at 5610 West Lake Street, Chicago, Illinois 60644. These facilities are all accessible to people with disabilities. "

The proposed "2010 Budget Book and Project Descriptions for the proposed Capital Program of Projects, and the Financial Plan" will also be available for public inspection, in standard size print and large print, from October 13, 2009 between 8:00 A.M. and 4:30 P.M. through November 3, 2009, at the CTA reception desk, second floor, Chicago Transit Authority, 567 W. Lake Street.

Those unable to attend the public hearings, may also send comments and concerns addressed to: Gregory P. Longhini, Assistant Secretary of the Board,
Chicago Transit Authority, P.O. Box 7567, Chicago, Illinois 60680-7567
or via email to: glonghini@transitchicago.com.
 
The deadline to submit written comments is Wednesday, November 10, 2009 by 5 p.m. 

Proposed service cuts include the elimination of nine X express bus routes.

Fares would increase to $3 per ride on rail and express bus routes. The full fare on all other buses via transit card, Chicago Card or cash would increase to $2.50. Transfers would continue to be 25 cents.

1 day, 3 day, 7 day and 30 day passes would increase as follows:

$8 for a 1 day pass, an increase of $2.25 (currently $5.75)

$18 for a 3 day pass, an increase of $4 (currently $14)

$30 for a 7 day pass, an increase of $7 (currently $23)

$110 for a 30 day pass, an increase of $24 (currently $86)

Reduced fares are also scheduled to increase from 85 cents to $1.25

Reduced fare transfers will decline from 15 cents to 10 cents but, the 30 day Reduced Fare Pass will increase from $35 to $40.

All proposed fare changes would take effect February 27, 2010.

-photo credit: Bill Ward, flickr

Chicagoland Car Free Day-- EL of a Lot of Fun!

--Editor's note: Today's guest post comes from ChiIL Mama, who blogs about tons of unique  adventures with her two kids Du and Sage in and around Chicago. Below is her account of last week's Chicagoland Car Free Day.--

ChiIL Mama successfully negotiated the auto ban for September 22nd. And we had a blast, getting to and from school car free. Between Razor Scooters and the Blue Line El trains, our commute was pretty easy and the kids thought it was all a grand adventure.

Du sat next to an artist on the el, who was sketching away on his pad. When he noticed the kids' peering at his work, he stopped and gave a mini art lesson about the horizon line and geometry and perspective in art.  

What a great bonus! Du acknowledged that he knew about horizon lines and used them in his own art, and he held his own in conversation.

It was so much easier to notice oddities and interesting things, when we're not zipping past in the car.  

Here are some of our favorites:

A neon orange cow and star gazing-astronomer bovine with a telescope........chalk drawing characters on the Damen platform........cool spiral art of the Chi skyline and poetry in the Damen station........ yin/yang front door knobs below a tranquil wooden landscape......and multicolored fall leaves crunching beneath the Razor wheels.

I'm all for honing the kids' powers of observation and appreciation of the quirky. Those are useful skills for artists and writers, or whatever they end up growing up to be. More than that, it's just plain FUN.

We are veterans at taking the trains downtown, and frequently ride to fests and museums that way to avoid exorbitant downtown parking fees and traffic jams. But this was only the second time we've attempted it for the 3 mile school day commute. We left oodles of extra time, unsure of how long it would actually take, and we arrived 40 minutes before the school day! This left plenty of playground time and we even ducked in to the lunchroom for a free breakfast.

Unfortunately, the trip took an hour each way, versus 10 minutes and cost us nearly $14--an excellent argument for the need for cheap, rapid transit in the biggest cities. By the time I took the kids there, returned, went to get them, and returned with them, I'd spent over 3.5 hours enroute! Otherwise we'd do it much more often. But, it's good to know we can if we have to. Now for those bike skills...........

-photos: ChiIL Mama

Today is Chicagoland Car Free Day, Give it a Try!

Today is Chicagoland Car free Day and over 1,000 Chicagoans have already pledged to go car free and travel by foot, bus, train, or bike today to support more environmentally friendly transportation.

Looking for a fun way to participate? Active Transportation Alliance lists several events on their website around town today in celebration of Chicagoland Car free Day.

Even if you can't make your entire trip car free, you could try a partially car free trip today.

Don't forget to join Green Parent Chicago for our Car free Playdate in the Park at Seneca Playlot Park (228 E. Chicago Avenue). We've partnered with Active Transportation Alliance and will be there from 3-5 p.m.  We hope to see some friends and make some new ones.

This is the park across the street from the Water Tower Place and the Museum of Contemporary Art (free today and open until 8 p.m.). So if rain happens to dampen our day, you'll still have some good options when you get down there.

Walk east a few short blocks from the Chicago Avenue Red Line stop to the park, (elevators from the subway platform to the street make this stop accessible to parents with strollers.)

Celebrate Chicagoland Carfree Day with a Playdate in the Park

Celebrate World Car free Day and join Green Parent Chicago for a car free play date at one of the city's most easily accessible and beautiful parks: Seneca Playlot Park. Enjoy the fall day with free outdoor fun and come burn off that extra energy. We at Green Parent Chicago are partnering with the Active Transportation Alliance and organizing a family get together to help moms, dads and caregivers try out other travel options with kids for the day.

The park has a sandbox, train and truck climbing structures, equipment for young kids and big kids and best of all, is only a a few short steps from the Chicago Avenue Red Line stop, elevators from the subway platform to the street make this stop accessible to parents with strollers.

Here are the details:

Date: Sept. 22, 2009
Time: 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: Seneca Playlot Park, 228 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL

What is Chicagoland Car free Day?

On Tuesday Sept. 22, Active Transportation Alliance will partner with RTA, Pace, Metra, CTA and communities around the region for Chicagoland Car-free Day. The event is part of World Car-free Day, the one moment when people around the world pledge to go sans auto.

Don't forget to take the pledge to go car free on The Chicagoland Car free Day website (www.chicagolandcarfree.org) The more people we get to pledge to go car-free, the more fun the day will be! Plus, when you take the pledge on our website, you get a coupon for $1 off a large drink at Caribou Coffee on Sept. 22!

Book Review: A Guide To Carefree, Car-Free Living Chicago Style

Why would anyone in their right mind do away with the American dream of owning their own car in a modern city like Chicago, only to contend with potentially crowded trains and late buses?

If you no longer bought into the idea that auto ownership equals achievement and status, grew frustrated with the associated costs and obligation, or tired of the fuel burning emissions your car adds to the environment, then it’s easy to see how going carless could make perfect sense.

In Chicago, where on the average weekday 1.7 million rides are taken on the CTA, an increasing number of city residents currently live an entirely car free life, relying foremost on bike travel, public transit and occasional car sharing. In addition, the majority of city buses and trains are often not as crowded or as late as some may lead you to believe.

Jason Rothstein, author of the new book, "Carless in Chicago", (September 2009 Lake Claremont Press), went car-free 4 years ago. He's written the very first guide to navigating Chicago and the suburbs without a car.

Rothstein pondered the idea of going car free for about a year before making the switch in 2005. He now believes that not only can you easily survive in Chicago without a car, your life may actually improve without one.

Outstandingly comprehensive, "Carless in Chicago" offers an insider's analysis of living car free while serving as the absolute reference for information on public transit options and car sharing around town from Metra to I-Go and everything in between.

Rothstein begins the book by helping readers determine the true costs of auto ownership, while weighing the pros and cons of ditching the hunk of junk based on your lifestyle. Subsequent chapters include details on city biking, planning travel times, and physical considerations when commuting by bike or on foot. He even breaks down the complex system of CTA, Pace, and Metra fare options available to all ages. 

Answering every non-native's wish, Rothstein demystifies the city's grid system of addresses and touches on safety concerns that anyone car free or not could benefit from when traveling the city.

In the second half of the book, Rothstein lists every CTA train line and stop, including notable sights and places near each stop (not an easy task, but one well suited to the Chicago native.) Rothstein also notes special situations that pedestrians should consider, like having to navigate Chicago's deep snow in winter.

Whether you are looking to reduce your driving time, are already living car free, or looking for an excellent guide for traversing the city and suburbs the more healthy and environmentally friendly way, Carless in Chicago is an indispensable read for Chicago travelers.

-Christine

Bikes on Public Transit: Options Around Town

Wondering what you'll do with your bike when you hop on the train or bus? Do you know what the rules are for taking the bus and train with your bike around town and the suburbs? Or are you curious about taking your child's bike along or wondering if your teen can bring his or her bike on board?

We at Green Parent Chicago were curious too, so we rounded up the answers to those questions from the CTA, Pace and Metra's posted rules online. Here's what we found:

CTA buses: Folding bikes allowed at all times. Other bikes may be carried on CTA buses at all times in bus bike racks, every day, all year.

All CTA buses are equipped with bike racks, located on the front of the bus. Most regular, two-wheeled bikes fit into these racks.

Motor powered bikes are not allowed at any time. Ages 14 and up are allowed to bring bikes on trains and rack-equipped buses. Children ages 12 and 13 must be accompanied by adult when bringing their bike on CTA buses and trains. Children 12 and under are not allowed to bring bikes on CTA buses or trains.

CTA trains: Bicycles are permitted on CTA trains every day, except during weekday rush periods (7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.). Up to two regular bicycles are allowed inside each car. Bicycles are not allowed when trains are full.

Note: Certain rail cars on the Blue Line have doors that swing inward and cannot accommodate bicycles. Only enter cars with green decals that show that bicycles are allowed inside.

-Check out the CTA's Bike & Ride Guide online for more helpful tips on boarding buses and trains with your bike.

Pace buses: Each bus carries two bikes on its front rack. Bikes are never allowed inside the bus. Motorized and tandem bikes are not allowed on bus bike racks.

Metra trains:Individual cyclists must be 16 or older. Ages 12 to 15 must be accompanied by an adult to bring bikes on board train. Children under age 12 not permitted to bring bikes on board. Bikes are allowed during weekday off-peak hours (9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and on weekends, see their website for exceptions on certain festival weekends in the summer. 3 bikes are allowed on each accessible diesel car, two on each equivalent electric car.

Having ridden public transit, we know sometimes there are exceptions to those rules, and seasonal events, special service hours, etc. can all impact whether bikes are allowed on board too. Keep these in mind when planning your trip.

***Have more tips for our readers on bringing your bike on the bus or train? Special considerations, insider tips? Please share them with us in the comments below!***

-photo credit: jochemberends, flickr

Open Streets Brings Miles of Carfree Fun to Chicago's Neighborhoods

This August, an 8 mile stretch of the city extending from Logan Square to Little Village, passing through Humboldt Park, North Lawndale and Garfield Park along the way will become completely carfree for the day and open to bikers, walkers, and children playing.

Open Streets, will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday August 1, and was inspired by the success of last year's two Sunday Parkways events which previously occurred on two separated dates.

Open Streets will combine the two Sunday Parkways events into one long day. The event is organized by The Active Transportation Alliance and funded in part by the Chicago Community Trust, is the first of several similar events planned for 2009 by the bicycling advocacy and  and alternative transportation organization.

No registration is required for the free event. Participants may join the fun at any point along the route. Community-run activities will take place during the event all along the route. Each neighborhood will display its community's flavor with performances, children’s games, art activities, workout classes, music and more.

-photo credit: Active Transportation Alliance

Ask The Green Mama: Can I recycle my baby's car seat?

 

Dear Green Mama: My friends and I swap, reuse, and hand-down everything from baby clothes, toys, and books to cribs, tricycles, and information.  What do we do, though, with our old car seats?  These days, the car seats come with expiration dates, yet I can't seem to find a carseat recycler.  Any ideas or connections that would help in this endeavor? --Distressed green driver

Dear D.: Carseat recycling is possible and of course it is preferable to throwing the plastic, metal, and material into the garbage where it takes landfill space and can leach flame retardants, plasticizers, and even heavy metals.  Unfortunately, the alternative is recycling and there are few places that recycle them.  I called one of these places, in Chicago, and spoke with the founder about what we can do to recycle our carseats if we DON'T live in Colorado, Oregon, or one of the other few places that have programs.

"Help people to get recycling programs going--Chicago is a natural place to get something going grass-roots.  It's not the most green thing to ship these across the country," says Bill Flinchbaugh of Colorado Children's Automobile Safety Foundation. 

"Okay. Okay," I said, "but what about in the meantime"

Continue reading

---Do you have a question about green parenting you'd like The Green Mama to answer? Submit your question here. Look for your answer in an upcoming installment of "Ask The Green Mama"  Fridays on Green Parent Chicago.---

Green Parent Chicago related stories: Company Recycling Unwanted Baby Gear for Parents

Finding the Right Bike Options with Kids

My summer of biking has gotten off to a great start, and many of the errands I used to make by car I now make on my bike---the grocery store, the farmer’s market, the drug store, out for a cappuccino, and even day trips to the local farm. It’s been a fairly smooth transition for me, but it’s been less easy to convert my 6-year-old daughter to this new way of life.

It’s not that she doesn’t want to join me. In fact, she loves it. She is easily carsick and generally hates the confines of her booster seat, so she is almost always happy to jump on her bike and accompany me on an afternoon on two wheels. But she’s half my size, so she gets tired more easily, rides slower, and needs to stop a lot more often than I do. Errands will either take twice as long as they would or I need to cut the number of errands I’ve planned in half.

It’s tempting to save my trips for times when I’m not with her, but I refuse to do that. I want her to appreciate the bike as a practical and fun way to get around town. So I need an alternative that will help me keep the promise I’ve made to keep the car parked and not give in to the convenience of driving for more and more trips.

Unfortunately, there aren’t that many alternatives. There’s a covered trailer that fits either one or two kids and generally up to 100 pounds that you pull along the back of the bike. My daughter is getting too big for that style of trailer, and even if she could fit, she is worries about looking babyish and refuses to sit in them. Still, they are an excellent and ubiquitous option for younger kids.

Bike to Work Week Begins Saturday

Chicago businesses will compete to win the Bike Commuter Challenge as Bike to Work Week begins this weekend and runs until June 19 across the city.

Each company entering the challenge will try to get the most employees to bike to work during this period. Each employee must bike to work at least once between June 13 and June 19. Companies will be categorized by number of employees and general industry.

In addition to the prestige of promoting a green and healthy lifestyle in Chicagoland, the winning companies from each category will receive prizes from Bike Commuter Challenge sponsors. All participants receive bike maps, bike shop discount cards and bike to work guides, and are entered into raffles for sponsor-donated prizes.

Each company's Bike To Work Challenge team leaders will be honored at an Annual Awards Luncheon in July in downtown Chicago, and will receive a special Team Leader tech-fabric T-shirt.

Bike to Work Week is part of Bike Chicago 2009, a five month long celebration of Chicago’s commitment to become more bicycle friendly and environmentally conscious.

Also during the week, several Bike Commuter Stations will offer riders free air, chain lube and coffee.  The Bike to Work Rally will end the week on Friday, June 19, there riders can join fellow cyclists, local media celebrities, live bands and the City of Chicago at Daley Plaza for a day of activities beginning at 7:30 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. 

-For more information and details on Bike Chicago 2009, call (312) 744-3315, (312) 744-3370  or visit www.bikechicago.us and on Facebook (Bike Chicago).

-photo credit: www.bikechicago.us