John Greenfield
In addition to editing Streetsblog Chicago, John writes the transportation column for the Chicago Reader weekly paper. A Chicagoan since 1989, he enjoys exploring the city on foot, bike, bus, and 'L' train.
Recent Posts
Eyes on the Street: The Roscoe and School/Aldine Greenways Are Ready to Ride
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The new greenways feature an unusual raised bike lane section, pedestrian improvements, and some walk signals that are accessible to people with visual impairments.
Drivers Struck 296 People in Reilly’s Ward in the Last Year, No Reported Riverwalk Crashes
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The car-pedestrian crashes included 48 cases with incapacitating injuries, but there have been no media reports of serious bike/ped crashes in the ward. So why is Alderman Reilly focused on banning bikes on the riverwalk?
4 Days After Cyclist Killed at Devon/McCormick, Pedestrian Critically Injured on Same Block
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When urban streets are designed to facilitate driving at unsafe speeds, deadly and life-changing crashes are a predictable outcome.
Divvying the Blame: How Chicago Lost 500 Bikes
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An email exchange between CDOT and the bike and station manufacturer indicates the theft problem was caused by the short-sighted decision to remove a key part from the docks.
Eyes on the Street: Concrete Protection on the Milwaukee and Elston Protected Lanes
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The massive amount of bike traffic on Milwaukee nowadays suggests that the extra protection was warranted.
Why Social Democracies Are Great Places to Ride a Bike
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Sensible, humane labor, housing, health, and education policies and efficient, democratic transportation systems go hand-in-hand.
Grief and Rage Over Traffic Violence at the Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Council Meeting
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The quarterly Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Council meeting is usually a tightly scheduled show-and-tell, with staff from the Chicago Department of Transportation and other city agencies giving presentations on what they’re doing to improve cycling. But after a particularly bad week for biking in the Chicago area, last Wednesday CDOT threw out the script and opened […]
Ex-USDOT Chief LaHood Will Lead Chicago’s Transportation and Mobility Task Force
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When it comes to shared mobility and autonomous vehicles, it’s a brave new world out there, and city governments are scrambling to make sure their transportation policies keep up with disruptive technology. For example, ride-hailing has gutted the taxi industry (arguably due to the unfair advantage of fewer regulations), increased congestion, and decreased transit ridership. […]
Here’s an Inexpensive, Simple Way to Help Prevent Bicycle Dooring Crashes and Save Lives
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Striping all bike lanes in a way that encourages cyclists to ride out of the "door zone" would help keep people out of harm's way.
What Rahm Got Right About Transportation, and What Still Needs to Change
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After Emanuel's surprise announcement that he won't seek a third term, here's a look back at his transportation legacy, and recommendations for the mayoral hopefuls.
Another Case of a Black Divvy Rider Detained and Arrested Near Chicago and State
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Lots of people ride Divvies on downtown sidewalks, but are police only enforcing bike laws against African Americans?
Chicago’s DoBi Bike Pilot Is Going Fairly Smoothly, But Most Use Is in or Near Beverly
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Documents acquired via a public records request suggest that vandalism isn't a serious problem, but most of the rides originated in wealthier, whiter parts of the Far South Side.