{"id":39713,"date":"2024-06-07t15:07:42","date_gmt":"2024-06-07t15:07:42","guid":{"rendered":"\/\/www.getitdoneaz.com\/?p=39713"},"modified":"2024-06-07t15:08:28","modified_gmt":"2024-06-07t15:08:28","slug":"chicago-mobility-collaborative","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.getitdoneaz.com\/story\/chicago-mobility-collaborative\/","title":{"rendered":"accessibility prioritized in transit through chicago mobility collaborative\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
mobility in a widely populated city like chicago means not only ensuring roads are maintained, but also bike lanes and sidewalks alike. this ensures mobility options are equitable, according to chicago department of transportation, director of outreach and engagement romina castillo. the chicago mobility collaborative<\/a> (cmc), a forum created by the chicago department of transportation, is bringing a space to not only learn about the inner workings of transportation and mobility policy, but to provide feedback that can inform them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cmobility as in, we’re thinking citywide mobility, it’s still not as equitable as we would want it to be across the city,\u201d castillo said. \u201cso we’re still trying to bridge that gap and build the infrastructure that will provide better access and connectivity to people, while at the same time, services.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n the collaborative meets at varying communities around the city, bringing the forum directly to people to increase its accessibility, castillo said. apart from representatives from institutions, attendees include researchers, cyclists, people interested in policy, and people with mobility accessible vehicles such as wheelchairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n castillo said the creation of the cmc was to meet with the intention to discuss actionable projects. the forum evolved from the mayoral bicycle advisory council and pedestrian advisory council, which met at the city hall. during the pandemic, as the chicago department of transportation was re-envisioning how to reach the public in one designated space to discuss mobility, the cmc was formed, initially, only meeting virtually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n with the merging of the two councils into this new forum, transit was brought into the mix, allowing people to discuss public transportation at cmc meetings. the chicago transit authority has formed a collaboration with the chicago department of transportation to be present at cmc meetings with a focus on bus accessibility.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cthe reason we’re doing it is to help elevate the role of transit in chicago mobility and bus in particular and the overlap and the interrelation between street infrastructure and bus performance and bus experience,\u201d chicago transit authority director of strategic planning and policy jennifer henry said. given that 96% of chicagoans live near a bus stop, henry put public understanding of bus priority street infrastructure as high priority. <\/p>\n\n\n\n the local transit authority and department of transportation created the plan better streets for busses<\/a>, focusing on improving infrastructure through bus lanes, signals, and boarding areas to provide bus services that are faster and more reliable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n the transit authority ensures bus stops allow for wheelchair boarding from the sidewalk and that sidewalks are in good enough condition for buses to deploy a ramp. the better streets for buses plan also provides a toolkit<\/a> for these forms of accessibility and other street designs like adding boarding islands to increase safety while boarding or having overhead shelter on bus stops to improve the bus stop experience. working with the chicago department or transportation ensures that the transit authority is able to meet the annual goal of fixing 50 to 100 bus stops with accessibility issues, henry said.<\/p>\n\n\n