Ben Wolfenstein

Chicago suburbs try to balance safety and access for e-bikes, e-scooters Suburbs like Elk Grove Village and Fox Lake are taking steps to regulate-bikes and e-scooters at a time when more people across the city and region are taking them for a ride.

We recently participated in a panel discussion about e-bike regulations on @wbez.org's Reset. Our very own Jim Merrell was part of the discussion along with Dave Simmons from @rideillinois.bsky.social and Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig B. Johnson. www.wbez.org/reset-with-s...

NITA Board Visualization. A single "faction" cannot unilaterally veto any action without at least one additional board member. There's a strong incentive to build regional consensus: any action with the affirmative votes of at least two members of *each* faction has a lower threshold for passage.

From Portland to Chicago to Philadelphia, transit agencies across the U.S. are facing existential peril. If you’re not already engaged in the fight to secure stable, robust, long-term funding for transit in your community then now’s the time to roll up your sleeves.

"Northern Illinois transit reform has been years in the making. Suburban mayors deserve a voice — but not a last-minute veto rooted in fear or fiction."
archive.is/WqQzJ#select...

@nerd4cities.bsky.social Hey, I DM'd you on Slack about your Chicago trip

Chicago has a market for parking reform The city’s new reforms will help build more units

Helpful article about what Chicago's repeal of parking mandates around transit could do; from @zyudhishthu.bsky.social with data detective work from @stevevance.net citythatworks.substack.com/p/chicago-ha...

A major transit investment like RPM must be paired with allowing more people to live near it

Study: Cutting $771 million from Chicagoland's transit budget could cost Illinois' economy $14 billion a year. Why is that even on the table? - Streetsblog Chicago By Ellen Steinke Ellen Steinke is a Chicago-based writer focused on transit, civic engagement, and systemic reform. Last fall, the study “Impact of Transit on Mobility, Equity, and Economy in the Chic...

Op-ed by Ellen Steinke: "Study: Cutting $771 million from Chicagoland’s transit budget could cost Illinois’ economy $14 billion a year. Why is that even on the table?"

@chicagocta.bsky.social @ctaction.org @yonahfreemark.com @atalliance.bsky.social @betterstreetschicago.org

Screenshot of Ben's LTE

AHIL Lead Ben's LTE was published in the Daily Herald! Ben sets the record straight on key components of the proposed Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA), arguing it fairly balances regional power, supports transit equity, and provides smart funding solutions.

We need more & better transit. Transit makes cities better & more vibrant. It makes life more affordable. It reduces traffic & makes streets safer. And it helps us fight climate change. We’re working hard to improve investment in transit, make it work better & prevent devastating service cuts.

AHIL happy hour has changed locations to Beer Shop by the Harlem Green Line

🚨 HAPPY HOUR UPDATE 🚨

Our July housing happy hour has been moved to Beer Shop! Beer Shop is right next to the Harlem / Lake Green Line station.

1026 North Blvd, Oak Park, IL 60302

We apologize for the inconvenience.

AHIL happy hour has changed locations to Beer Shop by the Harlem Green Line

There is a way out of the transit fiscal cliff! States & cities must commit the funds to supporting their transit systems, and preventing them from cutting service—or the result will be less ridership, more pollution, more traffic.

The Metropolitan Mayor's Caucus issued a statement last week objecting to being excluded from last-minute revisions to the bill and seeking a "seat at the table." "I strongly believe that this transit bill should be about funding reliable transit services; it should not make the transit authority a land development agency in communities throughout Cook and the Collar counties," Hanover Park Mayor Rod Craig said. "The impact to our local tax base and schools is unprecedented."

And, once again, please stop quoting Rodney Craig without including the crucial caveat that he personally will lose the Metra board seat he’s held for over a decade

Any municipality that refuses to develop or at least upzone the area within a half-mile of their Metra station should be required to directly subsidize Metra to keep their station open

"We as mayors take our roles and our communities very seriously. We would hate for some board that is made up of appointed people to come in and say: 'We want do this. We want to take this building out and add more housing there."

Burbs are saying the quiet part out loud again www.dailyherald.com/20250720/tra...

ADU deferral Trojan Horse

Chicago City Council today

Image of typical Chicago two-flats, three-flats, and four-flats with a text overlay that says "Chicago just eliminated parking mandates for residential areas located near public transit"

🚨 HOUSING WIN 🚨

Today, the Chicago City Council eliminated costly parking mandates for all residential zones located near CTA and Metra bus and rail stations. 🥳

This important reform will lower construction costs and make it easier to build new homes across almost all of Chicago. 🏘️

Welcome to Chicago's ADU Summer 🌞🏘️

This is the early warning system for the Illinois General Assembly.

Ald. Fuentes is quickly becoming my fav alderperson. I should be in their ward (I'm in the thin strip of the Villegas pool noodle along Grand).

Also, as always, fuck Beale

Chicago just eliminated parking minimums adjacent to public transit!

Today the transit adjacent lots, tomorrow the world!

Lincoln Park Apartment Complex Set for OK After Aldermanic Prerogative Fight The City Council is set to take a final vote Wednesday on Sterling Bay’s $350 million plan to build two towers of more than 15 stories near the Chicago River.

Approved, unanimously, without debate:

FULL STORY: Alds. Marty Quinn and Greg Mitchell used a parliamentary procedure to block a vote on the measure to legalize granny flats & coach houses until the City Council’s next meeting.
The City Council is not scheduled to meet again until September, after its summer recess. @wttw.bsky.social

✅ HUGE WIN: Today, Chicago City Council voted unanimously via voice vote to eliminate parking minimums adjacent to CTA and Metra rail and bus lines!

This is a victory for more affordable transit oriented development and safer streets citywide!

The other thing that makes this a big deal: Since ADUs were passed as a pilot program in 2020, parking requirements have made it impossible to build ground-floor, accessible coach houses, a significant drag on what should be a great option for aging in place.

That is no longer true!

A measure to allow new coach houses and basement units citywide stalled in City Council — for now. blockclubchi.co/46gqRkk