The Chainlink

December MBAC highlights

Two storage right turn queue box

Big news from MBAC last week about:

  • A change in the meeting format. Less public info session, more advisory council. Bicycle Program coordinator says there will still be 4 MBAC meetings at the same time and place, still open to everyone, but that, in addition, there will be two public meetings afterwards. 
  • Myriad new bikeways (see the photo above, it's a two-stage right-turn queue box - what a mouthful). 
  • Cook County complete streets ordinance. Puts the Chicago policy to shame. 

Read about these in full on Grid Chicago. 

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on December 20, 2011 at 4:41pm

Thanks-- appreciate this.

I wasn't gonna try to stay awake through that video.

 The council is described in the Bike 2000 Plan, a seven page document produced by the council. It lists specific members, like Randy Neufeld, currently a board member ofActive Transportation Alliance, and Erma Tranter, longtime president of Friends of the Parks. I’m not aware of what the other members are doing. But are they still council members?

I called Gomberg to get more details: “Right now there’s confusion of who’s on and not on the council. [We'll] emphasize the differences in upcoming meetings, but not necessarily in March”.

I sure hope Erma is out of the picture, considering this 2008 quote:

A velodrome in Douglas Park - I mean who is going to use - number one, no one uses a velodrome in the city of Chicago.


Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on December 20, 2011 at 6:47pm

I remember when she said that!

I don't see why Friends of the Parks should be involved. Whatever role Chicago Park District has to play at MBAC, they can take that to FOTP when needed. 


h' said:

I sure hope Erma is out of the picture, considering this 2008 quote:

A velodrome in Douglas Park - I mean who is going to use - number one, no one uses a velodrome in the city of Chicago.


Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on December 21, 2011 at 2:17am

Keep in mind that the structure of 1991 isn't what's necessarily going to be in 2012. 

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 21, 2011 at 10:08am

I've gotten to know Erma Tranter in the last couple of years, and this quote surprises me.

Friends of the Parks is a significant advocate for the development of trails in the city.  Erma and FOTP have been allies of Friends of the Major Taylor Trail, and they've been working with us, Southeast Environmental Task Force, Chicago State University and other organizations in developing and prioritizing ideas for trails in the Calumet region.  This relates to the recently announced Millennium Reserve Initiative, as well as Friends of the Parks' Last Four Miles initiative and the trail ideas previously studied in CDOT's Chicago Trails Plan.  The end result will be more rideable connections between neighborhoods and natural areas in an area of the city that currently has few rideable routes.

Those of you who have done the south end of the Perimeter Ride or the metric century route on last year's Four Star Bike Tour have gotten a taste of the area.  The natural areas are amazing, but are mostly inaccessible under current conditions.  Millennium Reserve will help change that.

Steven Vance said:

I remember when she said that!

I don't see why Friends of the Parks should be involved. Whatever role Chicago Park District has to play at MBAC, they can take that to FOTP when needed. 


h' said:

I sure hope Erma is out of the picture, considering this 2008 quote:

A velodrome in Douglas Park - I mean who is going to use - number one, no one uses a velodrome in the city of Chicago.


Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on December 21, 2011 at 11:53am

The quote is from a radio interview that can be heard on line (buried on some NPR site somewhere, not gonna dig for it again). I'm aware she has her defenders, who pipe up every time this quote is mentioned.

I'd be willing never to bring it up again if someone wanted to get something resembling an apology from her, but 3 1/2 years have gone by and she hasn't bothered.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 21, 2011 at 1:19pm

I'm not going to defend that quote.  I just wanted to balance out the picture by making folks aware of positive things that she and FOTP do for cycling.  There are areas where the park district work routine doesn't always meet the needs of park users, and FOTP can be very helpful in getting those issues resolved.

One example - helping Friends of the Major Taylor Trail to cut through the bureaucracy and develop a more effective working relationship with the park district regarding maintenance issues.  The result: a lot less broken glass and trash on the trail.

To bring this back around to MBAC, the efforts of Chicago Park District and Friends of the Parks complement each other, and both should be represented.

Permalink Reply by John Greenfield on December 21, 2011 at 6:13pm

Millennium Reserve sounds like a great initiative for preserving natural green space and creating jobs in the Calumet region. It would also be a great name for an 11-year-old Scotch!

Anne Alt said:

I've gotten to know Erma Tranter in the last couple of years, and this quote surprises me.

Friends of the Parks is a significant advocate for the development of trails in the city.  Erma and FOTP have been allies of Friends of the Major Taylor Trail, and they've been working with us, Southeast Environmental Task Force, Chicago State University and other organizations in developing and prioritizing ideas for trails in the Calumet region.  This relates to the recently announced Millennium Reserve Initiative, as well as Friends of the Parks' Last Four Miles initiative and the trail ideas previously studied in CDOT's Chicago Trails Plan.  The end result will be more rideable connections between neighborhoods and natural areas in an area of the city that currently has few rideable routes.

Those of you who have done the south end of the Perimeter Ride or the metric century route on last year's Four Star Bike Tour have gotten a taste of the area.  The natural areas are amazing, but are mostly inaccessible under current conditions.  Millennium Reserve will help change that.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 22, 2011 at 7:20am

John - I like your thinking.  ;)

John Greenfield said:

Millennium Reserve sounds like a great initiative for preserving natural green space and creating jobs in the Calumet region. It would also be a great name for an 11-year-old Scotch!

Anne Alt said:

I've gotten to know Erma Tranter in the last couple of years, and this quote surprises me.

Friends of the Parks is a significant advocate for the development of trails in the city.  Erma and FOTP have been allies of Friends of the Major Taylor Trail, and they've been working with us, Southeast Environmental Task Force, Chicago State University and other organizations in developing and prioritizing ideas for trails in the Calumet region.  This relates to the recently announced Millennium Reserve Initiative, as well as Friends of the Parks' Last Four Miles initiative and the trail ideas previously studied in CDOT's Chicago Trails Plan.  The end result will be more rideable connections between neighborhoods and natural areas in an area of the city that currently has few rideable routes.

Those of you who have done the south end of the Perimeter Ride or the metric century route on last year's Four Star Bike Tour have gotten a taste of the area.  The natural areas are amazing, but are mostly inaccessible under current conditions.  Millennium Reserve will help change that.

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