Four transportation events in and for Logan Square

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A rendering of the Bike/Walk35 group’s vision for the Logan Square CTA station. 

One event happened last week, one is this week, one the following week, and the last happens each weekend in September.

Bike/Walk35 presentation on vision and goals for Logan Square CTA station

I joined the Bike/Walk35 group to help them create a great bike parking plan for the station. Last Thursday, August 25, 2011, at the St. Sylvester gymnasium (2157 N Humboldt), we presented on the history, goals, and vision for the Logan Square Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Blue Line station (2620 N Kedzie).

Essentially we envision the Logan Square CTA station as an enhanced multi-modal transportation hub, with beautiful landscaping and sustainable features, that attracts people to the space, enough that they stay awhile. We’ll be putting together a formal website that will display the entire presentation and invite the public to give us their feedback. We’ll also publish the comments we received at the event. As this was our first event, it was more about expressing our vision – nothing is set in stone. With the comments we received, and will receive, we’ll tweak our plan and start discussing how to make it a reality.

Our work is unrelated to the new landscaping, blue trellises, station planters, and overall station cleanup. The station cleanup is a CTA effort to do better-than-routine maintenance work at a station at one time instead of over time.

View all the renderings and photos from and for this public meeting. Renderings created by Don and Nicole Semple. 

Student active transportation plan meeting

Thursday, September 1, 2011
6:30 PM
St. Sylvester Church Gymnasium, 2157 N Humboldt Boulevard

Sam Schwartz Engineering, the consultant for the Chicago Department of Transportation’s Pedestrian Plan and new Streets for Cycling Plan, will lead a public meeting to talk about active transportation surrounding schools and parks in the 35th Ward (Rey Colón).

Join the Active Transportation Alliance and Sam Schwartz Engineering for a presentation and discussion on how to make the 35th Ward more pedestrian and bicycle friendly.

I plan to be there so I can better understand the background and scope of this project.

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Let’s get this Logan Square student to school safely.

Bloomingdale Trail open house at Congress Theater

Thursday, September 8, 2011
6-8 PM
Congress Theater, 2135 N Milwaukee Avenue

Mayor Emanuel campaigned on the promise that the Bloomingdale Trail, an elevated, linear park, would be completed within 4 years. Come to a meeting in less than two weeks to learn more about the project and give your input.

Come learn about how this former train track on the northwest side will be converted to an elevated park and trail! Your input will help shape the future of this almost 3-mile long linear park and bike trail that will allow Chicago residents and visitors to walk, run, bike and stroll for miles uninterrupted by traffic. RSVP: isaac.jones@o-hcommunitypartners.com. Please let us know in your RSVP if you require ADA assistance or Spanish language translation. [RSVP not necessary to attend.]

Before you go, read up on Grid Chicago articles about the Bloomingdale Trail, and explore the content of the Friends of the Bloomingdale Trail website. I will be at this meeting.

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The Chicago Transit Authority Blue Line is elevated over the Bloomingdale Avenue viaduct. 

Gallery exhibition representing all the work of Moving Design

Saturdays and Sundays in September, 2011
12-4 PM
Comfort Station, 2579 N Milwaukee Avenue

I was apart of Moving Design’s 2011 Call to Action, “An intervention on bike safety,” focusing on the Logan Square community. I gave seven speeches on relevant policy insights, ranging from data collection, evaluation, and the importance of the public planning process. Two of them are on video (one, two).

But my contribution is nowhere nearly as impressive as the collective work of over 40 designers. Come to the gallery to see posters, zines, coloring books, videos, photography, pothole castings, and other objects related to sending the message that there is one road, and we all share it, regardless of how we choose to get around town.

You may have seen some of this work recently with posters on Milwaukee Avenue or wooden lawn ornaments on Logan Boulevard.

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One of the lawn ornaments, seen at California Avenue and Logan Boulevard. View the full lawn ornament photoset. 

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Scott, a facilitator, sorts through posters to find the ones that will cover the walls in one of the rooms of the Comfort Station, a small building used in the past for weary travelers, across from the Logan Square monument. 

Note: There are many more meetings and events about transportation in Chicagoland than we can keep track of. We recommend you watch the calendars we just added to the Links page.

Updated August 29, 2011, to add a statement about the recent work at the Logan Square CTA station readers have noticed.