Tuesday, December 30, 2025
Happy (almost) New Year!
2025 has been an action-filled year for the Transportation and Mobility Division at the City.
We could not have done this work without your support and the collaboration of many community members, partners, and City staff.
A special thank you to our 2024 Summer Fellow Miah and 2025 interns Bela, Eli, Olin, Sabina, and Sarah, who contributed to the development of Evanston’s Bicycle Access Voucher Pilot program and its forthcoming report and the upcoming bicycle parking policy.
 Eli and Sabina, our most recent Run on Climate Interns, pictured in Fountain Square
Here are a few highlights of the Transportation and Mobility Division's work this year. In 2025, the team:
- Completed the 10-month Bicycle Access Voucher Pilot program, which supported bicycle access for 65 income-qualified residents, and collected data on program outcomes. (We'll share the report early next year)
- Wrote a $100,000 Safe Routes to School grant, in partnership with District 65, to pilot an in-school cycling and walking skills and safety education program for 5th graders
- Drafted the City’s first Transit Resolution, formalizing support for a state investment in the next era of the region’s transit system
- Joined the invite-only NACTO Great Lakes Bikeway Design Cohort, alongside US leaders such as Anne Arbor, Chicago, Madison, and Milwaukee, to support transportation capacity-building amongst City staff
- Coordinated between community members, the Illinois Department of Transportation, the MWRD, the Village of Skokie, and City Public Works team, to support an IDOT study of safe cycling connections on Church Street between Skokie and Evanston
- Coordinated with the CTA and Public Works team to roll out 20 ADA-compliant concrete bus pads, funded by a multi-year grant from the RTA (the CTA is working on new signage!)
- Paved the way for the 2026 Divvy Expansion, in partnership with the Sustainability and Resilience team, by solidifying Cook County and City funding, negotiating updated agreements with Lyft (Divvy’s operator), conducting a public survey on new docking station locations, measuring potential site options with Public Works staff, and more
- Collaborated on youth afterschool and summer cycling safety and education programs with Y.O.U., Nichols Middle School, and the Recyclery Collective
- Researched and developed Evanston’s forthcoming Bicycle Parking Policy
Of course, this is a small taste of the Division's work in 2025.
Additionally this year, Illinois passed landmark transit legislation, the City received major federal and state grants to rebuild Chicago Avenue, the CTA, Metra, and Pace committed to service expansions on numerous lines, and much more.
Lots of great work ahead in 2026.
Thank you for your support and Happy New Year!
Sarah D. FioRito,
Transportation and Mobility Coordinator
 Terry, Monica, and Reva practice turn signaling in the Sherman garage
New Year's Eve and Day transit
CTA and Pace will be offering free rides on New Year's Eve, as per their usual practice, and transit routes will run Sunday/holiday schedules on New Year's Day.
CTA completes its Frequent Network and 93 upgrades
As of this month, 20 CTA bus routes are providing service at 10-minute or sooner between runs.
And now, you can finally take the 93 bus all the way from Evanston to Logan Square. Check it out and let us know what you think!
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