Updated this to the latest ACS data, tried to be faithful to the original. Continued outward growth of the High Income areas, including a ring of Median income tracts around the edge.

While many of you are likely yelling "GO PATRIOTS" or "GO CHARGERS!" I'm yelling "GO JEROME POWELL and the independent federal reserve!"

Fantastic timing for the Mamdani admin to come in after congestion pricing is an established, proven success in NY, but still in time to ride a lot of that new momentum on the way to their lofty streets and transit goals.

Last day of State/Lake operation until 2029

Strong Towns Chicago deployed my location crash report dashboard 🤝 @strongtownschicago.bsky.social Use this to generate crash reports for intersections, corridors, or your own ward. Best experienced on desktop 🗺️ www.strongtownschicago.org/chicago-cras...

Seems bad that like half my city’s municipal functions are headed by interim leaders with seemingly no timeline for permanent appointments. I can count CPS, CDOT, CTA, CHA, (and Zoning Committee!) off the top of my head. Any others?

Sucks that from this winter on I’ll always associate Chance The Rapper’s voice with standing in the freezing cold waiting for my train to show up.

Sucks that the Cool Zone on this diagram is functionally nonexistent in the US

Going to balance the city budget off of Bears home playoff games

I scored 90% on the Chicago local news quiz 2025! Take the quiz at: lauriemerrell.com/chicago-news...

New from me! Chicago has far too many bus stops to provide efficient service for its riders—nearly twice the national standard. I reimagined what Chicago's bus network could do to make it look like its peers. citythatworks.substack.com/p/a-plan-for...

Speed Matters. Some thoughts about transit and speed, life, space and time. open.substack.com/pub/marcochi...

The CTA told me traffic keeps wasting bus operator time so I asked how many bus operators they have and they said they just go to the job fair and get a new operator afterwards so I said it sounds like they're just feeding bus operators to traffic and then bus riders started crying.

After peaking in September, CTA rail staffing has slipped back to just over the 2019 benchmark.

Honestly embarrassing that the alders and city hall have been doing so much mud slinging over the budget, making personal attacks and constantly being at each other’s throats on X and facebook the last couple weeks. They should be doing it here. On Bluesky.

Chicago Plan Commission approved 90 more homes at 3746-3766 S Michigan Ave today. Four 4-floor buildings. 20% ARO Affordable 19 1-bd 71 2-bd 56 Parking Spaces Easy walk to the Green Line and Mariano's $267k/unit construction cost.

CDOT is putting out hundreds of new bike racks all across Chicago this month. Here are some of the greatest hits.

Don’t know how split people are on these but personally I’d choose these two-way bike paths over separate curbside PBLs whenever possible.

"I love my townhouse in the heart of the city!" The townhouse in the heart of the city:

Now that NITA is signed, Chicago should go ahead amend the municipal code to clearly and uniformly eliminate off-street parking requirements citywide. No good reason to keep the entire parking and loading section around as-is when it only applies to a few scattered blocks on the edge of town.

For Comparison- North Lakefront (Lincoln Park to Rogers Park) Overall up from 2010, sniffed 2000s numbers in 2021, but trending back down in '22 and '23.

Great to see Bronzeville keep turning empty lots into 3-flats. ACS data is only through 2023, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear total population along the south lakefront neighborhoods is back at post-2000s highs by now.

IMPORTANT DETAIL HERE: garbage fees are essentially a wealth transfer from apartment residents to homeowners! If you live in an apartment building with 5+ units, you have to pay full price for a private service, and you ALSO SUBSIDIZE 82% OF THE COST of garbage pickup for SFHs + 2-4 unit buildings!

Chicago's Smart Streets cameras began issuing new fine types for expired meters and parking in bus stops in late October. New cameras have come into rotation as well, to limited use. Low impact to daily fines issued so far, and a majority of tickets are still warnings.

CTA Rail having a certified Bad Time this week

CTA Rail and Metra both notched their best month since Covid this October. CTA Bus ridership ran slightly behind last year's October peak.

Using FTA data- CTA, Metra, and South Shore Line Rail ridership recoveries have all converged at 61% of what they were in 2019. 2025 Water Taxi rides blew past pre-2020 averages, setting new ridership records in both July and August this summer.

I better see the delivery robots out there with snow plows first thing tomorrow morning. If they want to use the sidewalks they need to start earning their keep.

I’m joining the war on Christkindlmarket on the side of Christkindlmarket.

What happens when you downzone? Our new open-access research paper in @findingspress.org investigates effects of decades of downzoning in Chicago. Findings: —Downzoned areas added 1/7th of the new units as comparable non-downzoned areas; —Downzoned areas became more white & were more expensive.

On a hunt for the deepest courtyard building in all of Chicago. Current clubhouse leader is this ~275 footer at Addison & LSD. Anyone got longer?

Old Town modal filters

44th Ward is taking feedback on delivery robots-

CTA's rail system sees a few recurring ridership spikes each year driven by big events downtown. When October '25 data comes through, I expect to see the Marathon (10/12) and No Kings Rally (10/18) drive a sustained peak in post-covid ridership.

Good Climate Policy

Map of these detanglement projects and the Rock Island connector for SWS.

The three N/NW Metra lines (UP-N, UP-NW, MD-N) with weekend service are consistently showing the best recovery to their pre-covid ridership levels. Meanwhile the NCS, servicing the same area M-F only, is the least recovered line in the system.

Made it to the lake with @acannon.bsky.social

#aurorawatch from #chilft

Dick Durbin (R) - IL.

Boystown sidewalks are gay again

Where should I bike to tomorrow

Leerhsenistas feasting. 2026 is our year 🤩🤩

Chicago Smart Streets data through the end of September. This is the last full month of data before an expanded rollout of the bus-mounted cameras, as announced in October.

RETVRN

ILLINOIS ELIMINATES PARKING MANDATES AROUND TRANSIT Early Friday morning, the Illinois house and senate passed the People Over Parking Act, which will eliminate parking mandates for property around transit hubs and corridors. Explore areas that may be impacted misterclean.github.io/illinois-peo...

Glove growing season is upon us. Watch out for these sprouting up all around town!

Spam callers trying to get more sophisticated means that I now trust unknown numbers that share my area code least of all

In Wrigleyville in Chicago right now— ICE/CBP has reportedly been targeting laborers in the area all morning. A large number of neighbors are gathered outside a house where agents snatched a man. His lunch is still here on the ground. Area is clear of feds for now, gas deployed earlier.

Car-free Chicago people how are we transporting furniture? I thought I could use the by-the-hour Menard’s truck but they require you to carry your own car insurance, so not really useful…