Ellen Steinke
@ellensteinke.bsky.social
Writer, comedian, urbanista 🎭 Creator Funny You Should Care ✍️ Contributor Streetsblog Chicago
🚨🌊 BSC is to 600+ emails to CMAP. Let’s see if we can get it to 1000 by EOD! Be sure to sign and share it around! act.betterstreetschicago.org/cmap-dlsd-rtp @betterstreetschicago.org @activetransportation.org @strongtownschicago.bsky.social @bikegridnow.org @chi.streetsblog.org
Tell CMAP to pump the brakes on 'Redefine the Drive'! - Better Streets Chicago
CMAP's Regional Transportation Plan misses the mark by proposing an expressway on Chicago's lakefront. Join us in urging them to pump the brakes!
act.betterstreetschicago.org
This is (an effort to get up to a) Grand! SBC contributor @ellensteinke.bsky.social says, "DSLD public comment due TODAY. Over 600 people have sent an email through @betterstreetschicago.org — let’s get it to 1K by EOD! Submit & share with your friends. Personalize your message for more impact."
Tell CMAP to pump the brakes on 'Redefine the Drive'! - Better Streets Chicago
CMAP's Regional Transportation Plan misses the mark by proposing an expressway on Chicago's lakefront. Join us in urging them to pump the brakes!
act.betterstreetschicago.org
CMAP Comment time! There's a typo where it says there's still a preferred alternative in Appendix E -- and that needs to be fixed! strongtownschicago.substack.com/p/urgent-pro...
Urgent: Provide comment on DSLD in CMAP’s Regional Transportation Plan TODAY
Written comments on CMAP’s regional transportation plan are due Friday, July 31, followed by a public hearing on August 6.
strongtownschicago.substack.com
Time to comment on the future of lake shore drive! Here’s how and here’s the link forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/Respon... @betterstreetschicago.org @strongtownschicago.bsky.social @activetransportation.org @chi.streetsblog.org
@ellensteinke.bsky.social: "You can still help shape DuSable Lake Shore Drive’s future. Here are two ways to weigh in." This post features a rendering of transit-friendly shoreline boulevard from the @betterstreetschicago.org site.
You can still help shape DuSable Lake Shore Drive’s future. Here are two ways to weigh in. - Streetsblog Chicago
chi.streetsblog.org
Nuremberg trials. We can’t accept anything less.
Kyle Griffin@kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 2w agoBREAKING NYT: Federal agents around the country were told in recent days that the FBI would no longer investigate confrontations with immigration agents — cases that sometimes yield evidence that could be used to prosecute DHS agents implicated in violent encounters.
We are SO tired of being hit on Lincoln Ave so we're jamming. The NW side has Milwaukee, the SW side has Archer, and the West side is getting Ogden. We want the same for Lincoln Ave, which CDOT is not maintaining. 📍 Oz Park (Lincoln/Larrabee/Webster) ⏰ Monday 7/27, 6:30 meet, 6:45 roll
Excited to have Senator Feigenholtz, @abundanthousingil.bsky.social , and @lakeviewurbanists.bsky.social on the show this week along with our cast's awesome sketch comedy! Gonna be a fun night.
Funny You Should Care@funnyyoushouldcare.bsky.social · 3w agoExcited to have Senator Feigenholtz as a guest on the show this Sunday! Come through: www.secondcity.com/shows/chicag...
This was so fun! Thanks @nickforillinois.bsky.social is the a single stair star 💫
Funny You Should Care@funnyyoushouldcare.bsky.social · 3w agoThanks to @nickforillinois.bsky.social for this great explanation about how single stair reform can help us build more missing middle housing and create safer, more affordable places to live!
Excited for our LAST TWO Better Steps to Housing comedy shows at Second City! We have an exciting lineup of guests including @aldermanmattmartin.bsky.social @drakewarren.bsky.social @abundanthousingil.bsky.social @lakeviewurbanists.bsky.social Tickets: www.secondcity.com/shows/chicag...
Interesting bedfellows in Council vote against mayor's pick of CTA Chair Barclay for the new NITA, CTA boards. Most are pro-CTA members of Progressive Caucus. Over on the bird app, we've asked those who aren't to explain their decision. chi.streetsblog.org/2026/07/15/j... @ellensteinke.bsky.social
@govpritzker.illinois.gov We need transit professionals and operations experts on the board. After the mayor of Chicago appointed a pastor (who barely uses public transit) PLEASE make appropriate choices worthy of NITA!
Heather Cherone@heathercherone.bsky.social · 3w agoAll of the mayor's appointments to the new Northern Illinois Transit Authority win City Council approval Details here, from @chicagompo.bsky.social:
Yesterday, Mayor Johnson’s controversial transit board picks of previous NITA sceptic Lester Barclay and Pastor Michael Eaddy advanced in committee, although transit advocates packed the hearing to oppose them. The full Council votes on them today. @chicagocta.bsky.social @ellensteinke.bsky.social
Johnson’s transit board picks advance after advocates pack City Hall hearing - Streetsblog Chicago
Ald. Andre Vasquez pressed nominees about how often they ride transit, their commitment to NITA, and the CTA board’s lack of visible accountability during former president Dorval Carter’s tenure.
chi.streetsblog.org
TOMORROW! Come see @strongtownschicago.bsky.social @yimbyaction.bsky.social @cnuchicago.bsky.social @centerforbuilding.bsky.social at the @funnyyoushouldcare.bsky.social show! Sketch, improv, and interviews from 6-7pm at Second City. Tickets here: www.secondcity.com/shows/chicag...
As the NITA transition approaches, many alders "ghosted" the CTA oversight hearing, which meant there was no quorum. Colleagues and advocates called that "unfortunate," "insulting," & "utterly unacceptable." 👻 😠 chi.streetsblog.org/2026/07/02/a... @chicagocta.bsky.social @ellensteinke.bsky.social
New Funny You Should Care show starting THIS SUNDAY on Single Stair Reform & Missing Middle Housing in Donny's Skybox at Second City! 6pm Sundays in July (5, 12, 19, 26) @funnyyoushouldcare.bsky.social www.secondcity.com/shows/chicag...
Steps to Better Housing: The Single Stair Comedy Show - The Second City
Discover top sketch, improv, and stand-up comedy shows at the world-famous Second City!
secondcity.com
New video out now! Covering the sweeping reforms to Illinois transit that started taking effect this month. Big thanks to @metroplanning.bsky.social and @awennink.bsky.social for a) helping craft this legislation and b) helping make this video. Hope you enjoy! youtu.be/eH-ZsEoGu_g?...
Chicago's Transit Agencies Finally Started Working Together
YouTube video by Car Free Keith
youtu.be
Divvy removed our Riley O'Neil stickers from his memorial station :/ The memorial station is on Washington at LaSalle if you want to put some back.
Louisville has been able to experience life without I-65 being open, is finding it doesn’t make a difference in traffic, and is becoming open to getting rid of their waterfront highway. Chicago can’t rely on “models” to determine the necessity of DSLD, we need to do real-world tests.
Great news! Block Club: "Work Begins On Bronzeville Trail, The South Side’s 1st Elevated Bike Path." blockclubchicago.org/2026/06/22/w... Read Ellen Steinke's previous coverage of the project on SBC: chi.streetsblog.org/2026/06/04/b... @blockclubchi.bsky.social @ellensteinke.bsky.social
Work Begins On Bronzeville Trail, The South Side’s 1st Elevated Bike Path
Soil testing is underway at the abandoned rail site, which starts near 40th and Dearborn streets and would be a "conduit" to the Lakefront Trail, organizers said.
blockclubchicago.org
“The group is organizing a memorial bike ride for O’Neil at 7 p.m. Monday, stretching from Palmisano Park in Bridgeport to where O’Neil was killed on Halsted Street.”
Cyclist killed in Bridgeport crash was a champion for Chicago biking, worked on city’s safe streets program
Riley O’Neil, 35, was riding his bike Friday afternoon when he was hit with a car door and sent into traffic where an oncoming semitruck hit him. He is at least the third cyclist killed by a driver th...
chicago.suntimes.com
Over the last hour, our office has gotten more than 100 emails urging support for a bill to allow @waymo.bsky.social to operate in IL. The sending pattern (dumps of 40-50 at a time) suggests that these are bot generated and 99% of them say they’re from an address outside the district. 1/2
Published my first op-ed in the Chicago Tribune with @nikhunder.com! The Mayor had better not pull any funny business and if he's going to appoint a permanent CTA President by June 1, it had better be the woman who's already doing an impressive job in the role! www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/21/o...
Commuter advocates: Make Nora Leerhsen the CTA’s permanent president
Under Nora Leerhsen’s leadership the CTA has shown improvements in service reliability, ridership recovery, public engagement and rider trust.
chicagotribune.com
🚨 WITNESS SLIP ACTION ALERT 🚨 The IL Senate is hearing housing bills at 4pm TODAY. You can show your support by filing a witness slip as a 'proponent' in a 'record of appearance'. Links for: - Yes in God's Backyard - 3rd-Party Inspections and Timelines - Gender-Based Violence Non-Discrimination
IF YOU BUILD A BIKE LANE THAT DOESN'T CONNECT TO ANOTHER BIKE LANE THEN YOU DIDN'T BUILD A BIKE LANE