Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) are increasingly significant contributors to the transportation system in Chicago. A recent study commissioned by Uber and Lyft estimated that Uber and Lyft rides represent 3.3% of VMT in Cook County. That figure is likely significantly higher in the city of Chicago, and particularly in some of the city’s most dense and congested neighborhoods. The city’s TNC dataset shows that different parts of the city are using TNCs differently, and these differences... Read the rest of this entry »

The City of Chicago recently released a new proposal to restructure the fees the city charges for rides people hail with transportation network companies like Uber, Lyft and Via. Currently, the City of Chicago charges a flat, per-trip fee for all TNC rides, regardless of whether the trip is a shared or solo ride, and regardless of where and when the trip occurs. The new proposal increases fees on solo rides, particularly those that begin and end downtown during times of peak congestion. Shared... Read the rest of this entry »

Building on past years’ success, the Young Innovators fifth annual summer fundraiser welcomed a diverse group of participants and experts. We had 40 guests attend a splendid afternoon with the weather on our side as we enjoyed locally- and ethically-sourced treats and insightful conversations. We kicked off the event with an overview of actions planned  by CNT stakeholders for improving current climate and transportation challenges. Special guests included staff from organizations such... Read the rest of this entry »

New technologies are changing how people get around. In cities around the world, cars, bikes, scooters, and even pogo sticks can be only a few taps on a smartphone screen away.  Of all these modes, Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) like Uber, Lyft, and Via are the most prominent. Here in Chicago, the number of active TNC drivers has grown from 15,000 in March 2015 to nearly 68,000 in 2019. In March 2019, over 10 million TNC trips took place in Chicago, with pickups and drop-offs in... Read the rest of this entry »

Since its inception, CNT has pioneered sustainable, equitable, and growth-oriented solutions that reimagine how cities think about transportation and land use. One area of work is equitable transit-oriented development (eTOD), which helps underserved communities tackle affordability, meet transportation needs, and decrease climate change impacts. In light of increased community interest in walkable, connected environments, CNT recently hosted a series of workshops addressing pertinent eTOD... Read the rest of this entry »

Toward the end of March, CNT presented at Flint’s 3rd annual Environmental Justice and Resiliency summit. The summit featured four days’ worth of panels, interactive sessions, and trainings on topics ranging from trauma-informed art therapy to creating a blue-green economy in Flint. CNT was pleased to share the stage with Amy Hovey of the C.S. Mott Foundation, Leah Wiste of Michigan Interfaith Power and Light, and the City of Flint’s former CFO Hughey Newsome and Water Superintendent Rob... Read the rest of this entry »

The transportation sector is changing rapidly: growth in rideshare services (e.g. Uber, Lyft, and bikeshare), vehicle electrification, and introduction of autonomous vehicles will together lead to a complete re-imagining of our transportation system. New mobility options create new opportunities, but also the potential to widen disparities by income and race – unless we explicitly plan for equity. For that reason, the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) participated on Chicago’s New... Read the rest of this entry »

  Buffalo’s aging infrastructure poses a lead problem. But a one-stop-shop model could unite previously siloed agencies toward a solution. Like many old industrial cities in the Great Lakes region, Buffalo, New York—located on the shores of Lake Erie—has a lead poisoning problem. Children in Erie County, many living within the City of Buffalo’s limits, test positive for lead poisoning at rates much higher than New York State average. Given Buffalo’s old housing stock—the city has... Read the rest of this entry »

On January 23, 2019, the Chicago City Council passed an amendment to the Municipal Code governing transit-oriented developments (TODs). This amendment modifies transit-served locations to include projects in vicinity of more than 20 CTA-designated high-ridership and high-frequency bus routes along eight1 major corridors and corridor segments. With this amendment, the City administration will also have to create and publish an Equitable TOD (eTOD) Implementation Policy Plan over the next year... Read the rest of this entry »

On Tuesday, December 4, CNT opened our offices to partners and friends both old and new. We rearranged our space to display our current work – see diagram below – and spent three nonstop hours describing it.  Around 150 people came through (we weren’t keeping close count), talked to our staff and board about our priorities and projects, and connected with other friends. Most commonly overhead conversation snippets at the open house: I really like that AllTransit tool. (Thanks,... Read the rest of this entry »