Our new 2025 Impact Report highlights recent results from the Transportation Equity Network (TEN). The report highlights how TEN brings together community-based organizations — including groups that do not focus on transportation only — around an agenda to improve services citywide.  

 

Based on interviews and a survey, the report highlights ways the coalition amplified community voices. It also recaps last year’s work, such as transportation town halls that helped shape the Chicago Transit Authority’s Better Streets for Buses improvement plans and a trip to Madison to view new bus rapid transit infrastructure there. 

Julia Hage presented our Community Engagement Evaluation Framework Tool at the Crossroads Convening in January. She spoke on the Organizing, Process, and Community Power track at this event organized by the Union of Concerned Scientists. 

 

We chose this conference over the Transportation Research Board, which excluded climate- and equity-oriented research this year. It was great to be among the hundreds of academics, organizers, and planning professionals who attended as well as those who watched the conference via livestream. Chicago was well represented — Olatunji Oboi Reed of Equiticity was the keynote speaker.  

We’re pleased to share that we’ll be working with Verizon’s Community Disaster Resilience team once again this year. We had a project kickoff earlier this month with Verizon Senior Manager Stephanie Kinlock, the Hyfi sensor team including CEO Brandon Wong, as well as staff from City of Chicago, National Weather Service and other friends and partners.   

 

At our kickoff, we discussed plans to hold more community meetings and to continue installing and sharing data from 50 high-tech flood sensors across Chicago this year. If you’re keeping track, that’s 27 sensors already in place in the past year and 23 more to add. We look forward to sharing more! 

Chief Strategy and Program Officer Miriam Savad introduces CNT's new theory of change, impact framework, and 5-year strategic work plan. These frameworks were created through a deeply collaborative process and are designed to help guide our future work in supporting community needs, applying our skills, and measuring our impact. 

As of February 1, our address has changed to 17 North State Street, Suite 1850, Chicago, Illinois, 60602.  

"5 Midwest Cities With The Best Public Transportation"  | Islands.com, January 27

New Report from Chaddick Institute, Reimagining the Chicago Intercity Bus Terminal: Building on extensive research on Chicago’s bus terminal, a new resource uses SketchUp to highlight possible upgradesto the existing bus station. Report here | DePaul College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Chaddick Institute website here.  

 

Elevated Chicago’s Three-Year Report: Between 2022 and 2024, Elevated Chicago strengthened its role as a convener, bridge-builder and advocate, helping to position Chicago at the forefront of Equitable Transit-Oriented Development nationwide. The report documents collective achievements and shows what it takes to move ETOD from aspiration to systems change and from concept to ribbon-cutting. Get it here 
 

Building A Bridge Of Justice Between Environmental Sustainability and Affordable Housing, 1:45-2:30 p.m. March 19: This free panel discussion features Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather, CNT CEO Nina Idemudia, AICP, Evanston City Councilmember Jonathan Nieuwsma and Bob Dean, Principal Director of Strategy for Elevate. The panel discussion takes place immediately after Inspire, a lunch and learn fundraiser for Evanston nonprofit Connections for the Homeless. Information and RSVP for the free panel (and information about the lunch and learn) available here.