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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

0% existing calm bike infrastructure in Ald. Tabares' 23rd ward. How has this term gone? 6,866 crashes 14 fatalities. More than 1000 INJURIES. 1900 hit and runs. Total new bike lane investment? 0 miles.

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Well, are their wards unusually safe for some reason you might ask? They are not! Here's Ald Sposato's 38th ward c/o www.strongtownschicago.org/chicago-cras... - 5781 crashes this term. 11 fatalities. 882 injuries.

Chicago crash dashboard for thr 38th ward - https://www.strongtownschicago.org/chicago-crash-dashboard

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

11 (!) Alders, have built less than 1 mile of new infra during this term. Well, is that because their wards are already full of safe streets infrastructure? No it is not, 8 of the 11 have less than 1% safe streets infra.

screenshot of the dashboard showing 11 alders with incredibly low investment in safe streets infrastructure in the last 3 years.

Ward 4
Lamont J. Robinson 4.2 sq mi 17.6 mi 0.9 mi 3.3%
Ward 6
William E. Hall 5.0 sq mi 13.3 mi 0.8 mi 0.8%
Ward 31
Felix Cardona Jr. 2.7 sq mi 8.7 mi 0.7 mi 5.8%
Ward 45
James M. Gardiner 5.0 sq mi 12.4 mi 0.2 mi 0.5%
Ward 14
Jeylu B. Gutierrez 4.3 sq mi 2.0 mi 0.1 mi 0%
Ward 13
Marty Quinn 5.3 sq mi 1.8 mi 0 mi 0%
Ward 41
Anthony V. Napolitano 17.0 sq mi 2.1 mi 0 mi 0%
Ward 18
Derrick G. Curtis 6.9 sq mi 4.3 mi 0 mi 0%
Ward 23
Silvana Tabares 4.2 sq mi 0.8 mi 0 mi 0%
Ward 44
Bennett R. Lawson 1.7 sq mi 9.4 mi 0 mi 7.5%
Ward 38
Nicholas Sposato 6.4 sq mi 1.4 mi 0 mi 0%

% calm bike streets is a ward's protected bike lanes and neighborhood greenways as a share of its street mileage: how much of it you can bike without riding next to moving traffic.

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

To make change, we started a bike bus at our school with the help of @chifamilybiking.bsky.social and @bikebusworld.bsky.social. More than 50 people ride with us most Fridays.

Me, standing in front of a group of our elementary school-aged bike bus riders at the starting line getting ready to roll out to school where dozens of their friends will join the bike bus along the way.

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

I guess minimum I want is removal of license/driving privileges. But when someone commits murder- which is what this is -it feels reasonable to ensure they don't endanger others. I'm abs not an expert, but my assumption is that committing murder w/ any other type of weapon results in detention?

But he didn’t order him to refrain from drinking. Rather, he said Ciszek was to have “no excessive or public consumption of alcohol” while awaiting trial, according to a court filing

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Dump Judge D’Anthony Thedford. He's on the ballot this fall.

Judge D’Anthony Thedford denied a request from prosecutors to detain Miracle Hall, 25, ahead of trial on charges of aggravated DUI causing a fatal accident, instead sending her home on an ankle monitor. It marks the second time this month that Thedford declined to detain a defendant accused of drunk driving in a fatal crash. On August 11, he released a man accused of fleeing the scene of a fatal crash in Lakeview while the victim’s body remained inside his vehicle.

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

I hit 8,000 miles on the Urban Arrow yesterday, please clap.

A view of an urban arrow kiox dash showing 8000 on the odometer, behind it is the bucket of the bike.

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Chicago seems to be a bit more of a mixed bag. Odd outliers in the loop, and a few data idiosyncrasies that make me a little curious about the data. Still very cool data visualization

map showing how much a neighborhood walks relative to what its Walk Score predicts, chicago census tracts, generally positive walk vs. walk score prediction but with a bunch of lighter areas on the NW side.

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Yo, Philly walks! livablecitylab.yale.edu/walkability-...

map showing how much a neighborhood walks relative to what its Walk Score predicts, philly census tracts, generally positive walk vs. walk score prediction.

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

@chicagotribune.com seems to be a spiral of confusing consumer traps. The @chicago.suntimes.com might be an option? I don't want/need "exclusive events", "special issues" or "premium editions" that are 5x the cost of the normal publication, or something where the cost massively spikes after 6 mos

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Sure glad city council decided to spend a few hundred million on a new parking garage this week. Definitely a move that shows we are a serious city and are responding to the climate crisis with the urgency required.

View of the sunrise behind the Chicago skyline behind a dense haze of climate change exacerbated wildfire smoke

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Extraordinarily crude mockup, and I haven't done any of the street width math. But, move the southbound bike lane to the curb (and move the curb!) to create a single conflict point for rt hooks instead of the entirety of block. Extend ped refuge islands (blue), and raise the curb on

very basic aerial mockup of Milwaukee at Ogden to make it safer for cyclist and other non-car users.

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

Needed a few more bags of mulch (5) and a few grocery items. Right tool for the job 🚲

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Because this is the east-looking view at the SAME INTERSECTION! There are only 3 car travel lanes here.... and yet... it works! There are no disproportionate backups in one direction but not the other.

The view of Augusta at Western looking east bound, a concrete protected green bike lane in each direction a car central travel lane in each direction and a single car left hand turn lane.

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

This is every intersection on Augusta west of Western after the (nice! great even!) concrete-protected bike lane ends. Here's the look westbound. There is absolutely no reason why there needs to be *four* car travel lanes (incl 2 dedicated turn lanes!) *and* a parking lane. How do I know?

Augusta looking westbound at Western ave - a car sewer. A car right turn lane, a car center travel lane, a car left turn lane, a westbound car lane, and a car parking lane. Cyclists are expected to apparate the half block to arrive back in the paint-only bike lane a half block ahead so as to not frustrate sensitive drivers who may need to briefly accelerate more slowly than would otherwise be possible.

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Big big group tonight, here in Bridgeport.

Lots and lots of people on bikes in a road for critical mass Chicago

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Is this article hyperbolic? This is an actual truck we just saw on the way to my kids basketball practice. Absolute policy failure from state and local leadership to allow this on the roads, endangering all.

An absolutely absurd vehicle to legally drive in a city, large black truck with lift kit on city street, extra large tires and a hood height above 5 ft. Absolute policy failure by federal, state and local officials to allow it

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Instead there’s a concrete jersey barrier… and you’re expected to navigate a gravel embankment that doesn’t come up to level with the trail. Anyone know why this sucks like this? Is this forest preserve and parks not communicating?

Photo of two connecting trails blocked by a series of concrete jersey barriers

The embankment that people are supposed to navigate to connect between the trails?

View of the embankment looking up showing the gravel path doesn’t meet level with the trail

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Just did an awesome 24 mile round trip ride from Humboldt Park to Sketchbook Brewing in Skokie, except for one incomprehensible trail connection fail at Labagh woods where the north branch trail should seamlessly connect to the Weber Spur…. But doesn’t

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Thanks for joining today @anthonyjquezada.bsky.social and @daniellaspata.bsky.social, we had a great crew! Only one more ride left this year!

Dozens of smiling children and parents on bikes in front of a big yellow church, the St. John Berchmans Bike Bus!

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Chicago real estate is bonkers right now. From Grand to Irving Park, Kedzie to the Lake if you’re looking for a 4 bed sfh or townhouse there is one (1) under $1 mil, and it’s being sold as-is as a gut rehab. Include condos and there are 4 units total.

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Who are the advocates saying this? What are their names? It's not like there have been recent scooter accidents where someone has fallen and injured/killed someone. Drivers in cars have killed people on scooters. chicago.suntimes.com/transportati...

Article screenshot with the following quote: With no official citywide tally of e-scooter related deaths and injuries, advocates noted a combination of responsibility from riders and e-scooter organizations and enforcement from police would help prevent crashes.

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

Can anyone tell me which is the better bike rack design? I feel like users are 50/50

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Here's your challenge, can you gerrymander a section of your city that has a population of around 60k that hasn't had a traffic fatality in 9 years? Here's my neighborhood, population ~55k, we weren't close - 29 fatalities in the same time frame. 🤯

Crash map of Humboldt Park in Chicago showing 22,000 crashes, 29 fatalities. Even though it has about the same population as Hoboken, drastically different policy choices have led to an exponentially less safe built environment.

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

We had a great crew for bike bus this morning, best guess is around 50!

Group photo after a bike bus ride with around 50 people and lots of smiling kids

Bike bus waiting at a stop light to get rolling dozens of smiling kids ready to roll.

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Hit 7000 miles on the Urban Arrow yesterday. We’ve had it for about 900 days, so yeah, it’s been a game changer for our family!

View of the handlebars on an urban arrow with the odometer reading 7000 miles

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

Found a station with excess demand! Madison and Wells cc @davidpowe.bsky.social

Divvy station at Madison and Wells with dozens of bikes, parked outside of the docks because all the docks are full

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 29/03/2026

Costco run for the month, but without the insane parking lot, paying for gas, and a tiny bit of exercise and fresh air on a beautiful day as a treat. ☺️

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

30 seconds of failed bus lane enforcement - Chicago style.

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

Here's my 30-second attempt. Someone with much more skill (and vision!) have a better mockup? Admittedly not super ambitious but my assumption is that there is no world they're going to give up much of the parking lot...

Aerial shot of the proposed new Trader Joes location with mockup of where housing could do, where the entrance/exit would be least disruptive and add some trees.

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

This is the historical Archer Ave performance that some would like to preserve. In the last 10 years... + 8200 crashes + 2200 hit and run + 1500 injuries + 9 fatalities. They want you to believe better isn't possible, or that this is a wedge issue. It's not. Safer streets now.

Crash map for Archer ave showing 8,204 dots - one for every crash, including 9 fatalities, 1500+ injuries. 2,368 hit and runs. 2016-2026

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 03/02/2026

All three kids on the bike, blinky lights all over, ringing our large bell, but still nearly got right-hooked again at the Palmer Square racetrack by a woman who sped up, without a turn signal, cell phone in hand trying to hit 40mph on the curve.

Google street view of Palmer Square roundabout - four car lanes and a painted bike lane into a super wide opening to a 2-lane st.

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

Hoping we can use some of that sweet sweet new NITA $ for better lighting across all of CTA….

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

Nora Leerhsen is crushing it at City Club, she is a loud, unapologetic champion for transit. Talking about removing slow zones on Blue Line, CTA integrating with bike networks and adopting Paris-style reforms for child friendly streets, less emissions, more green spaces. Very worth a watch/listen!

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

Does anyone know if MBJ took action on the recs of Steve Koch? (in the screenshot, from this article: chicago.suntimes.com/2026/01/19/c...). Or is this yet another missed opportunity to improve the horrific parking deal?

Screenshot of an article:

Steve Koch served as deputy mayor under former Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who managed to tweak the fine print in the parking meter deal by reducing the city’s liability and by increasing the hours and days motorists pay for parking.

Instead of buying back the meters, Koch said the city would be better off leveraging the authority it has to approve an ownership transfer. That way, the mayor’s office could negotiate certain changes that benefit the city before allowing a deal to go through.

“I would tell them there’s a fart in hell’s chance of selling this thing unless you deal with us first, and here’s the concessions we want,” Koch told the Sun-Times.

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

It's a Bosch system, and I think there's a way to run a cord into the main stem but I have no electrical skills (and very limited bike skills!) so the idea of opening up the main casing feels daunting...

top down view of a cargo bike set of handlebars (Urban arrow)

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 02/01/2026

This is what the last 10 years looked like on North Ave. 7 fatalities, 912 hit and runs. 3,386 total crashes. Millions and millions in damages. Seeing this, you'd assume the once-in-a-generation redo from CDOT and IDOT would be a radical redesign, right? How about a few bumpouts instead.

Crash map of North Ave from California to Grand - 3386 total crashes, 7 fatalities, 912 (!) hit and runs in the last 10 years.

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 02/01/2026

There were 43 crashes last year alone along Cortland Ave in the 26th ward. This area is proposed for a participatory budgeting greenway project. If you live in the ward, vote here and prioritize project #4! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F... (data c/o www.strongtownschicago.org/chicago-cras...)

Traffic crash map showing 43 total crashes along Cortland from Mozart to the train lines at 4400 W Cortland in the last year.

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Matt McCabe @mmccabe.bsky.social · 18/12/2025

These e-bikes are out of control! Look at what this one did to ITS OWN CHARGING STATION, and now it just sits there like nothing happened. Disgraceful. We need licenses and fees for any type of vehicle that could create this much damage.