Chicago's New Strategic Plan for Transportation Prioritizes Equity and Accountability

The plan calls for safer streets, more equitable distribution of resources, and expanded community engagement.

1 minute read

August 1, 2021, 5:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Chicago Transit

JW_PNW / Shutterstock

Chicago officials revealed the city's new Strategic Plan for Transportation, which they say "will help promote social equity and public safety," reports John Greenfield. According to Mayor Lori Lightfoot, the plan "will help lower the economic and environmental burden of transportation on our residents and prioritize investments in underserved communities."

Janette Sadik-Khan, former New York City transportation chief and part of the Bloomberg Associates team that assisted with the CDOT plan, said "[t]here are detailed strategies with benchmarks," calling the document "more than just a promise; it’s a detailed blueprint for getting it done."

The strategic plan includes "84 strategies and hundreds of one-to-three-year targets that CDOT says will help build safer streets; prioritize improving transportation options for residents in low-income communities; expand transit access; and provide bus lanes, bikeways, and bike-share across the entire city." City officials say "CDOT and CNT are working on a process to identify communities with the greatest economic and mobility challenges, so that these neighborhoods can be prioritized for transportation upgrades."

CDOT commissioner Gia Biagi "promised that the plan will lead to transportation projects that 'center equity,' with 'more transparency and and accountability,' and which will help to 'break the cycle of intergenerational poverty in underserved communities by connecting residents with educational and job opportunities."

Thursday, July 22, 2021 in Streetsblog Chicago

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

A pencil rendering of Foundry Park, which shows skyscrapers and public green spaces.

Chicago breaks ground on $3 billion megadevelopment

The new neighborhood, titled Foundry Park, will one day host 3,700 residences.

October 23, 2026 - Chicago Sun Times

A swamp in South Carolina with tall pale trees and Spanish moss in the water.

Satanic place names

From streams and lakes to valleys and canyons, I mapped more than 1,000 places named after the Devil.

October 31 - The Daily Yonder

A rendering of a high speed rain station in California, with wide platforms and a sleep train with yellow highlights.

California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO resigns after $600,000 scandal

Under Ian Choudri, the authority used taxpayer dollars to fund first class flights and trips to nightclubs.

October 30 - Cal Matters

 A bridge stretches across the Missouri River at Chamberlain, South Dakota.

Want to study the Missouri River? Soon, you may need unanimous approval from 10 states

Legislation would require 10 governors’ permission to study or build projects moving water outside the basin.

October 30 - South Dakota Searchlight