Mobility Recovery: Rethinking Mobility in a Post-COVID Chicago Region

Gain insight into the future of mobility in metropolitan Chicago by registering for “Mobility Recovery: Rethinking Mobility in a Post-COVID Chicago Region,” the April 15 Seminar Series presentation hosted by the Urban Transportation Center at UIC.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused enormous challenges for the transportation system in the Chicago region. The funding streams that support capital investments and operations took significant hits as gas and retail buying declined. For example, sales tax revenues supporting the RTA fell by more than a quarter in April 2020 vs. April 2019.

The transit system lost more than 80 percent of its riders at the peak of the crisis. While auto travel also declined substantially, it has rebounded more quickly than other modes. This, as well as the possibility of more sustained changes to resident and business preferences, has led to concerns that the COVID-19 pandemic could increase the region’s reliance on auto travel, especially single-occupant trips.

Click here to register for “Mobility Recovery: Rethinking Mobility in a Post-COVID Chicago Region.“

In response to these challenges and others, the City of Chicago convened a COVID-19 Recovery Task Force. The Task Force recommended continuation of recovery efforts in three areas, including “re-imagining Chicago’s regional transit system.”

This final UTC Spring 2021 Seminar Series presentation will be led by Laura Wilkison,  Deputy Executive Director of Plan Implementation and Legislative Affairs  at the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). She brings more than two decades of experience in legislative strategy, policy development, and coalition building to advance the region’s plan and other CMAP priorities.