Evanston Transit Alliance | Safer Streets & Better Transit in Evanston

ETA is a resident-led advocacy group working for a safer and better connected Evanston by championing pedestrian-oriented streets, bike infrastructure for all ages and abilities, and high-quality public transit.

We weigh in on local transportation-related issues, advocate to stakeholders and elected officials, build community through bike rides and other events, and raise awareness during local elections.

Our work is grounded in a commitment to accessibility, equity, inclusive community engagement, sustainability, and mobility justice.

Concrete-protected bike lanes or side paths along busy roads like Chicago Ave, Church St, Main St, and Oakton St, directly linking schools, shopping, and transit hubs.

Traffic-calmed neighborhood routes like the Lincoln-Harrison Greenway, with raised crosswalks, curb extensions, lower speed limits, and painted bicycle markings.

Frequent and reliable bus and rail service, including elevators at Purple Line stations and a new infill station on the Yellow Line in South Evanston.

Regional trail connections linking Evanston to the Old Orchard and Green Bay Trails and extending the North Shore Channel Trail to Gillson Park in Wilmette.

Rendering of a protected Main Street bikeway with families riding

Rendering of a traffic-calmed Lincoln-Harrison neighborhood greenway near a school

Rendering of a rebuilt CTA Yellow Line station in south Evanston

Rendering of a regional riverside bike trail connecting to the Channel Trail

Moving Evanston forward will take residents speaking up. Sign up below to get our advocacy alerts and event updates in your inbox.

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Just have a question or something to share? Email us anytime at info@evanstontransitalliance.org.

Safer streets and better transit are important to Evanston.

67%

of Evanston households own one car or none.

1 in 4

walk, bike, or take transit to work.

5×

the national rate of biking… and growing!

Vehicle availability and commute figures: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (2023).

Minor / no injury Serious injury Fatal Community-reported

Source: Illinois Department of Transportation crash data, 2015–2025; City of Evanston ward boundaries. Community-reported stories are unverified and shown at the block level.

In the past ten years, at least 897 crashes in Evanston have involved a person walking or biking, with 134 seriously injured and 8 killed. After a brief decline in 2020–22, crashes have climbed back to their highest level since 2015, with cyclists increasingly among those hit.

Near-misses never show up in official data, but they can be just as life-changing. Tell us where you’ve had a near-miss or unsafe experience on an Evanston street.

Resident stories will appear here as neighbors share them.

Keep up with rides, events, and advocacy updates on your favorite platform — find us in the links up top, and see our latest posts below: