By Laurie Casey

Madison Street has long been a street that does not meet the expectations of safety for walking and biking for Oak Park. The Oak Park Board of Trustees will meet December 8 to discuss a plan to invest TIF money to redesign Madison Street. Let’s take this opportunity to make a significant difference in the degree of biking and walking friendliness in our community. Please see the letter/petition to OP Village Board. This initiative is being led by Ron Burke, Executive Director of Active Transportation Alliance and an Oak Parker who lives just two blocks South of Madison St. Please take a minute to: 1. Click the link. 2. Read Ron's letter. 3. Sign the petition. 4. Share this link with your networks -- friends, neighbors, family, work associates, congregations, etc.

Other things you might do: 5. Send an email to the village board (board@oak-park.us) or call 708.358.5784 and express your support for the Madison Street Redesign Project. 6. Write a letter to the editor at the Wednesday Journal. 7. Plan to be at the Oak Park Village Board Meeting on Monday, Dec 8.

The 1.5 miles of Madison Street in Oak Park has one of the highest crash rates in the Chicago region, with mostly car-on-car rear-end collisions. Walkers and bikers are hit, on average, seven times per year. Thank you for lending your voice to this initiative.