Over the past four years, an experiment in changing transportation behavior within local neighborhoods has been playing out in Chicago. The purpose is to get people out of their cars and introduce them to new forms of transportation such as biking, walking and public transit. And ideally to make a small change in transportation behavior. 

Dubbed the "Go" Campaigns, the effort has impacted five local Chicago communities over the past four summers including Pilsen, Bronzeville, Albany Park, Edgewater, and most recently Garfield Park. ​The campaigns are a comprehensive effort at building awareness for local engagement with transportation options besides driving alone. Most impressively, they are getting results. 

Almost 500 people representing over 100 cities met in Chicago last week to discuss the future of shared transit at the Shared Use Mobility Summit (SUMC). The conference shed light on many changes occurring on our streets including implications of autonomous vehicles, rapid growth in ride  and bike sharing, and changing consumer preferences for automobiles, . 

Executive Director of SUMC, Sharon Feigon started the conference by pointing out that transportation is the #2 household expense in America, averaging 29% of household income. Much of this is driven by the cost of car ownership. She reiterated the mission of the Shared Mobility Use Center: making it possible to live well without owning a car through a multi-modal transit system available for all. ​Those shared modes include car sharing, bike sharing, and ride sharing. 

The growth of bicycle lanes is one of the most significant improvements in bike infrastructure in Chicago. Currently, the city has more than 280 miles of on-street protected, buffered and shared bike lanes. And this number is growing; Cycling Plan 2020 calls for a 645-mile network of biking facilities to be in place by the end of the decade.  

Nationwide, numerous cities have implemented a significant number of on-street bicycle lanes. ​All of this investment and infrastructure is wonderful for biking and bike commuting. And yet, in Chicago we have a significant problem with the usage of the bike lanes.

What is the role of the car within urban areas in the United States? It such a basic question that the answer may seem obvious. But the accepted primacy of the car on our streets belies the congestion, pollution, and fatalities which extract an exorbitant cost on society. The National Safety Council estimates 38,300 people were killed on U.S. roads in 2015; the largest increase in 50 years. 

For Chicago entrepreneur Josh London, it's not so obvious that the car should be the dominant form of transportation within an urban environment. From his perspective, cities are not working as well and he asks "why can't we have car-free streets?" It's a unconventional view yet one informed by his own personal health journey.

As the Publicity Coordinator for the  Prairie Cycle Club, Daniella Birch is always thinking about how to get more people involved in riding. A biker for 10 years, she has expanded her notion of what's possible on a bike as her confidence has grown. Today, as a member of a Community Support Agriculture (CSA), she does not hesitate to ride 20 miles to buy eggs from a local farmer.  

As her confidence and love of biking has grown, so has her commitment to helping others see and experience the benefits of biking.  Daniella recent.y shared with me her motivation for riding and her efforts to share this with others. 

Meet Waymond Smith - avid recreational cyclist, bike commuter and volunteer for youth bike programs. Riding since he was a child, he has been a year round commuter for 15 years. Active in bike touring, he has ridden the  Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) 7 times. as well as numerous recreation rides on the weekends. 

He used to commute to work by bike from Hyde Park to Skokie - a 40 mile round-trip ride, year-round. A real commitment!  Now retired, he volunteers at  Working Bikes and uses his bike to get around town and explore different neighborhoods. Despite some the challenges he has experienced, Waymond's passion for riding is undimmed.

I recently attended the 4th Annual Illinois Bike Summit in Champaign, IL. Over 250 people participated in this event that featured speakers, breakout sessions, and round-table discussions on topics ranging from bicycle-friendly initiatives nationwide to community bicycle workshops.

Hosted by Ride Illinois and Champaign County Bikes, the event brought together bike trail advocates, architects, municipal planners, cycling clubs, bike shop owners and interested citizens. 

The motto for Working Bikes is giving old bikes new homes, and that's exactly what they do.. Since 1999 they have redistributed more than 50,000 used bikes worldwide to individuals in developing countries as well as disadvantaged individuals in Chicago. 

At the Illinois Bike Summit last week, I met with Manager Paul Fitzgerald and Staff Mechanic Caesar Mesa to learn more about this incredible organization.  

Imagine using the same card to ride a Metra train, rent a Divvy bike and hop on a CTA bus. Instead of worrying about managing multiple cards, navigating the options at the bike kiosk, or using the Ventra reader, you simply swipe your card and seamlessly move between transportation options as you need them. Achieving this kind of vision is one of the possibilities that results from integrating transit options. And that type of integration is the focus of the Shared Use Mobility Center (SUMC). 

Started last year, the organization's mission is to connect industry, government and community groups and accelerate the growth of shared mobility for all transit modes. I recently interviewed Sharon Feigon, Executive Director, to learn more about SUMC's impact on expanding mobility