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Greetings
Hello {{Constituent First Name}},
We hope you're enjoying the seemingly endless summer! This issue of Tailwinds touches on a wide range of relevant topics. We hope you enjoy this newsletter and appreciate Ride Illinois' ongoing efforts to make Illinois better through biking 🚲
Ride Illinois values our members and supporters, like you. Generous contributions fund our awareness efforts – such as our I Can Bike There campaign, Response to Fatal Crashes initiative, and Regional Action Team program. Together, we're bringing about positive change in Illinois!
Ride Illinois earned a 2025 Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency – the third year in a row we've received this distinct recognition 👏👏👏
Ride Illinois shares financial information with Candid so current and future members know that their donations are used wisely and ethically. You're encouraged to visit our Candid profile to learn more.
Legislation & Policy
The Latest from Springfield
Ride Illinois continues to work diligently with our lobbyist and partners to advocate for bike-friendly legislation in Springfield 🤝
Discussions about our legislative priorities are underway. Topics that are rising to the top are: defining e-motos in the Illinois Vehicle Code, requiring bike/walk education in schools, updating IDOT's speed policy, recognizing bicyclists as intended and permitted users of Illinois roads, and reining in superspeeders. Stay tuned to Ride Illinois for updates 👈
E-moto: the Word of the Summer
Ride Illinois continues the arduous work to educate the public and elected officials about e-motos and how they differ from legal e-bikes. Progress is being made towards our goal of officially making the distinction in the Illinois Vehicle Code, thereby eliminating the need for widely-varying municipal ordinances 🙌
Interested in learning more? Check out recordings of this recent webinar and the summit hosted by Northwest Municipal Conference 🤔
Ride Illinois developed guidance that encourages municipalities to embrace new mobility modes while retaining a focus on public safety.
👉 Please share our guidance with your local elected officials!!
Education & Safety
Updates to BikeSafetyQuiz Coming Soon!
BikeSafetyQuiz content has remained relatively unchanged over the years. Thanks to a generous donation, we're in the process of updating the Adult Bicyclist, Child Bicyclist, and Motorist quizzes! Updates include:
Colorful photos and graphics
New questions related to e-bikes and infrastructure
More relatable scenarios, not just a focus on Illinois law
‼️ The new quizzes will initially be used by teachers and students related to our BSQ Mini-Grant Program and public-facing versions (in English and Spanish) will be available before the end of 2025.
October 8: Walk and Roll to School Day
Ready, set, go! Register now for the 29th annual National Walk & Roll to School Day on October 8, 2025. Lots of tips and resources are available!
Whether addressing the need to make active routes to school safer or encouraging children to be more active, Walk & Roll to School Day events can be powerful tools to inspire lasting change. Equally important, they are lots of fun! Communities are welcome to celebrate any day in October that best fits their schedules🚶♀️🚲🚶
What an amazing event! From small towns to big cities, people showed up, rode together, and made their communities shine. 💛 💛
The best part? Seeing more and more folks hopping on bikes and finding joy in the ride. That’s what Let’s Ride, Illinois is all about. Check out photos from affiliated rides in this shared photo album.
Thanks to all who participated! We can’t wait to do it again in 2026 🚲 🚲
All Hail the Speed Hump (or do you prefer Speed Bump)
These simple, cheap traffic-calming devices are both effective and wildly popular with (most) residents. Here’s why more cities are going all-in on speed humps. Safety interventions like road diets, bike lanes and automatic red light cameras often trigger fierce opposition from neighbors and business owners; speed humps, on the other hand, tend to be wildly popular among those who live nearby. These pavement treatments not only reduce crashes: They also appeal to the NIMBY instincts of many neighborhood residents 👏👏👏
👉 Check out the recent article from Bloomberg on this topic.
Infrastructure
Grants for Bike Lanes and Trails Deemed Hostile to Cars
The Trump administration canceled grants for street safety measures, pedestrian trails and bike lanes in communities around the country this month, each time offering a simple rationale for yanking back federal aid: the projects aren’t designed for cars 😡
Several projects in Illinois are impacted by the federal government pulling back previously-awarded funds, including funds for engineering and design of the Historic Route 66 Trail's final gaps between Towanda, Lexington and Chenoa. Friends of the Constitution Trail have issued a statement that pushes back on the administration's recent decision. Ride Illinois has contacted IDOT to request assistance to seek alternative approaches to completing this project.
The Grand Illinois Trail (GIT) was conceptualized by the State of Illinois during Governor Edgar’s Administration. Through the actions of IDNR, IDOT, and a coalition of stakeholders throughout northern Illinois, almost 90% of the 530-mile project was designed, funded, and constructed over the initial 10-year period.
Ride Illinois is a member of a coalition strategizing ways to develop the remaining gaps along the GIT. By not investing in trails, the State of Illinois is missing out on revenue generated by those who enjoy outdoor activities and need places to eat, drink, and stay after their adventure. Keep an eye out for updates in future issues of Tailwinds.
Community
Book Recommendation: Major Taylor...
Major Taylor: The Inspiring Story of a Black Cyclist and the Men Who Helped Him Achieve Worldwide Fame is one of those books that you'll likely read in just a few sittings.
With a foreword by World Champion and three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond, this spellbinding saga of fortitude, grace, forgiveness, and a man’s unyielding will to win against the greatest of odds is sure to become an classic that will be enjoyed by everyone.
💡What bike-related books or podcasts do you recommend? From epic adventures to practical advice, to the benefits of biking, there are plenty of options! Send your suggestions to info@rideIllinois.org.
Tips to Start a Bike Bus in Your Community
The roots of the bike bus phenomenon trace back to 2020 in Spain when two teachers decided to accompany nine children to school by bicycle. The rest, they say, is history!
For those intrigued by the movement and eager to implement this positive change in their community, check out this article from Momentum Magazine for key steps to kickstart your own bike bus 😉
Generosity
Affiliated Clubs & Community Organizations
Ride Illinois is grateful to the bicycle clubs and community organizations that support our work. Their efforts at the local level are a critical component to progress at the state level.
Click here to learn about generous clubs and organizations.
Corporate Members
Ride Illinois appreciates the support of businesses, companies, and organizations for their generosity.Click here to learn more about our generous Corporate Members.
Grants & Other Opportunities
2025 Safe Routes to School Program
IDOT is accepting applications for the current cycle of the Safe Routes to School grant program. 12M will be awarded to K-12 schools in Illinois during this cycle. A wealth of information, including webinars, guidance documents, and other resources are available on the SRTS page on the IDOT website. Application deadline is October 15, 2025.
Metro East Park and Recreation District (MEPRD)
The FY2026 Grant Cycle offers four unique funding opportunities for qualifying applicants in Madison and St. Clair Counties, IL. Each grant opportunity is listed below by program name and status. Eligible applicants can receive up to one MEPRD award per grant program, per fiscal year. Application deadline is May 29, 2026.
Events Calendar
🗓 Ride Illinois is pleased to promote the rides and event offered by affiliated bike clubs and community organizations, plus other impactful organizations.
Below are some rides and events we think you'll appreciate:
Ride Illinois recently attended a fundraiser for Equiticity that included a book signing by Charles T. Brown (L) and participated in a 2025 Let's Ride, Illinois community bike ride in Elk Grove Village (R).
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