Start with your neighborhood: strongtownschicago.org/chicago-crash-dashboard
And for the bigger picture on how American streets got this way, pick up "Confessions of a Recovering Engineer" by Charles Marohn.
Every one of these numbers is someone who deserved to get home safe.
The question is where they're first needed most. Strong Towns Chicago's Crash Dashboard maps every crash by severity with trend charts and filters for pedestrians, cyclists, and hit-and-runs. It works on your phone too, so bring it to your next community meeting.
These are preventable losses. Protected bike lanes, signal retiming, curb extensions, speed reduction. We know these interventions work. They're quick to implement and cost effective.
www.strongtowns.org/journal/2025...
Traffic violence is one of the most consistent and predictable public safety threats in Chicago, but it rarely gets treated that way. In 2025: 107,834 crashes, 91 fatalities, 24,743 injuries.
Using the Federal Highway Administration's KABCO methodology, the estimated societal cost is $8.7 billion.
There were 32,660 hit-and-runs in Chicago last year. Nearly a third of all crashes. Behind every one of those numbers, someone's life was changed.
A Strong Towns Chicago volunteer put all of it on a dashboard. 🧵
This podcast episode features the NFPA itself presenting both sides. Worth a listen.
Recommended reading: www.pew.org/en/research-...
Recommended podcast episode: www.nfpa.org/news-blogs-a...
We built an interactive tool that shows you exactly how much space gets lost, floor by floor, in 2D and 3D.
Try it, share it, and send it to your alder.
strongtownschicago.org/single-stair
Is it safe? Seattle, New York, Austin, and Honolulu already allow single stair buildings with sprinklers.
Sprinklers and smoke alarms reduce fire spread beyond the room of origin from about 46% to 2%. (per AIA Austin fire safety analysis)
Under current code, each unit on that floor is about 600 sf with 1 bedroom.
With single stair reform: 764 sf and 2 bedrooms. Same building, same lot. Just one stairway instead of two. Ask yourself which one you'd rather live in.
On a typical 25-foot lot, those two stairways consume 328 square feet per floor. That's 27% of each floor, gone.
The result: smaller, darker apartments with fewer bedrooms.
Chicago requires two stairways in apartment buildings above two stories, even small ones on standard 25-foot lots.
That rule eats up a lot of space. We built a tool that shows exactly how much 🧵
Join us for a happy hour and panel on land value taxes on 4/30. Panel will feature former Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist, Chief Economist at Redfin Daryl Fairweather, Executive Director of Center for Land Economics Greg Miller, and others. Link in comments!
Go find your ward. You might be surprised what you've been missing 👀
Not sure which ward you're in? Find your alder here: chicago.councilmatic.org/council-members/
And check out NWNA's (@nwnachicago.org) newsletter hub to subscribe to yours: nwnachicago.org/knowledge_hub__ward_newsletters.php
🔧 We built a fix 🔍
One place to see your alder's newsletters, search by keyword, and browse other wards too.
Want to see what your alder has said about a new development? Or compare how different wards are handling the same topic?
Now you can!
strongtownschicago.org/chicago-alderman-newsletters
The catch? You can only see the ones you subscribe to. Finding others means digging through various ward websites.
And searching old newsletters for a specific topic? Good luck unless you've been logging them yourself 😅
These things are packed. Business openings, construction updates, safety alerts, volunteer opportunities, community events 📬
Pound for pound, these are the most efficient way to stay informed about your neighborhood.
Did you know most Chicago alders send regular updates directly to residents, and most people have no idea?
Enter: the ward newsletter 🧵
Ready to move forward? Chicago Cityscape has a directory of ADU designers who can help you plan a project:
www.chicagocityscape.com/adu/servicep...
Thinking about building one? Check if your specific property is eligible:
Chicago Cityscape (@chicagocityscape.com): www.chicagocityscape.com/adu/
City of Chicago: www.chicago.gov/city/en/site...
Want to understand how the permanent ADU program actually works? Who's eligible, what you can build, and what the process looks like?
Read the AHIL (@abundanthousingil.bsky.social) FAQ: abundanthousingillinois.org/resources/ac...
Read the city's own page: www.chicago.gov/city/en/site...
🔧 That 60% can keep growing. The eligibility area expands every time another alderperson opts their ward in. We built a tool that tracks which wards are in and which aren't. See where yours stands: www.strongtownschicago.org/adu-opt-in-d...
ADUs are now legal in 60% of Chicago, up from just 12% during the pilot phase.
That means coach houses, garden units, and basement conversions can now be built across most of the city. This is one of the biggest housing policy shifts in years.
📸 BLDG PROJ
The BUILD Plan and other reforms have been proposed to update the zoning code.
Send this tool to your alder and ask them what they're doing to make it easier for regular people to start businesses and build housing in your neighborhood.
60% of new homes built in Chicago since 2006 went up in just 5 neighborhoods: Near North Side, Near West Side, the Loop, West Town, and Near South Side.
Zoning reform could help the rest of the city grow too. See how your neighborhood compares.
Want to open a restaurant or small grocery on a residential street in Chicago?
Right now that likely requires a special use permit, including a public hearing, certified mail to every property owner within 250 ft, a $525 fee, and 3-4 months of waiting. It doesn't have to be this hard.
🔧 What's Banned on Your Block?
41% of Chicago's land is zoned for single-family homes or two-flats only. That limits housing options and makes it harder for regular people to start businesses.
Enter your address and see what's restricted on your block.
www.strongtownschicago.org/whats-banned...
Do you really know the city of Chicago's financial position? Where the car crashes in your neighborhood keep happening? Which alders are blocking housing reform?
Our volunteers built 11 free tools to dig into questions like these. Starting tomorrow, we're spotlighting one at a time. 🔧
And remember to Vote for Chicago in the Final Four of the Nationwide Strongest Town Contest! Today is the last full day of voting!
We're up against three towns/cities in Wisconsin, which should give everyone in Chicago extra incentive to vote!
www.strongesttown.com
🚇 New episode! We sat down with Acting CTA President Nora Leerhsen to talk about the future of transit in Chicago. Where the CTA is headed, what riders can expect, and why public transit matters for building a stronger city.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts!
www.strongtownschicago.org/podcast
