Greg Macek
@gmacek.bsky.social
INFP | Enneagram 4 | Runner | Scotch Lover | Amateur Blogger/Writer | Team Nikon | Technology | Psychology | Aspiring transit nerd and regular writer/blogger
Chicago area native/resident. Posts are obviously my own.
https://linktr.ee/gmacek
Chicago area native/resident. Posts are obviously my own.
https://linktr.ee/gmacek
Reposted by Greg Macek
PSA for my fellow Illinois legislative advocates
You want to have your bills filed by 1/14 for the spring session
Draft the change you want to see in the world
Share it will your electeds. You never know, it could become law!
You want to have your bills filed by 1/14 for the spring session
Draft the change you want to see in the world
Share it will your electeds. You never know, it could become law!
December 22, 2025 at 9:07 PM
PSA for my fellow Illinois legislative advocates
You want to have your bills filed by 1/14 for the spring session
Draft the change you want to see in the world
Share it will your electeds. You never know, it could become law!
You want to have your bills filed by 1/14 for the spring session
Draft the change you want to see in the world
Share it will your electeds. You never know, it could become law!
Reposted by Greg Macek
you have to pick your spots but rereporting is good, it adds weight to important stories and keeps them in circulation, plus all this. “everybody knows all this already” is an easy trap to fall into if your job is reading the news
Just watched the whole 60 Minutes CECOT episode. It's a pretty standard segment for 60 Minutes, taking something that's been reported on in other publications and formats and telling it to a wider audience with first person, on camera accounts. It's not earth shattering, but it is newsworthy.
December 23, 2025 at 12:38 AM
you have to pick your spots but rereporting is good, it adds weight to important stories and keeps them in circulation, plus all this. “everybody knows all this already” is an easy trap to fall into if your job is reading the news
Working from home but pretending it's the early 2000s and listening to music from CDs instead of streaming. Unfortunately missing the 50lb CRT on my desk to complete the scene.
December 22, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Working from home but pretending it's the early 2000s and listening to music from CDs instead of streaming. Unfortunately missing the 50lb CRT on my desk to complete the scene.
Reposted by Greg Macek
New from me! Chicago has far too many bus stops to provide efficient service for its riders—nearly twice the national standard. I reimagined what Chicago's bus network could do to make it look like its peers.
citythatworks.substack.com/p/a-plan-for...
citythatworks.substack.com/p/a-plan-for...
A plan for faster buses
We can speed up the bus at (almost) no cost
citythatworks.substack.com
December 22, 2025 at 1:42 PM
New from me! Chicago has far too many bus stops to provide efficient service for its riders—nearly twice the national standard. I reimagined what Chicago's bus network could do to make it look like its peers.
citythatworks.substack.com/p/a-plan-for...
citythatworks.substack.com/p/a-plan-for...
Reposted by Greg Macek
Per NY Times’s Michael Grynbaum on X, this is Sharyn Alfonsi’s email to her “60 Minutes” colleagues in full:
December 22, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Per NY Times’s Michael Grynbaum on X, this is Sharyn Alfonsi’s email to her “60 Minutes” colleagues in full:
Reposted by Greg Macek
Chicago is having none of this administration's BS.
December 20, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Chicago is having none of this administration's BS.
Reposted by Greg Macek
This means density, you know
December 20, 2025 at 4:13 PM
This means density, you know
I bet nothing would satisfy this federal administration until there was either some sort of (armed) personnel on every bus and train car OR transit disappeared. You know, because cars are the better/safer option (they are not.)
Federal Transit Administrator Marc Molinaro said the CTA's increase in security staffing doesn't do enough to target violent crime and ordered the transit agency to draft a new plan by March 19 or lose funding.
Trump administration threatens $50 million CTA funding cut, says security plan is 'materially deficient'
chicago.suntimes.com
December 19, 2025 at 9:42 PM
I bet nothing would satisfy this federal administration until there was either some sort of (armed) personnel on every bus and train car OR transit disappeared. You know, because cars are the better/safer option (they are not.)
Reposted by Greg Macek
My response to anything over the next two weeks
December 18, 2025 at 6:10 PM
My response to anything over the next two weeks
Reposted by Greg Macek
A once-in-a-generation investment that benefits everyone in our state.
Today, I’m proud to sign the Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act into law.
Our new regional authority will modernize Illinois’ transit systems — and we’re doing it with no new statewide taxes.
Today, I’m proud to sign the Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act into law.
Our new regional authority will modernize Illinois’ transit systems — and we’re doing it with no new statewide taxes.
December 16, 2025 at 7:19 PM
A once-in-a-generation investment that benefits everyone in our state.
Today, I’m proud to sign the Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act into law.
Our new regional authority will modernize Illinois’ transit systems — and we’re doing it with no new statewide taxes.
Today, I’m proud to sign the Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act into law.
Our new regional authority will modernize Illinois’ transit systems — and we’re doing it with no new statewide taxes.
Reposted by Greg Macek
NITA needs a moonshot, a keystone capital project to demonstrate what a truly unified transit network can do to connect Chicagoland.
It's time to #BuildTheTunnel.
Read the whitepaper: yardsocial.wordpress.com/wp-content/u...
It's time to #BuildTheTunnel.
Read the whitepaper: yardsocial.wordpress.com/wp-content/u...
December 16, 2025 at 5:46 PM
NITA needs a moonshot, a keystone capital project to demonstrate what a truly unified transit network can do to connect Chicagoland.
It's time to #BuildTheTunnel.
Read the whitepaper: yardsocial.wordpress.com/wp-content/u...
It's time to #BuildTheTunnel.
Read the whitepaper: yardsocial.wordpress.com/wp-content/u...
Reposted by Greg Macek
Trump has pardoned 17 drug dealers and nearly 1600 people who attacked Congress on January 6, 2021.
Johnson: “If you’re going to restore the people’s faith in the justice system, you have to show them that there are serious consequences for people like Jack Smith who abuses that system.”
December 16, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Trump has pardoned 17 drug dealers and nearly 1600 people who attacked Congress on January 6, 2021.
Reposted by Greg Macek
this is not behavior becoming of a FIFA Peace Prize recipient.
December 15, 2025 at 8:18 PM
this is not behavior becoming of a FIFA Peace Prize recipient.
Reposted by Greg Macek
I…did not see the closing sentence of this photo caption coming: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/15/n...
December 16, 2025 at 12:10 AM
I…did not see the closing sentence of this photo caption coming: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/15/n...
This Metra inbound UP-W train is pretty full for a Saturday morning. The people yearn for more trains 🚂
(Also, I will never tire of seeing kids get so excited to look out the window on a train ride. It's adorable.)
(Also, I will never tire of seeing kids get so excited to look out the window on a train ride. It's adorable.)
December 13, 2025 at 5:20 PM
This Metra inbound UP-W train is pretty full for a Saturday morning. The people yearn for more trains 🚂
(Also, I will never tire of seeing kids get so excited to look out the window on a train ride. It's adorable.)
(Also, I will never tire of seeing kids get so excited to look out the window on a train ride. It's adorable.)
Reposted by Greg Macek
Please fill out the surveys. They really do work.
The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning is preparing it's next regional transportation plan. Complete this survey to share your thoughts on the future of transportation in the region. Make sure CMAP knows people want sidewalks, bike lanes and transit. engage.cmap.illinois.gov/2026-rtp/sur...
It's your turn! | Engage with CMAP
Whether you drive, roll, walk, or take public transit, we invite you to share your current experiences and future aspirations getting around northeastern Illinois. By answering the following 20+ quest...
engage.cmap.illinois.gov
December 12, 2025 at 1:34 AM
Please fill out the surveys. They really do work.
In love with this vintage 70s electric fireplace, made by Montgomery Ward. The vibe in my basement are even more immaculate.
December 12, 2025 at 4:27 AM
In love with this vintage 70s electric fireplace, made by Montgomery Ward. The vibe in my basement are even more immaculate.
Reposted by Greg Macek
Next year, many people who rely on our votes - the Governor, MBJ, county executives - will be tasked with appointing the NITA board. Now is the time to start putting political pressure on them to pick members committed to thinking regionally rather than the same old silos that got us into this mess.
What is the best way to move forward on building up that political will? I feel like the project would need to pretty explicitly demonstrate the economic value it’d create as a service multiplier but also most transportation planning in Chicago seems to be top-down vs. this bottom-up approach.
December 10, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Next year, many people who rely on our votes - the Governor, MBJ, county executives - will be tasked with appointing the NITA board. Now is the time to start putting political pressure on them to pick members committed to thinking regionally rather than the same old silos that got us into this mess.
It's also fun to see the CTA holiday train roll in up close!
December 10, 2025 at 11:52 PM
It's also fun to see the CTA holiday train roll in up close!
Hey Santa! 🎅 Seeing the CTA holiday train from above is always a treat
December 10, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Hey Santa! 🎅 Seeing the CTA holiday train from above is always a treat
Rough showings today from 3 of the busiest CTA lines all being under 70% of scheduled trains
System Stats as of Dec 10th at 3pm (actual/scheduled):
System: 71% • 975/1,368
Blue: 64% • 155/241
Brown: 66% • 138/209
Green: 85% • 123/144
Orange: 78% • 135/171
Pink: 82% • 112/135
Purple: 53% • 73/137
Red: 66% • 163/244
Yellow: 87% • 76/87
Runs Remaining: 1,014
System: 71% • 975/1,368
Blue: 64% • 155/241
Brown: 66% • 138/209
Green: 85% • 123/144
Orange: 78% • 135/171
Pink: 82% • 112/135
Purple: 53% • 73/137
Red: 66% • 163/244
Yellow: 87% • 76/87
Runs Remaining: 1,014
December 10, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Rough showings today from 3 of the busiest CTA lines all being under 70% of scheduled trains
Wild that after so many years of being vacant, the former Borders Books in Oak Park will be a bookstore once again, but this time be a Barnes and Noble. Glad to see something finally fill that commercial space.
December 10, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Wild that after so many years of being vacant, the former Borders Books in Oak Park will be a bookstore once again, but this time be a Barnes and Noble. Glad to see something finally fill that commercial space.
Also: you don't need to eat that much food.
December 10, 2025 at 3:09 AM
Also: you don't need to eat that much food.
Reposted by Greg Macek
main economic message from
the president is that you will be poorer and you will like it
the president is that you will be poorer and you will like it
Trump: "You can give up certain products. You could give up pencils. Because under the China policy, every child can get 37 pencils. They only need 1 or 2. They don't need that many. You always need steel. You don't need 37 dolls for your daughter. 2 or 3 is nice. So we're doing things right."
December 10, 2025 at 2:43 AM
main economic message from
the president is that you will be poorer and you will like it
the president is that you will be poorer and you will like it
You know, I'm into this use of AI to auto group and organize my notifications on my Pixel. I like less clutter.
December 9, 2025 at 9:26 PM
You know, I'm into this use of AI to auto group and organize my notifications on my Pixel. I like less clutter.