CHICAGO — Chicago transportation writer John Greenfield is on the mend after an April crash downstate left him seriously injured — and he’s more determined than ever to fight for safer streets for cyclists and pedestrians.
Greenfield, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Streetsblog Chicago, was riding his bike on the sidewalk in Marion, Illinois, when a pickup truck driver passed him and a plastic pipe sticking out of the truck hit him, his family said in April.
The Tribune reported the driver was cited for having an unsecured load.
Greenfield experienced head trauma, and several of his ribs and his clavicle broke. He was placed in a coma for a week, he wrote in a letter to readers last month.
He’s back home in Uptown now after going to rehab and slowly getting back to normal life, he said. He’s still recovering from his injuries and has more medical appointments on the way.
“While I’m relatively lucky with how things worked out, this crash is yet more proof that drivers really need to pay proper attention to how they operate their vehicles,” Greenfield told Block Club in an emailed interview. “Otherwise, obviously, that can cause a lot of harm to other road users.”
Greenfield said the injuries from the crash have seriously affected his personal life and work, but he returned to editing Streetsblog a few weeks ago on a low-key basis. He’s grateful to loved ones and Streetsblog readers and writers for their support, articles and donations to keep the site running the last few months, he said.
“One of the positive things above this challenging experience has been getting a very dramatic reminder of just how supportive my family, friends, co-workers and Streetsblog readers are,” Greenfield said. “More than 50 Streetsblog readers made donations to the site while I was away, which was a huge help in keeping the webpage running. Many more shared kind thoughts on social media.
“Heck, even the Chicago Department of Transportation, the Chicago Transit Authority, and the Illinois Department of Transportation, agencies that I frequently critique on Streetsblog, sent me or tweeted out words of encouragement.”
Greenfield plans to take the CTA and walk around his neighborhood while his vision and concentration improve. He won’t return to cycling until he gets permission from a doctor and feels fully comfortable again, he said.
“But once that happens, I’m confident cycling will once again feel like an efficient and fun way to get around,” he said.
His Surly bike, which he customized and has used for many long rides in the past, is still up and running.
Greenfield has lived in Chicago since 1989, writing extensively about cycling, transportation and bike safety in and around Chicago.
Greenfield and Steven Vance co-founded Streetsblog in 2013. It covers transportation advocacy, street safety and more.
Before Greenfield launched Streetsblog, he and Vance wrote for GridChicago.com. Before that, he worked for the Active Transportation Alliance and as a Chicago Department of Transportation consultant, managing the installation of roughly 3,500 bike parking racks.