CHICAGO: Transit Developments

[ardecila]

nvm

[N830MH]

Originally Posted by sammyg

Wisconsin is trying to connect to the stronger Chicago market. Illinois probably doesn't want that to happen, to keep business in state.

Probably not. I don't think they go for it. I think commuter rail is staying in Illinois.

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Absolutely.

Think about how it would affect Illinois if well paid professionals were a reasonable commuter rail ride from the Loop but lived in Milwaukee instead of Chicago. Will be even more appealing if JB gets his new income tax increase.

I don't think its happening anytime soon. They can not go to Wisconsin. Too far! Too expensive!

Originally Posted by sammyg

Wisconsin income tax would still be higher for people earning > $50,000, so well paid professionals wouldn't go anywhere. It's the businesses that would move up.

Yes, it is! It's too extremely expensive! I don't think they go for it. Commuter rail is here to stay in Illinois, not go to Wisconsin. Too far!

[aaron38]

Lincoln Park residents divided on Dickens Avenue greenway
The route would provide a safe bike path between Clybourn Avenue and the Lincoln Park Zoo

https://chicago.curbed.com/2019/9/3/...venue-greenway

[aaron38]

The CTA's Secret 9th Line: The Brownge Line
How the CTA and Metra each operate a color-changing rail line every day, unbeknownst to almost anyone who doesn't utilize them regularly
https://www.metroblog.us/2019/08/the...wnge-line.html

Saw this on Reddit the other day, had never heard of this before. Anyone here use this?

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by aaron38

The CTA's Secret 9th Line: The Brownge Line
How the CTA and Metra each operate a color-changing rail line every day, unbeknownst to almost anyone who doesn't utilize them regularly
https://www.metroblog.us/2019/08/the...wnge-line.html

Saw this on Reddit the other day, had never heard of this before. Anyone here use this?

i rode the brownge line last summer to get from my home in lincoln square (rockwell stop) down to MDW for a morning flight.

a fairly long trip, but at least it was a one-seat ride, which i can't do for ORD (i have to take the montrose bus out to the blue line).

[sammyg]

Originally Posted by aaron38

The CTA's Secret 9th Line: The Brownge Line
How the CTA and Metra each operate a color-changing rail line every day, unbeknownst to almost anyone who doesn't utilize them regularly
https://www.metroblog.us/2019/08/the...wnge-line.html

Saw this on Reddit the other day, had never heard of this before. Anyone here use this?

I occasionally end up on one when I ride the Brown Line to the Loop. It's no different, except it goes to Clark and Lake instead of Washington and Wells.

[Mr Downtown]

Hmmm. Mayor Lightfoot is not in favor of Cook County's plan to lower fares and increase service on both the Metra Electric and Rock Island lines, saying it could harm CTA.

I'm puzzled by her opposition, as I thought the county had figured out the subsidy transfers necessary for this to work.

[k1052]

This is a disappointing development. Though not entirely unexpected.

I'd expect the CTA recommended that she not support the initiative because everybody's gotta protect their turf even at the cost of better service for the public.

[ardecila]

Ugh. Why did I ever get optimistic about this?

Combine the insane turf battles of American transit with a very personal feud between Lightfoot and Preckwinkle and you get this result.

[TR Devlin]

Meagan McNeal on the Green Line:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2hjiohH...eo_watch_again

[the urban politician]

Greg Hinz with and editorial on this very topic:

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/greg...rd-unity-train

[OhioGuy]

A new State/Lake station was announced 2 years ago next month. I haven’t heard much lately on any progress. Anyone know what’s the latest news?

[ardecila]

The last update in the city's procurement database for the design contract (Spec #579313) shows that the project is in "contract negotiations" as of 11/30/18, with no further updates. It's possible they picked a design team, but they made an executive decision to put the project on pause and avoid formally awarding the contract until the new mayor's administration had a chance to weigh in. FYI, Lightfoot has still not chosen a commissioner for CDOT.

One interesting tidbit I found in the solicitation is that part of the scope requested the design team to consider creating a single "Lake" station with platforms roughly centered on Dearborn. This new station would take over the existing connections to the Blue Line from the old Clark/Lake and include new transfers to the Red Line at the former location of State/Lake. The transfer walks wouldn't be short, but they would be entirely in-system. Reducing the number of station stops would continue the process of streamlining operations on the Loop in order to push more trains through. This isn't the firm direction though, it's still possible that they could continue the existing two-station arrangement.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by ardecila

One interesting tidbit I found in the solicitation is that part of the scope requested the design team to consider creating a single "Lake" station with platforms roughly centered on Dearborn. This new station would take over the existing connections to the Blue Line from the old Clark/Lake and include new transfers to the Red Line at the former location of State/Lake. The transfer walks wouldn't be short, but they would be entirely in-system. Reducing the number of station stops would continue the process of streamlining operations on the Loop in order to push more trains through. This isn't the firm direction though, it's still possible that they could continue the existing two-station arrangement.

^ If the station is centered on Dearborn, that would clear up sight lines on State St, which I recall us discussing before. Wow that would be nice

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ If the station is centered on Dearborn, that would clear up sight lines on State St, which I recall us discussing before. Wow that would be nice

Not necessarily, it would depend on what kind of structure they build for the transfer connection to the Red Line. There might still be some stair/elevator towers in or around State Street.

One nice advantage of the one-station scheme is that both Clark/Lake and State/Lake could continue operating seamlessly during the construction.

[OhioGuy]

In this article about a proposed hotel in the Fulton Market area, there was this little nugget:

After the meeting, Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. (27th) said the developer agreed to pay for a left-turning traffic light at Lake and Halsted.

He said he will also encourage CDOT and Mayor Lori Lightfoot to consider reopening the Halsted “L” stop.

Morgan is only 4 blocks west of Halsted. If there’s concern walking 4 blocks is too much, the Morgan platform extends east far enough to have a new entry with controlled faregates between Sangamon and Peoria. That could cut the walk down to about 2.5 blocks from Halsted and would presumably be much less costly than another infill station. Unless the freeway is capped and developers are offered the opportunity to build above if they contribute to a station at Halsted... that might make a Halsted station more reasonable to handle the demand in between Clinton and Morgan.

[OhioGuy]

NORTHERN INDIANA COMMUTER TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT ANNOUNCES FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION APPROVAL TO ENTER ENGINEERING FOR THE WEST LAKE CORRIDOR PROJECT
07 OCT 2019

The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD), operator of the South Shore Line railroad, announced today that it is able to begin the design and engineering phase of the West Lake Corridor Project after receiving approval to enter the New Starts Engineering phase of the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) Capital Investment Grant program.

"Extending rail service will save Hoosiers both time and money - but it's also a critical part of our efforts to strengthen our economy and attract new residents," Gov. Eric J. Holcomb said. "I'm grateful that local, state and federal leaders have come together to connect northwest Indiana to the nation's third-largest city and beyond so that our workforce and our businesses will be able to mutually grow."

Project maps available here.

[k1052]

CTA State/Lake replacement station got a big CMAQ grant. Hopefully edging closer to some actual construction.

http://https://chi.streetsblog.org/2...hair-friendly/

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning announced earlier this week that it is awarding $56.9 million of the region’s $225.7 million allotment of federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funds to the project.

The $56.9 million CMAQ grant won’t cover the full cost of construction. The press release says “The full cost of the new station will not be determined until the design process progresses, but it is expected that it will exceed the construction cost of the new station at Washington/Wabash of $75 million.” The city previously won a $5.5 million federal grant to bankroll the design of State/Lake.

Not mentioned in this article but Metra also got CMAQ money to repower the F59PHIs it bought from Amtrak with Tier 3 engines. Can't happen soon enough IMO. I imagine they'll also use incoming capital money to exercise all the SD70MACH options which will push out another 40 Tier 0 locomotives from Metra's roster.

[ardecila]

News sources like to make hay out of these announcements, but due to the piecemeal way our infrastructure is funded it doesn't necessarily mean the project is fully green-lit.

Also exciting to me is money being allocated to the Bus Priority Zones - real bus lanes on Chicago Ave thru River North with battery-electric technology implemented on the entire route. Also signal priority and queue jump lanes on sections of 79th, Western, Pulaski, Halsted, and Belmont. Rahm allocated $5m to this near the end of his term, but now that's being followed up with another $17m.

Also there is $13m being allocated to a reconstruction of the Pedway, which is welcome news... although it always seemed more like a maintenance and security challenge than an infrastructural one.

[orulz]

Originally Posted by k1052

CTA State/Lake replacement station got a big CMAQ grant. Hopefully edging closer to some actual construction.

http://https://chi.streetsblog.org/2...hair-friendly/

The CMAQ grant was 2 years ago.... in 2017