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Originally Posted by the urban politician
How do we build a city if we only build things where infrastructure exists?
What about new infrastructure investments? Once upon a time we actually did build train lines, sometimes out into prairies. It's how Chicago got built after all.
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We already have a city, we're not creating a new city. We're not the Chicago of 1890. We have a great number of neighborhoods that collapsed during the city-to-suburbs inversion of the post 1950 era. We need to revive the use of lines and stations that were once vibrant and cost next to nothing to maintain compared to building new lines. The City should absolutely be using both carrot and stick to build dense infill near existing stations. The TOD ordinance is a great start, but more can be done. I advocate encouraging increased density in Lincoln Park near rail stations because that's where people want to live, so the City should accommodate that. But I also advocate the City pushing for density near places along the Green and Pink lines so that that underutilized infrastructure can be made more economically self-sustaining.
But the City should also be identifying and preserving future routes to forget enhance transit in the core of the City. Then, as the footprint of the "desirable City" expands and begins to accelerate self-sustaining, organic growth, and as farebox revenues increase at existing stations, the City can better sell the idea of new lines to relieve existing congestion.
I do think there are two routes that should be in planning now, though: the Clinton subway, and some sort of West Loop to Streeterville line. For the latter, I still think the Monroe subway is the better option for truly mass transit, but a BRT solution using fully built out West Loop Transportation Center and Carroll Street, and a push to create a bus-only Lower Michigan all the way to LSD would be excellent projects.
Additionally, the developers of the 78 and Riverside should be engaged to identify cost-effective ways to have mass transit near the east bank of the river.
Goose Island and the North Branch projects need to have some ROW identified and preserved, but infilling existing needs is and should be the priority first.
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Originally Posted by BrinChi
As a Garfield Park resident I 100% agree. It's the main driver that caused me to move here. Between California, Kedzie, and the Conservatory stop there remains a wealth of TOD development opportunity. The city should be doing everything it can to encourage development and make use of this amazing existing infrastructure before even considering a major expansion. Once someone who earns the median income can no longer afford to live near any CTA train station, then it's time to talk about expansion. IMHO.
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East Garfield Park, as well as Austin, should definitely be pushed to be as dense as possible within the TOD distances of it's many existing rail stations. That would do a lot to increase fare revenue for the CTA and help make expansion viable. It would also help slowly squeeze the crime out of the West Side. Which would benefit the entire city.