CHICAGO: Transit Developments

[OhioGuy]

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

Red Line extension to 130th moving forward

http://chicago.curbed.com/2016/9/29/...ago-south-side

I assume the writer simply used the wrong terminology here...

According to the CTA, there are two different ways this extension can be one. One is building light rail on the west side of the existing Union Pacific Railroad line, and the other is to construct the rail on the east side of the tracks. And to help make the final decision, the CTA is asking for feedback from residents.

[chicagopcclcar1]

The Tribune in its afternoon edition.....The CTA is moving forward on plans for the long-discussed extension of the Red Line to 130th Street, which will include a two-month period of public comment.

The next steps are part of a series of requirements before funding can be sought for the project and construction could begin.

[IMG][/IMG]
CTA Artist Drawing Showing Planned 103rd St Station.

[jpIllInoIs]

^ What a massive blowout waste: 2.3b (to start) when the ME runs right by the proposed station stops. i can think of 5 projects that would actually boost ridership, add TOD potential and most importantly add connectivity.
1) extend Green Line along 63rd west to Midway and connect Orange.
2) extend Pink Line to Hines VA Maywood
3) extend Brown Line to Blue Line Montrose
4) build Clinton/Larrabee line including southern leg on Halsted with stop on east side of UIC and at Archer Orange, 31st, 35th, 43rd.
5) Even Gray Line proposal is better use of funds.

[chicagopcclcar1]

Originally Posted by jpIllInoIs

What a massive blowout waste: 2.3b (to start) when the ME runs right by the proposed station stops. i can think of 5 projects that would actually boost ridership, add TOD potential and most importantly add connectivity.

You don't live there!! Metra is not even in the ball park! ME is miles away. ME does not go where the people want to go.

DH

[k1052]

It would seem Rahm intends to run for re-election....

[BVictor1]

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/2016...daniel-burnham

Daniel Burnham's Chinatown-To-Downtown Roadway Is Finally Being Built
By Ed Komenda and David Matthews | September 30, 2016 4:45am | Updated on September 30, 2016 11:06am


CHINATOWN — Daniel Burnham proposed it. Engineers and laborers moved the Chicago River to make room for it.

But more than a century passed before construction got started on a road connecting Chinatown and Downtown.

Work began this week on the long-promised Wells-Wentworth Connector, according to city officials and Ald. Danny Solis (25th).

The new $62 million roadway will realign Wentworth Avenue and Cermak Road, in turn easing congestion for Chinatown and South Loop residents heading Downtown.



Though modest, the project's initial phase near Wentworth and 18th Street is an important first step toward realizing the city's longtime plan to better connect the area just south of Downtown to the city's core.

[CTA Gray Line]

Originally Posted by chicagopcclcar1

You don't live there!! Metra is not even in the ball park! ME is miles away. ME does not go where the people want to go.

DH

I did live there for 58 yrs., and spending $2+Billions on six route miles is criminally ridiculous, and it certainly does nothing for the South Lakefront.

You are entitled to your opinion, just like everybody else is entitled to thiers; and I of course agree with jpillinois.

[CTA Gray Line]

How will the RLE relieve overcrowding on the Red Line? During the many years I boarded at 87th St., most of the time one had to let 2 or more trains pass before there was one with room to board; now there will be no room to board before they even reach 95th!

The RLE still only leaves one South Side 'L' Line South of 63rd, including Metra Electric's lines would provide 3 parallel 'L' Lines all the way downtown. (like the North Side has)

[denizen467]

^ Isn't the yard at 95th St at capacity? So a new, larger yard at the southern terminus would finally allow more frequency during rush hour, presumably.

[CTA Gray Line]

Originally Posted by denizen467

^ Isn't the yard at 95th St at capacity? So a new, larger yard at the southern terminus would finally allow more frequency during rush hour, presumably.

And serving the South Lakefront - Bronzeville, Hyde Park, South Shore, South Chicago, etc., etc.... The RLE obviously goes nowhere near them!

[chicagopcclcar1]

Originally Posted by denizen467

^ Isn't the yard at 95th St at capacity? So a new, larger yard at the southern terminus would finally allow more frequency during rush hour, presumably.

The southern Red line yard is called 98th St. yard. It is filled in non-rush periods, but that's due to the extra cars assigned the line.... leftovers from 5000 series. CTA would say more frequency would depend on getting the "flyover" built at Clark Jct. There is no overcrowding on the Dan Ryan trains anymore despite what another poster says. True, there is space for a yard facility should the extension go to 130th St.

David Harrison

[Tom Servo]

Originally Posted by jpIllInoIs

^ What a massive blowout waste: 2.3b (to start) when the ME runs right by the proposed station stops. i can think of 5 projects that would actually boost ridership, add TOD potential and most importantly add connectivity.
1) extend Green Line along 63rd west to Midway and connect Orange.
2) extend Pink Line to Hines VA Maywood
3) extend Brown Line to Blue Line Montrose
4) build Clinton/Larrabee line including southern leg on Halsted with stop on east side of UIC and at Archer Orange, 31st, 35th, 43rd.
5) Even Gray Line proposal is better use of funds.

Good points. But remember: the CTA is notoriously bad at wasting money on useless projects.

[Jim in Chicago]

Originally Posted by BVictor1

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/2016...daniel-burnham

Daniel Burnham's Chinatown-To-Downtown Roadway Is Finally Being Built
By Ed Komenda and David Matthews | September 30, 2016 4:45am | Updated on September 30, 2016 11:06am


CHINATOWN — Daniel Burnham proposed it. Engineers and laborers moved the Chicago River to make room for it.

But more than a century passed before construction got started on a road connecting Chinatown and Downtown.

Work began this week on the long-promised Wells-Wentworth Connector, according to city officials and Ald. Danny Solis (25th).

The new $62 million roadway will realign Wentworth Avenue and Cermak Road, in turn easing congestion for Chinatown and South Loop residents heading Downtown.



Though modest, the project's initial phase near Wentworth and 18th Street is an important first step toward realizing the city's longtime plan to better connect the area just south of Downtown to the city's core.

I still fail to understand why the connection at Cermak creates that crazy intersection that lines up with nothing, and creating the need to make two turns within just a few feed.. Wouldn't it be better to blow through that surface parking lot next to the CTA tracks, and create clean connection onto and off of the feeder ramp?

[Mr Downtown]

The idea is to create a safer connector between neighborhoods, and serving an expanded Chinatown—not an expressway feeder. The surface parking lot is owned by IDOT, land purchased when the Chinatown feeder was going to go all the way to Wacker & Harrison. The new vision is for a normal street, not a junior expressway. We want Dan Ryan traffic to realize it's on city streets now, and to be split among Canal, Clark, State, and (someday) Wells-Wentworth.

[CTA Gray Line]

Originally Posted by Tom Servo

Good points. But remember: the CTA is notoriously bad at wasting money on useless projects.

The Red Line Extension is like a $500 Hot Dog, so CTA gets to spend $500 "for us", and we should be just sooooooo grateful!

IF somebody is going to spend $500 (or $2.3B) "on me", I want a choice in what it buys; not a $500 Pro Chef Cooking Set when my refrigerator is empty! The RLE is CORPORATE WELFARE for Walsh, Pepper, or whomever made the biggest Campaign Contributions -- and the Public is supposed to be TOO STUPID to be able to recognize that for themselves.

Even a $50 Hot Dog would be a better use of Funds - but we have little or no choice (like Block 37 - and the continued spending even TODAY on the Idiotic "Airport Express" concept -- $2M to Parsons-Brinkerhoff)!

I know one person will say that I'm WRONG, but what do the rest of you think?

[denizen467]

The radio just reported that NICTD is considering double-tracking all the way from Gary to Michigan City.

In fact there seems to be a public meeting on it -- Tuesday night -- in Gary. www.mysouthshoreline.com/news/item/47-double-track-nwi-public-workshops

This could end up being a modest boost to the airport at South Bend too. (And to some extent to the outlet mall in Michigan City.)

[Ryanrule]

Originally Posted by Tom Servo

Good points. But remember: the CTA is notoriously bad at wasting money on useless projects.

privatize it all, right?

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

The idea is to create a safer connector between neighborhoods, and serving an expanded Chinatown—not an expressway feeder. The surface parking lot is owned by IDOT, land purchased when the Chinatown feeder was going to go all the way to Wacker & Harrison. The new vision is for a normal street, not a junior expressway. We want Dan Ryan traffic to realize it's on city streets now, and to be split among Canal, Clark, State, and (someday) Wells-Wentworth.

I've always disagreed with this approach. There's very little traffic on Wentworth south of Cermak - why does it need to connect to anything?

Also, the T intersection of the feeder ramp into Cermak creates very dangerous conditions for pedestrians, especially since there's an L station right there. Lots of turning movements, large trucks, people transferring from bus to train, tourists, students, etc.

I don't see why Wentworth can't be a surface extension of the feeder. Use lane widths and streetscaping treatments to calm traffic. Or, better yet, link the two severed halves of 23rd Street with a new stoplight, and start calming the feeder traffic before it gets to Cermak.

[Jim in Chicago]

Originally Posted by ardecila

I've always disagreed with this approach. There's very little traffic on Wentworth south of Cermak - why does it need to connect to anything?

Also, the T intersection of the feeder ramp into Cermak creates very dangerous conditions for pedestrians, especially since there's an L station right there. Lots of turning movements, large trucks, people transferring from bus to train, tourists, students, etc.

I don't see why Wentworth can't be a surface extension of the feeder. Use lane widths and streetscaping treatments to calm traffic. Or, better yet, link the two severed halves of 23rd Street with a new stoplight, and start calming the feeder traffic before it gets to Cermak.

Thanks. I wasn't arguing that it should be a superhighway, but more that creating an very awkward intersection that requires multiple turns withing a very short distance for those going straight from the feeder onto Wells seems unnecessary, when the land exists to make a clean four-way intersection. I think that idea that the majority of the traffic will continue from Wells onto Wentworth (and the the reverse is a fallacy. Most traffic, IMHO, whether the intent of the project or not, will use the feeder and Wells as a route to Roosevelt and into the loop and the project should acknowledge that.

[Mr Downtown]

But this project is making a clean four-way intersection at Wentworth & Cermak. And shifting that intersection 100 feet west should eliminate a lot of the confusion under the L line. Lots more pedestrians are walking along Wentworth trying to cross Cermak than along the expressway feeder.