The Official Illinois and Chicago Transportation Thread

[Wu-Gambino]

I'm confused on the Brown Line situation, is it closed temporarily or permanatly?

Also, why doesn't the CTA put stops at Union Station and the United Center?

[chicagogeorge]

^
I am on it every day. I live a block away. It is not closed. Some stops are closed for renovation.

CTA dail ridership (both the "L" and bus service): 1.2 million
Metra ridership: 350,000

[Wu-Gambino]

Ok, I thought I read somewhere the entire line was closed.

[pottebaum]

I found what the cuts would be from an old thread around here:

- Eliminating 30 bus routes.

- 21.5 percent reduction in bus service hours with 415 fewer buses on the street.

-11 percent reduction in rail service hours.

-Eliminating 21 weekend bus routes and shortening 9 other routes.

-Cutting service on the Red and Blue lines between 1 and 4 a.m., and on the Brown and Orange lines from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

-Eliminating 1,000 union jobs, mostly bus drivers and L train operators.


------------------------

So, they're voting on this sometime this year, right? God, I hope these cuts don't go through...

[aion26]

But that was for the proposed cuts that were to take place in January, that never occured. If they were to cut service now, the cuts would be different as it is now March, and they have run for over two months well over budget.

[pottebaum]

Ahh, I see. So, if they decided to cut services sometime this year, would they be permanent, or just a monthly thing? When are they meeting again to discuss this?

[BVictor1]

Jon Hilkevitch
Brown Line project faces more criticism
High cost of plan will shut 15 stations

Published March 7, 2005

The Chicago Transit Authority's $530 million Brown Line rehabilitation project is barely under way, but it's already time for an important update: Be careful what you wish for.

Fifteen Brown Line stations will be temporarily closed--some for a year--despite CTA promises made during years of planning that all stations would remain open.

Not a single construction contractor has been willing to take on the project at the price budgeted by the CTA. As a result, the transit agency is cutting $152 million in amenities, including saving $22 million by temporarily closing stations to speed up the work.

CTA Brown Line riders, meanwhile, are effectively being told by agency officials at community meetings to shoulder the burden of poor planning--or do without such extras as escalators, bicycle racks and weather-protection canopies on the platforms of the renovated stations.

The correct CTA response would've been: This project is turning into a mess, but it's not too late to set things right.

More people are questioning the Brown Line project. Doubts about the costs-vs.-benefits have long been expressed by watchdog organizations including the Transit Riders Authority and the Neighborhood Capital Budget Group. But now others, including the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, traditionally a staunch booster of big civic endeavors, don't like what they are seeing.

"We have to start questioning whether it is smart to be making investments like the Brown Line," said Jerry Roper, president and chief executive officer at the Chicagoland Chamber. "One billion trips were made on transit in Chicago 100 years ago. We are not carrying anywhere near that number today. ... If Daniel Burnham walked onto the stage and looked at some of our recent decisions, he would say, `Hey, guys, this is not what I meant.' "

CTA Chairman Carole Brown again apologized last week for the giant missteps on the rail project. Brown told a community meeting at Lane Tech High School Wednesday night that the agency never should have promised to keep all Brown Line stations open. She vowed to see what could be done to shorten the duration of the closings.

"The CTA should be ashamed of itself about how it handled this crisis," Ald. Gene Schulter (47th) told Brown and CTA staffers attending the meeting. "All the communities deserve better treatment."

Many critics want to know why the Brown Line project has ballooned into the single most expensive capital investment in CTA history. There is no question that the stations, built starting in the late 1800s, must be enhanced to meet the accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and that some upgrades to the rail infrastructure are also needed.

Riders want to be able to pass through clean and safe stations, but they don't live at the stations.

Why spend so much money on aesthetics to renovate--but not extend--a century-old line on which trains are packed only a couple hours each weekday? Less-expensive strategies exist to increase capacity to carry more riders during the morning and evening rushes. Transit history books will show you that the spacing between trains was tighter many decades ago than it is today.

Most important, CTA officials need to show that they understand the impact of their decisions on riders and residents, and that they are able to make the right calls, the critics say.

Michael Motyka bought a house in the Ravenswood Gardens neighborhood in 1999 and his family relies on the Brown Line's Rockwell station for their transportation.

"We have worked hard with our neighbors to improve the area," Motyka said. "With the help of Ald. Schulter, we successfully fought to push gang and drug activity out of the area along the Rockwell business strip near the station, replacing boarded-up storefronts with family friendly businesses. These shops and cafes are now the anchor of our wonderful neighborhood, helping keep it safe."

Motyka and thousands of others who live near Brown Line stations say they fear that even temporary station closings would diminish the foot traffic on their streets, force some businesses to close and spur more crime.

"I urge the CTA to reconsider their plans and to find a way that takes into consideration the overall welfare of the citizens it serves," Motyka said.

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Contact Getting Around at jhilkevitch@tribune.com or c/o the Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611. Read recent Getting Around columns at www.chicagotribune.com/go/gettingaround.

[Kevin J]

Originally Posted by pottebaum

Ahh, I see. So, if they decided to cut services sometime this year, would they be permanent, or just a monthly thing? When are they meeting again to discuss this?

If CTA doesn't get a cash infusion from the state legislature when it meets in the spring session, they will have to make permanent cuts that are even more severe than the ones that were planned for January. No decision will be made until the state legislature determines how much money, if any, it will send CTA's way. I believe the legislature starts meeting again later in March.

[pottebaum]

I really hope the legislature gives the CTA more money. Does it look good or bad at this point?

[oshkeoto]

"Cutting service on the Red and Blue lines between 1 and 4 a.m., and on the Brown and Orange lines from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m."

Cutting service as in, eliminating it? Or just reducing frequency?

[chicagogeorge]

Originally Posted by Naptown

Ok, I thought I read somewhere the entire line was closed.

Hey Im gonna be in Indi. for the mini Marathon in May. I ran it last year- had a great time.!

[aion26]

You know as much as Springfield hates us, I'm pretty sure that completely decimating public transport in Chicago is probably not what any of them want to be known for. It will get sorted out.

[Kevin J]

Originally Posted by oshkeoto

"Cutting service on the Red and Blue lines between 1 and 4 a.m., and on the Brown and Orange lines from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m."

Cutting service as in, eliminating it? Or just reducing frequency?

Eliminating.

[itsnotrequired]

The CTA released their report on possible service cuts today.

http://www.transitchicago.com/news/m...dScenarios.pdf

My personal favorites are possible fare increases to $2.50 or the elemination of the Purple Line Express trains.

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by aion26

You know as much as Springfield hates us, I'm pretty sure that completely decimating public transport in Chicago is probably not what any of them want to be known for. It will get sorted out.

Since CTA is part of RTA and RTA is area wide (and even CTA serves some surburbs), it this less of a case of Springfield hating us or of us hating ourselves. The vast, vast majority of Illinoisians are in the Chgo area. Population wise, downstate is a rather powerless after thought.

[pottebaum]

Ohhh...

I really hope the state bails the CTA out of this one.

[Kevin J]

Originally Posted by edsg25

Since CTA is part of RTA and RTA is area wide (and even CTA serves some surburbs), it this less of a case of Springfield hating us or of us hating ourselves. The vast, vast majority of Illinoisians are in the Chgo area. Population wise, downstate is a rather powerless after thought.

I think it's more than just Chicago vs. downstate. The suburbs form another political bloc. Although CTA does serve some suburbs, the vast majority of suburban Chicagoland is served only by Metra and Pace. And even in some of the suburbs served by CTA, residents are just as likely to use Metra as CTA (e.g. Oak Park, Evanston). The Metra and Pace administrators and other suburban politicos see transport funding as a zero-sum game. They are convinced that any additional help to CTA will take money out of the pockets of Metra and Pace. Thus, despite different motivations, the downstaters and suburbs are united in stinginess toward CTA, just as they join to fight Chicago on everything.

[pottebaum]

5 horror scenarios for salvaging CTA
Board set to hear scary alternatives

By Jon Hilkevitch
Tribune transportation reporter
Published March 9, 2005





Five painful scenarios outlining deep CTA service cuts and fare increases will be presented Wednesday to the transit agency's board as it develops a contingency plan to take effect July 1 if the General Assembly does not boost transit funding, officials said Tuesday.

CTA officials have used the prospect of an impending transit crisis--unsuccessfully so far--to sharpen funding pressure on the legislature, which is grappling with a $1.1 billion state deficit in the next fiscal year.

CTA president Frank Kruesi, who advised his board in December to postpone service cuts set for January in the hope lawmakers would approve funding this spring, insists he is not bluffing.

Kruesi and CTA chairman Carole Brown said the transit agency would have no other choice this time except to cut service, raise fares or do both.

Legislative action on transit funding, if it occurs, might not develop for several months. The CTA board, however, must approve a contingency plan by April to leave enough time to implement service cuts or other changes by summer.

"These are all ugly scenarios, but we are in a bind here," said a CTA board member who did not want to be identified. "We have to find a way to convince the legislators to give the CTA more money."

The January service cuts would need to be doubled--to about a 40 percent reduction in bus and rail schedules--to whittle down a projected $55 million deficit for the year.

CTA officials declined to disclose details of the five scenarios until Wednesday. But they said the service cuts would eliminate dozens of bus routes, slash overnight and weekend service on both rail lines and most bus routes, and scuttle more than 1,500 CTA jobs.

A second option--increasing fares--would not be limited to a 25-cent hike in the $1.75 base fare, according to officials familiar with the plan prepared by the CTA staff. CTA fares were last raised in January 2004.

Raising the base fare by 25 cents would generate about $25 million annually, or about half that amount this year if imposed in July. Other fare-hike options will be presented, but each case would cause a loss in riders, officials said.

The three other scenarios involve significant increases in passenger-waiting times between buses or trains; a combination of service cuts and fare increases; and a mixture of service cuts and longer waiting times, the officials said.

They indicated that fare increases would reduce the severity of service cuts and enable the CTA to provide at least a semblance of existing service, especially during peak commuting hours. But CTA officials warned customers would face longer walks to make connections between buses and trains.

CTA board members, angered over missteps made by the agency's staff in managing the $530 million Brown Line renovation, pointedly directed the planning staff to stay away from issuing recommendations on possible service cuts or fare hikes. The staff was told to stick with providing factual data to the board.

The CTA board is also expected to approve a contract with a consulting firm Wednesday to work on reducing the agency's expenses and identify new ways to save money. The contract is part of Kruesi's strategy to demonstrate to lawmakers that the CTA is working hard to eliminate waste and redundancies.

Yet no specific sources to enhance transit funding have garnered political support. Suburban mayors and officials at Metra, the commuter railroad, are worried that lawmakers from Chicago will try to reslice the existing funding pie--helping the CTA at Metra's expense.

The only transit funding proposal offered to date has received little support. Gov. Rod Blagojevich has called on lawmakers to tax business purchases of software to fund a CTA bailout, but the business community has lobbied hard against the proposed tax.

Lawmakers are expected to consider a range of alternatives, including changes in the Regional Transportation Authority formula that funds mass transit in northeastern Illinois. About half the transit funding in the region comes from sales-tax collections in the six-county area, doled out in varying amounts to the CTA, Metra and Pace.
-----------------------------------------

40% reduction of services?!!?!!?!?! If this goes through, Im gonna go crazy.

[itsnotrequired]

Some further highlights from the different scenarios:

Route Elimination
- 65 bus routes totally eliminated
- no service on Blue or Red from 1-4 AM
- Purple Express trains eliminated (local service in Evanston remains)
- No service on other rail lines past 10 pm, many bus routes scaled back as well
-wait times for both buses and trains increased
Quote:
"The furthest locations from the Loop will face the most difficult service problems. Elimination of routes on the far northwest, southwest and southeast side will leave customers without transit alternatives. For example, the elimination of the #30 South Chicago, #100 Jeffery Manor Express, #103West 103rd, #106 East 103rd and #111 Pullman/111th/115th leaves sections of the area with walking distances of up to four miles to the nearest bus."

Long Wait Times
- all bus routes and bus operating hours remain at current levels
- no service on Blue or Red from 1-4 AM
- Purple Express trains eliminated (local service in Evanston remains)
- no service on other rail lines past 12:30 AM
- wait times increased by over 100% on some lines
Quote:
"In the morning rush hour, waiting times on the #14 Jeffery Express will triple. Waiting times on the #20 Madison bus route, the #147 Outer Drive Express bus route and the Green Line will double. Keep in mind that for these examples, vehicles are currently operating at capacity."

Fares Only
- option 1: base fare raised to $2.50
- option 2: base fare raised to $2.10, peak fare raised to $3.00
- option 3: base bus fare raised to $2.15, base rail fare raised to $3.40

Gridlock + Fare
- same cuts as proposed in January plus raising base fare to $2.00

Modified Sunday Schedule
- only bus routes with Sunday service would operate on Saturdays and weekdays
- hours expanded/vehicles added on weekdays for rush hour
- 54 weekday routes totally eliminated
- no service on Blue or Red from 1-4 AM
- Purple Express trains eliminated (local service in Evanston remains)
- no service on other rail lines past 12:30 AM


If anything passes, I'm betting it is the "Gridlock + Fare" scenario. This seems to be the most balanced of the plans. Still a kick in the face though. The most frustrating would probably be the "Long Wait Times" scenario. For routes that are already at capacity, how would anyone get anywhere during rush hour. Imagine waiting even longer for a full bus only to find out you can't get on it. Repeat for a good hour. Pointless. The El platforms would become a real hazard as well.

[pottebaum]

We should make a new poll; Do you think the state will help the CTA out?