Tcmetro

Route 206 question: Is there any reasoning the split route on Dodge and Ridge? Seems like the Ridge service is a 201 that skips Downtown Evanston and runs in the reverse-commute direction. I guess I'm also curious to the need for the 206 as it basically overlaps the 93 and 97. Is there that much demand for a service from Dodge Ave to the Howard Red Line?

I picked up a copy of the July map at the train station (not online yet) and it does not show the Englewood Red Line service. It does, however, have the service additions on the 62, 63W, 70, and 152.

Streetsblog has an article about the 31. The pilot is up next month so some community members went to today's board meeting to advocate for a service expansion. Alderman is against the 31 bus. https://chi.streetsblog.org/2018/08/15/near-south-siders-urge-the-cta-to-expand-not-cancel-31st-street-bus-service/ I created a line graph to show the ridership trends of the route. The ridership is highly correlated with the IIT class schedule.

CTA has awarded the contract for the renovations of the Grand, Chicago, and Division stations. https://www.transitchicago.com/cta-awards-contract-for-modernization-of-grand-chicago-and-division-blue-line-stations/

CTA service alert for Ogden and Paulina has an end date of Monday, Aug. 20, 2018 now. I walked past the other day and Paulina more or less looked ready to go while there was a little more work to be done at the Ogden house. I wonder if the elevator is ready for primetime. https://www.transitchicago.com/travel-information/alert-detail/?AlertId=42220 EDIT: This alert claims ADA accessibility at all three entrances, so the elevator is opening. https://www.transitchicago.com/travel-information/alert-detail/?AlertId=51223

I'm surprised about the logistical issues with upgrading a handful of bus stops. Par for the course with public works however.

Pace 612 information: http://www.pacebus.com/sub/schedules/route_detail.asp?RouteNo=612

Interesting. Thanks for the insights. I don't live in that part of town so I don't really get a good look at how operations are on the ground at peak hours.

I'm surprised at how slow moving this line is. Many of the stations haven't started construction at all. Those that have started only seem to have new curbs poured, and little to no platform work, aside from subsurface aggregate. I wonder if construction is going to ramp up this season or be pushed out to next year.

If you take a look at the timetables, the 156 is faster than the 134 at peak to/from LaSalle St. I suppose the 134 also makes a stop at Wacker and Columbus, but I am not sure if this really warrants a separate service.

Saw a "1 Indiana/Hyde Park” on a 7900 series the other day.

Hey Busjack, looked into it some more. Here is Cook County's report on the TIF and who received how much of the $40 million. https://www.cookcountyclerk.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/2017 Transit TIF RPM1 Fact Sheet_0.pdf Here is the County's FAQ sheet about how TIF works in general. https://www.cookcountyclerk.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/2017 TIF FAQs.pdf The relevant quote about how normal TIFs do not return any increment is on page 5: -- Specific to the Red Line Phase 1 costs, the TIF redevelopment plan estimates land acquisition and demolition at ~$31 million, for what it's worth. https://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/dcd/tif/RPM_RDP.pdf - page 24

One of the big concerns about TIF in the past was that it captured the entire increment, essentially freezing collections that non-TIF bodies (i.e. city general fund, school dist, park dist, mosquito control dist, water treatment dist, etc) receive. The new Transit TIF allocates the entire share of the base and the increment to CPS, while other governmental bodies receive their entire base value as well as 20% of the increment. This basically reduces the amount of money for transit in comparison to a normal TIF, but allows other units to keep up with development and inflation so as to not be strained by the increased demand for public services. As for the article, the $15 million generated for transit was likely eaten up by the demolition and acquisition or administrative costs or is just sitting in the account in anticipation of paying the construction costs.

Irving Park Blue Line (Pulaski side) is having the escalator removed and replaced with stairs. Supposedly the new stairs will be replaced with an escalator when money permits. https://www.transitchicago.com/travel-information/alert-detail/?AlertId=49936

This is the same reason that WMATA gave for not running 8-car trains all the time a few years ago. I'm not sure if they upgraded their power system, but I do believe they have cut frequencies which may allow for 8-car operations at peak.