Block 37

[Busjack]

Speaking of this fiasco with the Superstation underneath Block 37, Busjack didn't you actually beat the news media to the punch about this at least a couple months ago? At that time it was still at the stage of being rumor.

I did use the term "fiasco" here with regard to someone asking why the Washington station and tunnel were closed.

However, I said 2 years ago on Ask Carole that at the time she was fudging, in light of a CTA contract obligation with the Mills Corporation to start airport service in 2008, when she said that she had no intent on starting direct service (a train restricted to O'Hare riders who would pay $10 to trail a local, supposedly for the privilege of not riding with the proletariat) unless there was a clear path to express service. I might have also thrown in on other forums that plans like that wouldn't work if the main line tracks were out of repair.

I hadn't predicted the cost overrun, although I may have shared the doubt that they would ever find a private partnership to take over that turkey. BusHunter did mention "a financial problem."

[jajuan]

I did use the term "fiasco" here with regard to someone asking why the Washington station and tunnel were closed.

However, I said 2 years ago on Ask Carole that at the time she was fudging, in light of a CTA contract obligation with the Mills Corporation to start airport service in 2008, when she said that she had no intent on starting direct service (a train restricted to O'Hare riders who would pay $10 to trail a local, supposedly for the privilege of not riding with the proletariat) unless there was a clear path to express service. I might have also thrown in on other forums that plans like that wouldn't work if the main line tracks were out of repair.

I hadn't predicted the cost overrun, although I may have shared the doubt that they would ever find a private partnership to take over that turkey. BusHunter did mention "a financial problem."

Ok. I do remember you expressing doubts about this whole thing ever being started and completed as soon as the CTA was saying, which plenty of others shared including myself. I know I remember mention of the financial problems going on with the project on the forum months ago. When the media finally put some attention to that part of the issue, I couldn't help but laugh to myself because I was thinking man these guys are months late on this because I remembered hearing about it here. For some reason I thought you first broke the news about that part of it, but it turned out to be BusHunter. So I'm guessing this means the completion of construction at the site as a whole is stuck in limbo. How does this affect the Washington Red Line station?

[Busjack]

How does this affect the Washington Red Line station?

Good question, that wasn't addressed in the President's Report. All they said was that they were going to finish the shell of the Block 37 station. However, with Daley's after the fact B.S. about technologically obsolete switches and the like, you wonder how they are going to leave the two existing subways.

[BusHunter]

Good question, that wasn't addressed in the President's Report. All they said was that they were going to finish the shell of the Block 37 station. However, with Daley's after the fact B.S. about technologically obsolete switches and the like, you wonder how they are going to leave the two existing subways.

I thought I heard that they were going to continue with the subway connections, but the station itself is what's being put on the shelf. Most likely the station has to be built to at least a shell because when the building's are complete it will be next to impossible to access. The project will finish, it's just a matter of when and who will help fund it. In the meantime everything will remain the same regarding stations.

[Busjack]

How does this affect the Washington Red Line station?

Here is the CTA Tattler's take on that; i.e. "'So basically, we're screwed.'"

Also, another transit Kevin (the third I know about). :lol:

[artthouwill]

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I noticed the boards that made the Washington/State subway station unviewable are now gone. Does this mean the station might reopen?

I found it ironic that the purpose of closing this station was to build a transfer tunnel between the subways, but the only thing I saw that would give a slight hint that this would happen was what appeared to be new signals where the crossover would occur. I was expecting some kind of hole on the west wall of the subway that never materialized, and there is no such hint of anything on the Dearborn subway side either.

[BusHunter]

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I noticed the boards that made the Washington/State subway station unviewable are now gone. Does this mean the station might reopen?

I found it ironic that the purpose of closing this station was to build a transfer tunnel between the subways, but the only thing I saw that would give a slight hint that this would happen was what appeared to be new signals where the crossover would occur. I was expecting some kind of hole on the west wall of the subway that never materialized, and there is no such hint of anything on the Dearborn subway side either.

There has been work being done at the north end of the continuous platform at Wash/Dearborn, a possible access to the actual block 37 site. Other new work was the installation of subway lights on both sides of the Clark/Lake - Dear/Wash tunnels to the stations. Huberman wants to reopen the stations it's only a matter of time.

[BusHunter]

There has been work being done at the north end of the continuous platform at Wash/Dearborn, a possible access to the actual block 37 site. Other new work was the installation of subway lights on both sides of the Clark/Lake - Dear/Wash tunnels to the stations.

In the last two weeks, there's been some progress at the north end of the Washington/Dearborn Blue line station. The platform has been removed at the north end now, with a triangular cut in the end of the platform ( Like something will be turning toward the NB tracks from the SB.) I wonder if this has something to do with Block 37. It would seem that way.

[BusHunter]

In the last two weeks, there's been some progress at the north end of the Washington/Dearborn Blue line station. The platform has been removed at the north end now, with a triangular cut in the end of the platform ( Like something will be turning toward the NB tracks from the SB.) I wonder if this has something to do with Block 37. It would seem that way.

According to an article in the Autumn 2008 issue of first and Fastest, they state the tunnels will be constructed connecting the Block 37 shell with the blue and red. However no tracks will be laid. When a third party joins the project, to help finance it, the tracks will be laid and the station built. They also state the new signaling put in on the Kennedy end is now capable to take on express service, when that does happen. I understand that the signals now are equipped for bi- directional service. So I wonder is it CTA's intent to send expresses on opposing trackage when passing a local.