jajuan Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Okay. Why would the CTA need to detour the southside Lake Shore express routes via State and 31st streets and over their regular routes on Lake Shore if Columbus is only closed starting at Roosevelt going north? This makes little sense when past detours have been to operate on Michigan and Roosevelt to get to Columbus and the Drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam92 Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Okay. Why would the CTA need to detour the southside Lake Shore express routes via State and 31st streets and over their regular routes on Lake Shore if Columbus is only closed starting at Roosevelt going north? This makes little sense when past detours have been to operate on Michigan and Roosevelt to get to Columbus and the Drive. I've been thinking the same thing. Or at least I-55 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Okay. Why would the CTA need to detour the southside Lake Shore express routes via State and 31st streets and over their regular routes on Lake Shore if Columbus is only closed starting at Roosevelt going north? This makes little sense when past detours have been to operate on Michigan and Roosevelt to get to Columbus and the Drive. The official alert doesn't so say, but only has various references to boarding on State north of Roosevelt. However, if they were going to maintain any semblance of express service, they wouldn't allow boarding south of Roosevelt in any event. The suspicious thing is that they also seem to want to get buses off Michigan, too, in that the #6 and #26 have such references as: #6 Jackson Park Express Board northbound buses on State between Roosevelt and Jackson, and on Jackson between State and Michigan. Board southbound buses on State between Balbo and Roosevelt. #26 South Shore Express Board northbound buses on State between Roosevelt and Jackson, and on Jackson between State and Michigan. Board southbound buses on Adams between Michigan and State, and on State between Adams and Roosevelt. The implication is that they are going on Michigan north of Adams or Jackson, but not south of there. However, at least one street closure list doesn't imply that. There isn't a comparable alert for #3 and #4 which use Michigan. Also, I can't see buses making a left turn from Jackson to Michigan with the Taste crowds there, even if Jackson is closed east of Michigan. So, I'm not sure what to make of all of this. The only possible explanation about 31st is that they don't want them going by Soldier Field for some reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam92 Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 The official alert doesn't so say, but only has various references to boarding on State north of Roosevelt. However, if they were going to maintain any semblance of express service, they wouldn't allow boarding south of Roosevelt in any event. The suspicious thing is that they also seem to want to get buses off Michigan, too, in that the #6 and #26 have such references as: The implication is that they are going on Michigan north of Adams or Jackson, but not south of there. However, at least one street closure list doesn't imply that. There isn't a comparable alert for #3 and #4 which use Michigan. Also, I can't see buses making a left turn from Jackson to Michigan with the Taste crowds there, even if Jackson is closed east of Michigan. So, I'm not sure what to make of all of this. The only possible explanation about 31st is that they don't want them going by Soldier Field for some reason. Saturday they actually went down 31st. I still don't understand the logic of that reroute instead of Roosevelt although sometimes it does get pretty packed over there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted June 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 The official alert doesn't so say, but only has various references to boarding on State north of Roosevelt. However, if they were going to maintain any semblance of express service, they wouldn't allow boarding south of Roosevelt in any event. The suspicious thing is that they also seem to want to get buses off Michigan, too, in that the #6 and #26 have such references as: The implication is that they are going on Michigan north of Adams or Jackson, but not south of there. However, at least one street closure list doesn't imply that. There isn't a comparable alert for #3 and #4 which use Michigan. Also, I can't see buses making a left turn from Jackson to Michigan with the Taste crowds there, even if Jackson is closed east of Michigan. So, I'm not sure what to make of all of this. The only possible explanation about 31st is that they don't want them going by Soldier Field for some reason. The official alert may not say this, but if you look under the Events Affecting CTA Service Beginning the Weekend of June 17-19 bulletins, it does say. Now this detour made a little sense as far as Saturday's downtown Puerto Rican Parade went. However, they say this very same detour is being used for the setup for the Taste and the actual Taste itself. So basically they're telling south side commuters needing to get into downtown for work, school, etc. that they're express service is not going to be so 'express' for the next two weeks for an event that's only blocking their bus routes at Roosevelt Road going northbound and Michigan/Balbo going southbound. Also Sam92 is right about if the concern is really to keep from clogging up Roosevelt Road with the extra bus traffic, then I-55 would have made more sense than sending that same bus traffic down State and 31st Streets in essence gumming up long stretches of local streets (especially during rush hour) to relieve congestion on a tiny stretch of local street when a nearby relatively light stretch of expressway could be used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artthouwill Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 The official alert may not say this, but if you look under the Events Affecting CTA Service Beginning the Weekend of June 17-19 bulletins, it does say. Now this detour made a little sense as far as Saturday's downtown Puerto Rican Parade went. However, they say this very same detour is being used for the setup for the Taste and the actual Taste itself. So basically they're telling south side commuters needing to get into downtown for work, school, etc. that they're express service is not going to be so 'express' for the next two weeks for an event that's only blocking their bus routes at Roosevelt Road going northbound and Michigan/Balbo going southbound. Also Sam92 is right about if the concern is really to keep from clogging up Roosevelt Road with the extra bus traffic, then I-55 would have made more sense than sending that same bus traffic down State and 31st Streets in essence gumming up long stretches of local streets (especially during rush hour) to relieve congestion on a tiny stretch of local street when a nearby relatively light stretch of expressway could be used. In terms of routing, I completely agree that I-55 to State would be better than 31st. Unless CTA has a fear that their drivers can't merge right across two lanes and exit within 1/4 mile distance, not counting traffic entering I-55 from King Drive. In any event, they are trying to avoid the backups around Soldier field, as Lake Shore and Michigan are your alternatives to a closed Columbus Drive. Side Bar: This would've been the perfect opportunity for Metra to promote its Metra Electric Hyde Park and South Chicago branch service to beat the Taste traffic. With the entire SC branch being a B zone, this would've been a chance to lure some ridership over and perhaps never give it back to CTA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted June 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2011 In terms of routing, I completely agree that I-55 to State would be better than 31st. Unless CTA has a fear that their drivers can't merge right across two lanes and exit within 1/4 mile distance, not counting traffic entering I-55 from King Drive. In any event, they are trying to avoid the backups around Soldier field, as Lake Shore and Michigan are your alternatives to a closed Columbus Drive. Side Bar: This would've been the perfect opportunity for Metra to promote its Metra Electric Hyde Park and South Chicago branch service to beat the Taste traffic. With the entire SC branch being a B zone, this would've been a chance to lure some ridership over and perhaps never give it back to CTA. Interesting thought that they could possibly have that fear with the deadheads Kedzie does on the Drive and the Ike when 145 service is done for the day or those old deadheads on the Ryan in the old days of the 14 being a peak direction rush hour only service. Then again figuring out the machinations behind CTA management thinking has had a history of being a fool's errand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam92 Posted June 23, 2011 Report Share Posted June 23, 2011 Interesting. Seen quite a few drivers out of the South Side bunch ignoring the reroutes and going down Michigan instead. I don't know where they got on Lake Shore though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted June 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2011 Actually it is possible to enter and exit I-55 from State Street to get to and from the Drive, so 31st wouldn't even be needed if they wanted to be smart about the detour. It also would negate a need to go on King Drive. The exit ramp leads on to 24th Place and the buses would be right there at State to go the rest of the way into downtown. Coming back from downtown, they can turn on to 25th Street from State and be right at the entrance ramp to the Stevenson going east to Lake Shore Drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam92 Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 Actually got a chance to see what the reroutes are like during the rush period. Really bad, had buses and bumper to bumber traffic lined up and down State. Can cause really huge delays and bunching. Roosevelt and Michigan are better alternatives in this type of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted June 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 (edited) Actually got a chance to see what the reroutes are like during the rush period. Really bad, had buses and bumper to bumber traffic lined up and down State. Can cause really huge delays and bunching. Roosevelt and Michigan are better alternatives in this type of thing. Which brings up my initial point that this is a dumb detour to use for the Taste this year. As a matter of fact, from what Bus Tracker is showing, the next approaching northbound buses are currently 20-30 minutes away from downtown depending on which downtown stop a passenger might be waiting as the 6PM hour approaches. I feel sorry for southsiders having to go through this ridiculous venture up until the end of next weekend. Edited June 24, 2011 by jajuan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRCTA Posted June 25, 2011 Report Share Posted June 25, 2011 Anybody Going To The Taste Of Chicago? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.