New 10 line BRT plan

[Tcmetro]

I ran across this very recent plan for a 10 line BRT network for Chicago:

http://metroplanning.org/multimedia/publication/524

It would be a real BRT network, with dedicated median lanes and stations and platform fare payment.

The proposed lines are:

• 95th - Cicero to Jeffery
  
• Ashland - Irving Park to 95th
  
• Cicero - Cermak to 95th
  
• Fullerton/Grand - Elmwood Park Metra to Western
  
• Garfield - Western to U of C Medical Center
  
• Halsted - Gresham Metra to 127th
  
• Irving Park - Austin to Ashland
  
• King/Stony Island - Cermak-Chinatown to 95th
  
• Pulaski/Crawford - I-55 to St. Xavier U
  
• Western - Howard to 95th
  

Maps and station locations are in the appendix: http://metroplanning.org/uploads/cms/documents/brt_public_report_appendix.pdf

[sw4400]

I ran across this very recent plan for a 10 line BRT network for Chicago:

http://metroplanning.org/multimedia/publication/524

It would be a real BRT network, with dedicated median lanes and stations and platform fare payment.

The proposed lines are:

• 95th - Cicero to Jeffery
  
• Ashland - Irving Park to 95th
  
• Cicero - Cermak to 95th
  
• Fullerton/Grand - Elmwood Park Metra to Western
  
• Garfield - Western to U of C Medical Center
  
• Halsted - Gresham Metra to 127th
  
• Irving Park - Austin to Ashland
  
• King/Stony Island - Cermak-Chinatown to 95th
  
• Pulaski/Crawford - I-55 to St. Xavier U
  
• Western - Howard to 95th
  

Maps and station locations are in the appendix: http://metroplanning.org/uploads/cms/documents/brt_public_report_appendix.pdf

With the BRT's serving major destinations including Hospitals, Schools, Parks and Shopping Areas, the Irving Park BRT makes no sense.... What is at the end of Austin? And besides Lakeview High/connection to Ashland, what else is there at this location? This BRT should be extended west to the HIP(Western BRT goes to the Plaza at 95th) and maybe go as far east as the Sheridan Red Line or go all the way to Lake Shore, like the local bus route does.

Redeye link

[Busjack]

I've said at least on one newspaper comment board and on the CTA Tattler that, in this regard, the press is printing fiction.

One can cite maybe hundreds of transit plans in the Chicago area that never happened, and in this case, that the CTA doesn't have the operating money.

Maybe being from Minnesota, you don't know it, but generally speaking, planning in the Chicago metropolitan area is an oxymoron.

[BusHunter]

I've said at least on one newspaper comment board and on the CTA Tattler that, in this regard, the press is printing fiction.

One can cite maybe hundreds of transit plans in the Chicago area that never happened, and in this case, that the CTA doesn't have the operating money.

Maybe being from Minnesota, you don't know it, but generally speaking, planning in the Chicago metropolitan area is an oxymoron.

I'd have to agree, if you do the math and add up 95 miles at $13 million a mile, that's over a billion dollars. That's enough for a new rail line, not that CTA could afford either. They will have there hands full with the red line extension/renovation. The only way I can see this happening is if they get the federal dollars out of DC. With a cutback in spending at the federal level all I can say is Good Luck. Bring back the X routes without all the circuses of BRT and maybe they can have an affordable, practical transportation system again.

[mkohut]

I'd have to agree, if you do the math and add up 95 miles at $13 million a mile, that's over a billion dollars. That's enough for a new rail line, not that CTA could afford either. They will have there hands full with the red line extension/renovation. The only way I can see this happening is if they get the federal dollars out of DC. With a cutback in spending at the federal level all I can say is Good Luck. Bring back the X routes without all the circuses of BRT and maybe they can have an affordable, practical transportation system again.

There is another manner.The cost of fuel.Plus where are the buses come from for the routes.I don't see this happening.

[ChicagoNova]

There is another manner.The cost of fuel.Plus where are the buses come from for the routes.I don't see this happening.

Apparently they would have to order some new buses for the BRT routes.

[Guest]

Apparently they would have to order some new buses for the BRT routes.

Not really, they would be using existing articulated buses.

[mkohut]

Not really, they would be using existing articulated buses.

I disagree.There are only 208.They are being use during rush hours.

[Sam92]

Not really, they would be using existing articulated buses.

No way that 208 buses would be able to handle that. We barely have enough right now. With this plan, it seems they'd have to order at least a 100-200 more to handle the demand in some of those corridors as well as build some new garages to house them. There would have to be a miracle for all of that to happen

[Guest]

No way that 208 buses would be able to handle that. We barely have enough right now. With this plan, it seems they'd have to order at least a 100-200 more to handle the demand in some of those corridors as well as build some new garages to house them. There would have to be a miracle for all of that to happen

Yes, it would be a miracle only because of the continuous pigheaded corrupt Chicago politics. The previous administration never moved our city forward by contributing or improving the CTA. And I dont expect much from the current administration. This is why Chicago's many innovative transit plans have never gone past the drawing boards. This is why Chicago transit lacks behind many other cities that have things like BRT service or new rapid transit/subway extensions, light rail systems or even state of the art equipment. Recently on a trip to Guatemala, they have had a BRT system in place for about four or five years now. I cant believe that Chicago cant seem to get anything off the ground. Even with a president who has been in office for three years now, who hails from Chicago and yet no money has found its way to our city to improve our mass transit. I feel Chicago has been for many years, moving backwards because of continuous service reductions, layoffs, lack of improvements for Chicago Transit. Its a shame! :(

[mkohut]

Perhaps a miracle will happen that TIF funding will be use for some projects.The days of useing it as a political tool to reward Alderman loyal to the Mayor is gone.

[BusHunter]

Yes, it would be a miracle only because of the continuous pigheaded corrupt Chicago politics. The previous administration never moved our city forward by contributing or improving the CTA. And I dont expect much from the current administration. This is why Chicago's many innovative transit plans have never gone past the drawing boards. This is why Chicago transit lacks behind many other cities that have things like BRT service or new rapid transit/subway extensions, light rail systems or even state of the art equipment. Recently on a trip to Guatemala, they have had a BRT system in place for about four or five years now. I cant believe that Chicago cant seem to get anything off the ground. Even with a president who has been in office for three years now, who hails from Chicago and yet no money has found its way to our city to improve our mass transit. I feel Chicago has been for many years, moving backwards because of continuous service reductions, layoffs, lack of improvements for Chicago Transit. Its a shame!

Yeah, everyone is really going to be scratching their head, when they cut even more service next year. Why make a BRT to run along side a local when other corridors/less main routes may have nothing. They need to find a better way to fund transit or it's going to get alot worse. The schools seem to be doing alright getting funding just by asking for it. Maybe they need to have a classroom on the bus!! :lol:

[Busjack]

Yeah, everyone is really going to be scratching their head, when they cut even more service next year. Why make a BRT to run along side a local when other corridors/less main routes may have nothing. They need to find a better way to fund transit or it's going to get alot worse. The schools seem to be doing alright getting funding just by asking for it. Maybe they need to have a classroom on the bus!!

I don't know if you were around for the days of the "mobile classroom," but CTA may still have 120 hulks that it could sell to CPS for that purpose. However, from what I hear, CPS isn't doing that well either, as the teachers are only getting increments but not the 4%.

I've suggested a video poker or slot machine on the unused wheelwell with the proceeds going to CTA. Now since every bus is a low floor, that shouldn't be tough. Heck, you could gamble away your Chicago Card in no time.

Basically, for all you riders of the Monroe St. Distributor trolley (you know what I mean), I stand on my point that planning is dysfunctional rather than this being a result of corruption per se. Whenever BRT comes up, one thinks of the $193 billion plan, which was apparently a game by the federal government to see what city could make driving the most inconvenient, and Chicago came close, but punted on raising the parking tax in addition to meeting the condition of the meter lease.

But as for planning agencies, I asked Mike Payne on the CTA Tattler how CMAP's endorsement of the Gray Line has been working so far, but he didn't answer. Rhetorical question, anyway.

[ctrabs74]

For a proposal that is supposedly false, it certainly got a lot of traction in the press. I think Fox or WBBM did a story on it last week; I saw the Red Eye article (which I would suspect was also in the Trib proper) and I seem to recall an article in the Sun Times.

[Busjack]

For a proposal that is supposedly false, it certainly got a lot of traction in the press. I think Fox or WBBM did a story on it last week; I saw the Red Eye article (which I would suspect was also in the Trib proper) and I seem to recall an article in the Sun Times.

Those stories always do. The Circle Line plan was front page of the Sun-Times in 2003.* Those of us who go back just treat the press stories as more magnification of nothing happening.

The Red-Purple Line modernization got a lot of press, including one Aldercreature getting big turnout in Rogers Park based on the flyer that they were going to close the Jarvis station, implying fairly immediately. However, any CTA release said that "a funding source has not been identified."

Nothing does happen until someone announces that a grant has actually been given (cf. the $193 billion BRT grant that evaporated).

On the other hand, it is pretty certain that the Illinois Tollway will raise tolls, and probably by the 87% they indicated. That's within their control.

_____________

*Update: I forgot to mention that if you look at the AA materials on transitchicago.com, even the consultants have pretty much ashcanned the Circle Line, by putting off consideration of the subway portion from Ashland and Lake to North and Clybourn.They also used the opportunity to kill then Mayor Daley's inarticulate plan for the Mid City line.

[pudgym29]

With the BRT's serving major destinations including Hospitals, Schools, Parks and Shopping Areas, the Irving Park BRT makes no sense. What is at the end of Austin? And besides Lakeview High/connection to Ashland, what else is there at this location? This BRT should be extended west to the HIP(Western BRT goes to the Plaza at 95th) and maybe go as far east as the Sheridan Red Line or go all the way to Lake Shore, like the local bus route does.

As somebody familiar with the physical layout of these avenues: The reason why the Fullerton corridor ends at Western is not to provide swift, direct service to Quenchers Saloon, nor is the recently re-opened Patio Theater the cause for the Irving Park corridor ceasing at Austin.

It is because those roads get narrower at those intersections. There would be no way to squeeze in dedicated bus lanes beyond there.

[jajuan]

As somebody familiar with the physical layout of these avenues: The reason why the Fullerton corridor ends at Western is not to provide swift, direct service to Quenchers Saloon, nor is the recently re-opened Patio Theater the cause for the Irving Park corridor ceasing at Austin.

It is because those roads get narrower at those intersections. There would be no way to squeeze in dedicated bus lanes beyond there.

True. Not without instituting new parking restrictions if there currently are none to put in bus lanes. One reason the 14 BRT proposal was viable was because Jeffery Boulevard already has peak direction parking restrictions in effect that's been there for the longest time before BRT was ever propsed by CTA that would enable the placement of bus lanes through there.

[sw4400]

Also, how do they plan on the Western BRT? The roads to the right of the overpass that goes over Belmont/Clybourn is single lane, especially with a bus. They can't make that a BRT only lane, as cars coming North and South may want to turn onto Belmont, and can't from the overpass.

[Chicago13]

Also, how do they plan on the Western BRT? The roads to the right of the overpass that goes over Belmont/Clybourn is single lane, especially with a bus. They can't make that a BRT only lane, as cars coming North and South may want to turn onto Belmont, and can't from the overpass.

There has been debates in the past about the future of the Belmont/Western/Clybourn overpass because the structure is showing it's age. There seems to be a strong argument for tearing it down because of the huge cost of replacing it.

If the Western BRT ever does become a reality (something I doubt will happen for at least a decade), I'm betting the overpass will come down.