Jump to content

Metra Assist For CTA South Red Project


chicagopcclcar

Recommended Posts

For five months develop a method for Metra Rail to assist the Red Line South Project without expensive equipment installations. There would be no need for CTA-type barrier in Metra Stations. Metra conductors are unable to read CTA fare media.

Any passenger paying a fare on CTA or Pace vehicle that intersects Metra, would ask operator for a Metra Transfer. Upon boarding Metra train, passenger would give up transfer to Metra collectors/conductor. Arriving downtown passenger would continue any trip on CTA using fare media under normal transfer limitations.

Downtown, CTA fare media machines would be installed in three Metra Electric stations and Metra La Salle. CTA passengers would pay fares using CTA media and be dispensed a CTA Metra transfer. The transfer would be surrendered onboard. Upon disembarking, passenger would continue outer portion of ride on CTA or Pace using normal transfer limitations.

The Metra Transfer would be dated and good only for one ride on the date given. It could be paper or a wallet sized card.

CTA would keep all revenue received on their vehicles. Metra would keep all revenue from CTA media machines at downtown stations. Metra would add a predetermined increase to rush hour service, either an extra train or longer trains.

At mid-day and all other hours, passengers would depend on the CTA bus shuttles and added mainline buses to get to the Green/Red line.

David Harrison

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are you stating this as an announcement by CTA or your opinion refuting Mike Payne?

There is a distinction between the two, but not clear from your post.

It is my personal suggestion to anyone interested. It has no official sponsorship and Mike Payne's suggestions are far to involved for me to comment on. I'm neutral on Mr. Payne.

David Harrison

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is my personal suggestion to anyone interested. It has no official sponsorship and Mike Payne's suggestions are far to involved for me to comment on. I'm neutral on Mr. Payne.

David Harrison

Thanks for the clarification.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Even if what David Harrison proposes might be used during the period of Red Line construction, it appears from this post on the CTA Tattler that the Gray Line is at least 97.5% dead.

In effect, this brings up the mathematics law of necessary and sufficient conditions. Even if there is no federal money, one is not going to be able to get it if the consultants say the idea is not feasible. Also, the city is not going appropriate TIF or Build Illinois money to something that is not its priority, nor on which its consultants put the kibosh.

Adam H. there had suggested that this could have been resolved via a universal fare system. I would have supported it as such, although it does appear that Metra is going in its own direction on the open fare media mandate, and thus a universal fare system is not a necessary conclusion. However, when it got down to the debate over incidental but costly details, such as where MetroShadow engaged Mike Payne on turnstiles, that pretty much indicated that that was it.

Of course, this makes it no different from the Mid-City Line, or pretty much the Circle Line, on which the consultants in the first case said was not feasible and the second that they could only justify the Orange-Pink link at this time. Not to mention Ford City, which isn't on Emanuel's radar, nor the "locally preferred alternative" for Old Orchard, which is opposed by the people in Skokie.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Even if what David Harrison proposes might be used during the period of Red Line construction, it appears from this post on the CTA Tattler that the Gray Line is at least 97.5% dead.

I thought I was at least clear on that one topic....my suggestion has nothing to do whatsoever with Mike Payne or the Gray Line Proposal.

It is true that both the CTA President and the CTA Chairman of the Board mentioned at the last CTA board meeting that they had both individually spoken and communicated with their individual counterpart at Metra and an agreement was reached among all parties that they would seek out ways they could cooperate during the five month Red line shutdown. I know that for a fact because I attended the meeting.

I don't think it is fair for you to connect any mention or every suggestion that involves both the CTA and Metra as somehow being related to the Gray line proposal. The Gray Line is not the only fish in the sea, LOL.

David Harrison

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think it is fair for you to connect any mention or every suggestion that involves both the CTA and Metra as somehow being related to the Gray line proposal. The Gray Line is not the only fish in the sea, LOL.

I didn't think that I had.

At most what I did was use this thread instead of starting a new one with the title "THE GRAY LINE IS DEAD." And I acknowledged that what you originally proposed was a possibility for the 4 or 5 month period.

But if you have some proprietary ownership of this thread..............

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...