If I ran Transit for one day...

[Busjack]

38 minutes ago, Elkmn said:

I just did a bit of back of the napkin math, but repurposing the parking lots at Wabash and Van Buren into a yard/maintenance facility would allow for storage of at least 16 8-car trains, which could be an extra 5-6 trains for the Pink, brown and orange lines during rush (if yards are at full capacity). It could also allow trains coming into the loop to end there instead of run back to their terminals near empty, if the CTA wanted that. 

Plenty of excess capacity at 54th. Other than that, it would have to be the world's most expensive train yard.

[YoungBusLover]

Doomsday 2.0 is looming and I have no idea how any agency would find a way to fill a massive $771 million budget gap in less than 9 months without the help of State/Federal bailout. To any member out there what would you do to mitigate the looming service cuts? From Pace/CTA/Metra?

[Busjack]

1 hour ago, YoungBusLover said:

Doomsday 2.0 is looming and I have no idea how any agency would find a way to fill a massive $771 million budget gap in less than 9 months without the help of State/Federal bailout. To any member out there what would you do to mitigate the looming service cuts? From Pace/CTA/Metra?

1. If this is like Doomsday 1.0 (2006-2008), it's a political stunt. Transit agencies that try to cry "wolf" without a clear plan for reform shouldn't be allowed to just make threats.
2. As 2010 demonstrated, if they have to cut, they'll do it in a more responsible manner.
3. All 4 boards are lobbying Springfield, but it is mostly to save their own jobs. See the thread on that subject.
4. Tribune and Joe Schwieterman complaining about $26,000 in leased car payments isn't going to close a $770 million deficit. But if Schwieterman is the sole expert, at least as local media are concerned, maybe he should volunteer to be CTA Executive Director, pro bono.

[Sam92]

19 hours ago, Busjack said:

1. If this is like Doomsday 1.0 (2006-2008), it's a political stunt. Transit agencies that try to cry "wolf" without a clear plan for reform shouldn't be allowed to just make threats.
2. As 2010 demonstrated, if they have to cut, they'll do it in a more responsible manner

 

20 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

Doomsday 2.0 is looming and I have no idea how any agency would find a way to fill a massive $771 million budget gap in less than 9 months without the help of State/Federal bailout. To any member out there what would you do to mitigate the looming service cuts? From Pace/CTA/Metra?

Yeah looks like it's a tug of war/sky is falling scenario as busjack says and while the 2010 cuts were a more reasonable approach they still should've did a mix of the 2012 restructuring along with cutting the lowest performing X routes rather than just blindly cutting all the X routes just to still compete with pace (which thankfully they finally knocked that off). Part of me feels like one side is gonna cave the give the others what they want BUT after whatever bailout hopefully comes they hurry and clean up a few things like the remainder of the Evanston restructuring that was supposed to happen.  As far as what I'd do, I've hinted at it in other places in the forum but to reiterate:

A further realignment of the south Lakeshore corridor (particularly the downtown terminals of J14, 26 and 28), eliminate 30 north of 92nd but instead of my previous suggestion to send it bronzeville I'd just combine the remaining segment with 95 (to still give them a red line connection). 43 and 44 would get combined, an idea came to mind about the development in west loop; bring back 23 in some form as busjack suggested but route it via Halsted, Harrison, Racine, Washington, Green and loop around near grand pretty much replacing the short trips on 8 Halsted to give Bridgeport riders a more direct connection to the medical district/UIC area as well. For rail how about using the argyle middle track to put in Red line trains that run between there and Garfield (turning back at 63rd middle) to address the Dan Ryan being over served in the reverse peak direction and put purple in the subway to end at Roosevelt. Apparently Belmont is also getting a middle track nearby so maybe start some peak brown line service there to make up for the purple line reroute. It's a game of making the most with what we have IMO 🤷

[Elkmn]

On 3/25/2025 at 10:11 PM, YoungBusLover said:

Doomsday 2.0 is looming and I have no idea how any agency would find a way to fill a massive $771 million budget gap in less than 9 months without the help of State/Federal bailout. To any member out there what would you do to mitigate the looming service cuts? From Pace/CTA/Metra?

If I was petty and powerful, I'd cut service to all of DuPage county, since it seems they value doordash burritos more than public transit

Realistically, I would cut service to most low performing routes and stations, and heavily fund all the top routes (in terms of ridership) per agency (i.e 66, Red line, BNSF, 352). I would do it strategically, so that areas aren't left without service. For example, i would have to cut either the 9 or 49, since they are both high performing routes close to each other, and other routes would need service. Of course, I'm not an urban planner so this is probably not an optimal plan, just what I think could work.

[Transit Introvert]

Extend 54 Cicero south to Midway Orange Line, discontinue 54B, & let Pace take over south of there on Cicero. Also extend the 54 Cicero to either Jefferson Park Blue Line/Metra stations or Dempster-Skokie Yellow Line since 97 Skokie serves that station & continues north to Westfield Shopping Town Old Orchard.

[Sam92]

17 hours ago, Elkmn said:

For example, i would have to cut either the 9 or 49, since they are both high performing routes close to each other, and other routes would need service. 

Please pass the pipe sir cause..... WHAT?! What's after that? Cutting 67th back to Pulaski cause 79th is close and also goes to Ford City? 🥴

[Sam92]

15 hours ago, Transit Introvert said:

Extend 54 Cicero south to Midway Orange Line, discontinue 54B, & let Pace take over south of there on Cicero. Also extend the 54 Cicero to either Jefferson Park Blue Line/Metra stations or Dempster-Skokie Yellow Line since 97 Skokie serves that station & continues north to Westfield Shopping Town Old Orchard.

The first might actually happen. Cicero/Skokie is weak north of there which is why 641 (pace's replacement) was supposed to run express pass that section.

[Busjack]

3 hours ago, Sam92 said:

Please pass the pipe sir cause..... WHAT?! What's after that? Cutting 67th back to Pulaski cause 79th is close and also goes to Ford City? 🥴

Gummies or Wake 'n Bakery are easier on the lungs.

1 hour ago, Sam92 said:

The first might actually happen. Cicero/Skokie is weak north of there which is why 641 (pace's replacement) was supposed to run express pass that section.

There was the x54, which ran from Jefferson Park to Midway, providing a connection between the two airports. As you indicated, no point to interlining 54A, although with recent events, maybe Doug Llewellyn and Jarrett Walker could join  "If I ran transit for one day."😜

[Elkmn]

7 hours ago, Sam92 said:

Please pass the pipe sir cause..... WHAT?! What's after that? Cutting 67th back to Pulaski cause 79th is close and also goes to Ford City? 🥴

Haha, no. I think it's best that I don't respond with another proposal, knowing my.. unfortunate track record on this forum when suggesting service changes on the south side.

[Busjack]

5 minutes ago, Elkmn said:

Haha, no. I think it's best that I don't respond with another proposal, knowing my.. unfortunate track record on this forum when suggesting service changes on the south side.

Personalities  aside, I recommend watching the portion of the portion of the Board video when the planner discuseed various factors going into those decisions, such as gaps in service, inconvenient transfer points, Daley College wanting service, the last bus being overcrowded, etc.   Thus, I don't know how serious you were about:

23 hours ago, Elkmn said:

i would have to cut either the 9 or 49, since they are both high performing routes close to each other, and other routes would need service.

but obviously  nobody else cuts high performing routes that probably need more service. But, at one time, CTA was that stupid when it cut the X routes.

[Sam92]

Here's a wild one: 

Instead of bringing back X54 how about a new X53? You'd get the benefit of reviving the busier part of 53AL AND put the airport to airport express into a consolidated corridor 🤔. Also Pulaski Orange to Montrose Blue gets you from train to train quicker vs Midway to Jeff 

[Busjack]

2 hours ago, Sam92 said:

Here's a wild one: 

Instead of bringing back X54 how about a new X53? You'd get the benefit of reviving the busier part of 53AL AND put the airport to airport express into a consolidated corridor 🤔. Also Pulaski Orange to Montrose Blue gets you from train to train quicker vs Midway to Jeff 

X53 (especially under the 53 to Ford City proposal) doesn't get you to Midway unless it takes deviations totaling 2 miles. But despite what someone suggested about 10 years ago, I didn't think stitching California could  work because it didn't go across the Metra Western Ave. Yard and the North Branch in Ravenswood Manor, but somehow CTA figured it out.

Talking Pulaski, Irving Park Blue Line is at Pulaski; Montrose is not, and neither has a very good bus terminal. If I ran transit ((and I don't), I would build intermodal facilities similar to those on the O'Hare extension and the Orange Line at all major transfer points (i.e. Red 47th, 79th, Garfield, Bryn Mawr; Blue Harlem/Congress).

[Tcmetro]

IIRC, the full X network that existed c. 2010 was limited to streets that had multiple lanes. Pulaski only has 4 lanes south of 35th St so an X route would really only make sense for the 53A service.

[Busjack]

28 minutes ago, Tcmetro said:

IIRC, the full X network that existed c. 2010 was limited to streets that had multiple lanes.

There was a discussion on this a long time ago. We kicked around X79, but the conclusion appeared to be that it would be snagged between Vincennes and Stony Island.

I don't know how you would classify X55, since 55th St. was shrunk east of Cottage Grove to one lane with protected bike lanes.

[Sam92]

21 hours ago, Tcmetro said:

IIRC, the full X network that existed c. 2010 was limited to streets that had multiple lanes. Pulaski only has 4 lanes south of 35th St so an X route would really only make sense for the 53A service.

 

20 hours ago, Busjack said:

There was a discussion on this a long time ago. We kicked around X79, but the conclusion appeared to be that it would be snagged between Vincennes and Stony Island.

I don't know how you would classify X55, since 55th St. was shrunk east of Cottage Grove to one lane with protected bike lanes.

If there are more boardings at main streets than side streets X service can somewhat still work in narrower sections cause you could cut back enough locals. Using X55 as an example, it was narrow west of western but half of 55 turned back at St.Louis on top of them using more X than locals on 55. East of Cottage you could probably just make that local this time. 79th ultimately got tossed cause a lot of people got on at side streets. Irving park blue looks like a traffic light added might help. Or maybe an entrance next to the terminal? Street view makes it look like the station reaches over that side of the street

[Busjack]

46 minutes ago, Sam92 said:

If there are more boardings at main streets than side streets X service can somewhat still work in narrower sections cause you could cut back enough locals. Using X55 as an example, it was narrow west of western but half of 55 turned back at St.Louis on top of them using more X than locals on 55. East of Cottage you could probably just make that local this time.

You misconceived 55. About half of 55s ended at St. Louis when East 55th and Garfield were combined in 1969 (Garfield downtown buses were ended when the Dan Ryan L opened). The only bus stop of the X55 in Hyde Park not at an intersecting bus line (unless you count 172) was Woodlawn. And while 55 had less service west of St. Louis, X55 had hardly any stops in that stretch.

The issue I noted at the time about East 55th was the bike lanes, the "State Law: Stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk" signs every 1/2 block (and the pedestrians took advantage of them), and the bus having to cross the bike lane to get to the bus stop. That left Garfield from King Dr. to Western as the only wide portion, but there's nothing there other than the 2 L stations.

[Sam92]

1 hour ago, Busjack said:

You misconceived 55. About half of 55s ended at St. Louis when East 55th and Garfield were combined in 1969 (Garfield downtown buses were ended when the Dan Ryan L opened). The only bus stop of the X55 in Hyde Park not at an intersecting bus line (unless you count 172) was Woodlawn. And while 55 had less service west of St. Louis, X55 had hardly any stops in that stretch.

The issue I noted at the time about East 55th was the bike lanes, the "State Law: Stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk" signs every 1/2 block (and the pedestrians took advantage of them), and the bus having to cross the bike lane to get to the bus stop. That left Garfield from King Dr. to Western as the only wide portion, but there's nothing there other than the 2 L stations.

X55 made a good midway shortcut; kinda like X80 up north for people wanting quicker access to blue for some considering that and 63 was our only choice if we didn't want to take red and switch to the orange. The east of Cottage part developed enough to justify being a local segment. As far as Pulaski vs Cicero I guess it's best to stick with Cicero. My reasoning was mainly to bring back the crosstown express connection  while consolidating on one street but either way works. I DO contend CTA should consider reviving X54, X55, X80 as they could complement the frequent bus network with a crosstown express network since that's one of cta's weaknesses right now.

[Busjack]

37 minutes ago, Sam92 said:

X55 made a good midway shortcut

That was the original intent. I only brought it up in response to the original comment that "all X routes were on 4-lane (or more) streets, and my later criticsm that it wouldn't save much time.

Way back in te day, I rode 55 to and from Midway (in snowstorms) and to Cicero Ave. to get to Sportsmen's Park, so I know it can be done.