If I ran Transit for one day...

[geneking7320]

Other than the weekend Auto Show shuttle, I don't see the need for it.

I was thinking from the standpoint of trade shows and conventions it would be nice to have a direct electric rail connection between a convention center and an airport [admittedly this is a "daydream" and real world $ might not support it]. I seem to notice a number of crowded King Drive buses between NMH and McCormick Place in the pm rush. That's why I piggybacked on Metro Shadow's idea.

[Busjack]

I was thinking from the standpoint of trade shows and conventions it would be nice to have a direct electric rail connection between a convention center and an airport [admittedly this is a "daydream" and real world $ might not support it]. I seem to notice a number of crowded King Drive buses between NMH and McCormick Place in the pm rush. That's why I piggybacked on Metro Shadow's idea.

Someone was pushing on the CTA Tattler a suggestion (in response to the dead Block 37 Airport Express) of an electrified Metra line essentially combining the NCS with the ME between O'Hare and McCormick Place. That got dissected pretty quickly, essentially based on that the CN wasn't going to allow additional passenger traffic on the NCS, and certainly not at a frequency to justify its use.

Your proposal is better, but "an airport" used by business travelers is usually O'Hare rather than Midway,* thus necessitating a transfer between L lines, and most of the people reacting to that proposal concluded that the business travelers would use airport livery services, assuming there were enough hotel space built at McCormick Place.

If there were demand, I suppose it would be easier to install a southbound ramp from the 18th St. connector to get to the Cermak Green Line station.

___________

*Southwest does not promote itself to business travelers, especially those on company expense accounts.

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

No love for the Pink Line I see.

During rush hour, how many Pink Line trains are sent out onto the line? Certainly not enough to cover the 4-car problem according to other forum members.

[Busjack]

No love for the Pink Line I see.

During rush hour, how many Pink Line trains are sent out onto the line? Certainly not enough to cover the 4-car problem according to other forum members.

Weekday rush schedule indicates every 10 to 12 minutes, and a running time from leave to arrive at 54th at 1:03 in the morning and 1:06 in the afternoon, so depending on the dwell time at 54th, 7 or 8 trains. Reports were that there were enough cars for 11 4 car trains.

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

Weekday rush schedule indicates every 10 to 12 minutes, and a running time from leave to arrive at 54th at 1:03 in the morning and 1:06 in the afternoon, so depending on the dwell time at 54th, 7 or 8 trains. Reports were that there were enough cars for 11 4 car trains.

Hmm. Maybe they could bump it up to 9 or 10 trains. It might be pushing it, so the 11th train could be left behind just in case.

My idea doesn't cover the costs of the extra operators and other things needed to get more trains on the rails though.

[Busjack]

Hmm. Maybe they could bump it up to 9 or 10 trains. It might be pushing it, so the 11th train could be left behind just in case.

My idea doesn't cover the costs of the extra operators and other things needed to get more trains on the rails though.

Question is whether there was ever sufficient demand to bump up service. Obviously (as with the Green Line) longer trains do not involve extra operators, although they do involve extra electricity.

[Zol87]

But I think it would good if the CTA had the #92 Foster run to Foster Ave. Beach during the summer. I know that one of the city's most popular beaches next to North Ave. & 31st Street. It seems fair to give Foster beach some bus service too.

Agreed #92 should go to the beach.

[jtrosario]

O.K., I know this is optional improvements, as in "wish list". So if the near future Cermak Green line station counts, it works for the above. All of these are from Mc Cormick Place:

To Midway: Cermak Green to Roosevelt, change center opposite side of platform to Orange to Midway.

To O'Hare: Cermak Green to Clark/Lake, change via down escalators(on North side of Lake??) to Blue to O'Hare.

To Ogilvie Station: Cermak Green to Clinton, walk 1 block South to Metra track access stairs, 2 blocks to main station entrance.

To Union Station: Cermak Green to to Roosevelt, change same side of platform to Orange to Quincy, walk 2 blocks West to Union Station for Metra/Amtrak/Megabus.

Frankly, I didn't quite see the utility of the Cermak Green Line station until now. Also, all of the above requires a 2 block walk West from the most westerly of the Mc Cormick Place exits. It's a 4 block walk East to the main(usually open door entrances), unless one specifically knows which door to walk in at Indiana & 23rd. And yes, there is just one door open for any event, even when the entire West wing of Mc Cormick Place is not being utilized. Most employees of Mc Cormick Place, some visitors, and now you guys are privy to this - it's very useful when cold or rainy outside.

Those that see the benefit of transit, especially heavy rail, and especially during rush hour or other heavy traffic events will use these options. Others who don't want to bother navigating will use livery, taxi, and ride-sharing services. They'll likely pay more and occasionally take longer to get to their destination. And while I personally see a benefit for other rail flyover ramps, can't really see a big enough benefit of a Midway Orange to South Green connector yet.

Please don't bash me for my opinion. Of course, it would be a very nice dream to have light or heavy rail direct to the current Metra Mc Cormick Place stop, we're getting closer to that ideal when the Cermak Green Line stop opens.

EDIT: Feel free to bash me for generically responding to posts from over a week ago.

[Busjack]

..

Frankly, I didn't quite see the utility of the Cermak Green Line station until now. Also, all of the above requires a 2 block walk West from the most westerly of the Mc Cormick Place exits. It's a 4 block walk East to the main(usually open door entrances), unless one specifically knows which door to walk in at Indiana & 23rd. And yes, there is just one door open for any event, even when the entire West wing of Mc Cormick Place is not being utilized. Most employees of Mc Cormick Place, some visitors, and now you guys are privy to this - it's very useful when cold or rainy outside.

...

The questions are that, although labeled a McCormick Place station, whether the goal is development of the Chess Records/Motor Row area around Cermak and Michigan, which would place the station a block from that, and also how close that stop is to the proposed DePaul arena. Otherwise, the question would be how a couple more blocks from the Green Line compares to using the #3 bus.

If the goal were to serve McCormick Place (and I suppose the Lucas Museum of Obi Wan amd Jar Jar), various [defunct] ciculator proposals using the IC/ME corridor would have made more sense.

[ChicagoNova]

As far as #11 Lincoln is concerned, I think CTA should at least extend it to North/Clark.

[BusHunter]

How about putting a few more escalators in the elevated stations. Some of these stops like on the brown line or green you can use elevators, but what do you do for future rehab stations Damen and California/Milwaukee Blue line. If you have a stroller or something or you're elderly or disabled, it must really be hard to use these stations.

[ChicagoNova]

How about putting a few more escalators in the elevated stations. Some of these stops like on the brown line or green you can use elevators, but what do you do for future rehab stations Damen and California/Milwaukee Blue line. If you have a stroller or something or you're elderly or disabled, it must really be hard to use these stations.

How about both an elevator & an escalator.

[peterpyterek]

There should be a station on the Pink Line at VanBuren to connect to the Blue Line at Illinois Medical District in order to restore the transfer point between the Forest Park and Cermak branches, which the Cermak reroute took away from the Racine station.

And to go with that option, the short turns to UIC-Halsted should be either extended to IMD or completely eliminated, so that all Pink Line passengers taking the Blue Line east can board all eastbound Blue Line trains at the first opportunity.

And it would also benefit Blue and Pink Line passengers to easily connect between places along and near Lake, Paulina, and the Eisenhower Expressway.

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

There should be a station on the Pink Line at VanBuren to connect to the Blue Line at Illinois Medical District in order to restore the transfer point between the Forest Park and Cermak branches, which the Cermak reroute took away from the Racine station.

And to go with that option, the short turns to UIC-Halsted should be either extended to IMD or completely eliminated, so that all Pink Line passengers taking the Blue Line east can board all eastbound Blue Line trains at the first opportunity.

And it would also benefit Blue and Pink Line passengers to easily connect between places along and near Lake, Paulina, and the Eisenhower Expressway.

This would be good, but it raises a few questions and thoughts from me:

How strong are the current supports for the Pink Line over the Eisenhower and VanBuren? Enough to support a station?

How would you reconfigure Illinois Medical District to accommodate the transfer? Wider platform?

Also, I like your idea on extending the UIC trains to Illinois Medical District and through a turn back track after. However eliminating them would cause problems for the Blue Line because of the uneven passenger loads (O'Hare-Milwaukee-Dearborn section has more passengers than the Forest Park section).

[peterpyterek]

This would be good, but it raises a few questions and thoughts from me:

How strong are the current supports for the Pink Line over the Eisenhower and VanBuren? Enough to support a station?

How would you reconfigure Illinois Medical District to accommodate the transfer? Wider platform?

Also, I like your idea on extending the UIC trains to Illinois Medical District and through a turn back track after. However eliminating them would cause problems for the Blue Line because of the uneven passenger loads (O'Hare-Milwaukee-Dearborn section has more passengers than the Forest Park section).

I suppose that the structure is strong enough to accommodate platforms from right over VanBuren to just north of Congress to have an auxiliary entrance.

For transfer accommodations, just like the Lake Red Line station having free connections the the Washington Blue Line and State/Lake Loop 'L' stations and the Harold Washington Library-State/VanBuren station to the Jackson subway stations, IMD's Paulina entrance could get set up to be programmed for free Pink Line transfers using a Ventra card.

[Busjack]

....:

How strong are the current supports for the Pink Line over the Eisenhower and VanBuren? Enough to support a station?

How would you reconfigure Illinois Medical District to accommodate the transfer? Wider platform?

...

A couple of wood platforms doesn't seem to affect the structure that much, in that stations go up and down almost anywhere. Also, that structure was rebuilt as an addition to the Douglas project in the early oughts..

I suppose that the structure is strong enough to accommodate platforms from right over VanBuren to just north of Congress to have an auxiliary entrance.

For transfer accommodations, just like the Lake Red Line station having free connections the the Washington Blue Line and State/Lake Loop 'L' stations and the Harold Washington Library-State/VanBuren station to the Jackson subway stations, IMD's Paulina entrance could get set up to be programmed for free Pink Line transfers using a Ventra card.

Something like that was part of the Circle Line proposal. Personally, I can't see how a transfer zone could traverse the maybe 60 foot grade difference between the L and the Blue Line in a trench. Maybe one hell of an elevator. However, consultants seemed willing to propose those kind of transfer stations, including for the Mid City Line and a Yellow Line extension at Montrose-Blue Line, and a connection at 63rd between the Red and Green Lines. As one can figure, none of these were ever built.

As far as free transfers, they could do that now between Polk and IMD, but don't want to do so. When the Pink Line was disconnected from the Blue, they said to use the 7 bus, after paying for a transfer, to get to UIC.

[peterpyterek]

Another way for transfers would be, like Roosevelt on the Red, Green, & Orange Lines, to build a link to the Paulina entrance's paid area.

[Busjack]

Another way for transfers would be, like Roosevelt on the Red, Green, & Orange Lines, to build a link to the Paulina entrance's paid area.

Difference at Roosevelt is that tearing down the old police headquarters opened up the lot so a pedestrian tunnel could be built under it. Somehow you would have to bore a tunnel under the westbound half of the Eisenhower Expressway. Possible, but not trivial.

The alternative (implied by my statement above) is a 40-60 foot elevator in the Paulina paid area to either a pedestrian bridge over the expressway or the L platform itself. Maybe you would have some ups and downs, like going from the parking garage at Cumberland to the Blue Line station.

[Antwan4000]

Add more buses to routes that may needed. Grand ave: Forest Glen with Chicago, Ashland: 77th or 103rd with 74th, and Garfield: 77th with 74th

[artthouwill]

I was thinking from the standpoint of trade shows and conventions it would be nice to have a direct electric rail connection between a convention center and an airport [admittedly this is a "daydream" and real world $ might not support it]. I seem to notice a number of crowded King Drive buses between NMH and McCormick Place in the pm rush. That's why I piggybacked on Metro Shadow's idea.

The Airport Express company provides direct service to the airports (non stop service) from the Convention Centers.

The only way for CTA to remotely compete with that would've been to have trains serving the as yet to open Cermak Green Line station serve the sinkhole Block 37 station that hasn't been built, then run express on some imaginary right of way express trackage to O'Hare.

[TaylorTank1229]

Here are a few opinions on what the CTA needs to make some improvements on their Overnight (Owl) bus services. These are routes that should have owl service & routes that could use some changes on their current owl service, and a few that could use could use changing on their routing & service.

•Owl Service

#49 Western - During owl hours, buses should extended south to 87th St. for connection to #87 87th buses.

#52 Kedzie/California - Operate owl service between 36th/Kedzie and California Blue Line (O'Hare)

#72 North Ave. - Operate owl service between North/Clybourn Red Line and North/Cicero or Narragansett

#90 Harlem - Operate owl service between Grand/Nordica and Harlem Blue Line (O'Hare)

#155 Devon - Operate owl service along entire route between Morse Red Line and Devon/Kedzie

•Normal Service

#9 Ashland - Service extend north of Irving Park to Edgewater/Clark or Devon/Clark.

#35 31st/35th - During hours buses travel to/from 24th Pl./Cicero, buses should run via Cicero, 31st, California, and 35th.

#53 Pulaski - Extend service north of Peterson to Devon/Kedzie via Pulaski, Devon, and Devon/Kedzie Terminal for connections to #11, #82, #96 and #155.

#86 Narragansett/Ridgeland -Add saturday service between Wright College and North Ave./Narragansett for Saturday classes.

#92 Foster - Extend service hours for weekdays, and weekends/holidays. Add beach service to Foster Ave. Beach weekends from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, and daily beach service from Mid-June to Early August.

#155 Devon - Extend service west of Kedzie to Caldwell/Central or Milwaukee/Imaly.

Have any thoughts on these or any bus route improving of your own, let me know.

[Busjack]

Here are a few opinions on what the CTA needs to make some improvements on their Overnight (Owl) bus services. These are routes that should have owl service & routes that could use some changes on their current owl service, and a few that could use could use changing on their routing & service.

•Owl Service

...

•Normal Service

...

#155 Devon - Extend service west of Kedzie to Caldwell/Central or Milwaukee/Imaly.

Have any thoughts on these or any bus route improving of your own, let me know.

On owl service, the issue is always whether there is enough ridership to justify the huge increase in costs. For instance, bus drivers were saying at the end that there weren't enough people on the N201 to justify a van.

Similarly, 155 has been kicked around before, and while someone advocated for the Superdawg Feeder, neither CTA (14 or 155A) nor Pace (211) found any reason to continue service west of Kedzie. A lot of that is forest preserves. Also, consider that CTA cancelled 56A , including the portion on Devon between Milwaukee and Harlem, and seemingly nobody complained about that.

Anyway, it seems like CTA doesn't have an interest in expanding bus service, typified, by for instance, only having the matching funds for the 35 extension. Some stuff on the JARC list (such as 44 to the Roosevelt South Loop area, and 83) would make sense, while some like 1 all day got contradicted by 1 being cut back to 35th.

[ChicagoNova]

Here are a few opinions on what the CTA needs to make some improvements on their Overnight (Owl) bus services. These are routes that should have owl service & routes that could use some changes on their current owl service, and a few that could use could use changing on their routing & service.

•Owl Service

#49 Western - During owl hours, buses should extended south to 87th St. for connection to #87 87th buses.

#52 Kedzie/California - Operate owl service between 36th/Kedzie and California Blue Line (O'Hare)

#72 North Ave. - Operate owl service between North/Clybourn Red Line and North/Cicero or Narragansett

#90 Harlem - Operate owl service between Grand/Nordica and Harlem Blue Line (O'Hare)

#155 Devon - Operate owl service along entire route between Morse Red Line and Devon/Kedzie

•Normal Service

#9 Ashland - Service extend north of Irving Park to Edgewater/Clark or Devon/Clark.

#35 31st/35th - During hours buses travel to/from 24th Pl./Cicero, buses should run via Cicero, 31st, California, and 35th.

#53 Pulaski - Extend service north of Peterson to Devon/Kedzie via Pulaski, Devon, and Devon/Kedzie Terminal for connections to #11, #82, #96 and #155.

#86 Narragansett/Ridgeland -Add saturday service between Wright College and North Ave./Narragansett for Saturday classes.

#92 Foster - Extend service hours for weekdays, and weekends/holidays. Add beach service to Foster Ave. Beach weekends from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, and daily beach service from Mid-June to Early August.

#155 Devon - Extend service west of Kedzie to Caldwell/Central or Milwaukee/Imaly.

Have any thoughts on these or any bus route improving of your own, let me know.

I agree with the first one: Extend N49 Western to 87th Street to connect with N87, but I also think you should extend 49 Western (day/evening service) to The Plaza to connect with #95W West 95th. Also, I agree that you should extend 9 Ashland to Edgewater/Clark where 50 Damen terminates because there are residents on Ashland north of Irving Park.

[jajuan]

There should be a station on the Pink Line at VanBuren to connect to the Blue Line at Illinois Medical District in order to restore the transfer point between the Forest Park and Cermak branches, which the Cermak reroute took away from the Racine station.

And to go with that option, the short turns to UIC-Halsted should be either extended to IMD or completely eliminated, so that all Pink Line passengers taking the Blue Line east can board all eastbound Blue Line trains at the first opportunity.

And it would also benefit Blue and Pink Line passengers to easily connect between places along and near Lake, Paulina, and the Eisenhower Expressway.

At first I was going to say that one can still transfer between the Blue Line and Pink Line by way of the free connection between the Library-State/Van Buren elevated stop and the Jackson Blue Line as well as the multiple line connection at the Clark/Lake stations. But I see what you're getting at in terms having an actual connection again between the Forest Park branch of the Blue Line and 54th/Cermak Line again and therefore not having to ride into downtown to get a free connection between the Pink and Blue Lines.

[Busjack]

I agree with the first one: Extend N49 Western to 87th Street to connect with N87, but I also think you should extend 49 Western (day/evening service) to The Plaza to connect with #95W West 95th. Also, I agree that you should extend 9 Ashland to Edgewater/Clark where 50 Damen terminates because there are residents on Ashland north of Irving Park.

Both of you forget that 9 connects with 22 at Southport, and north of there Ashland is within one block of Clark. Maybe you acknowledge that north of Edgewater, Ashland is on Clark.

Also, 50 is now on Ashland north of Foster.

So, either you propose cutting 22 back at Southport, or both of you are proposing a waste.