New routes for 3 track operation?

[Guest metralink]

Is CTA going to put in new express routes to handle passengers diverted from the expected delays on the 3 track reconstruction?

[jesi2282]

No, CTA will only increase the amount of buses mainly on #11, #22, #147 and #151.

[rmadisonwi]

No, CTA will only increase the amount of buses mainly on #11, #22, #147 and #151.

That's not necessarily true. People are currently reviewing comments made during the four public meetings and are working on a semi-final plan which should be approved when the board gives the official go-ahead on Friday.

Also, the service can change during the course of the project if ridership favors routes other than those targeted for extra service.

The whole thing really depends on how people ultimately decide to change their travel patterns.

[trainman8119]

You know, this whole three track thing really shows how screwed up

management is at the CTA. Why is it that this portion of the project

is a week away, and they are still trying to figure out what to run

and how to run it.

First of all, shouldn't this have been though about when the whole

Brown Line reconstruction was started 2 years ago???? Did Frank

and his boys think they were going to cut the service without anybody

noticing, only to get caught by an alert media ???? There should have

been a plan in place a long time ago. It should have been implemented

already, so that by the time the killer part of this was started, it could

have been tweeked and been a seemless conversion. Instead, we

have buses being moved all over the place (imagine the cost there)

and still have no clue on what is really going on.

Secondly, I think asking the public for input and relying on that is another

big boo boo. My feeling on all of this is that those in charge of running the

operation are suppose to be the pros on all of this. Yet time and time again,

they cave in to public and political input to create a hodgepodge of service,

which often causes added unnecessary delays and service distruptions.

Public forums should be no more than advisory and decisions and planning

should be already in place...use the public comments to do no more than

tweek a plan...not create a plan.

Once again, this all shows the ineptitude of CTA management and decision

makers....simply discusting !!!!!!!

[Busjack]

You know, this whole three track thing really shows how screwed up management is at the CTA. Why is it that this portion of the project is a week away, and they are still trying to figure out what to run and how to run it.

Once again, this all shows the ineptitude of CTA management and decision makers....simply disgusting !!!!!!!

The people on Ask Carole (especially search to "Chicago J" 3/28/07 and "G" 3/29/07) take the opposite tack, that the decision must have been made months ago and the Friday meeting is a mere formality. However, neither view speaks well of CTA management.

I suppose that it makes sense to put the buses where the demand eventually develops. However, as usual, this wasn't initially handled well, as people were first told to alternate without being told what the alternates were. Later the alternates, including more Metra and bus service, were announced.

I wonder if CTA management will howl a few years from now when the passengers directed to Metra stay with it? Especially if the North Side Main is not fixed? I also wonder if the cost of the additional bus service was budgeted, or a bail out bigger than the $110 million already requested by the CTA will be demanded?