geneking7320 Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 :o CTA has changed the south terminal of 3 King Dr and X3 King Dr Express buses (eff 6/17/2007): http://www.transitchicago.com/news/whatsne...rticleid=118331 I think this speaks to the need of building proper terminal facilities in the first place. Note that the bus gets to 95th and Michigan then heads south to 99th St before heading west to State St and back north to 95th St. I wonder how much additional fuel will be consumed because of this change. Gene King Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 Depends on what it would cost to acquire land in that area for the turnaround. In the case of King Drive, you don't have an old streetcar facility there (and the end of the CMC bus line was 81st). The curious point is that since the #3s are going to the 95/Red Line station anyway, there doesn't seem to be a purpose to the 99th St. Loop. The SB buses could go straight down 95th to State. There isn't any lack of service on S. Michigan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geneking7320 Posted June 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 Depends on what it would cost to acquire land in that area for the turnaround. In the case of King Drive, you don't have an old streetcar facility there (and the end of the CMC bus line was 81st). The curious point is that since the #3s are going to the 95/Red Line station anyway, there doesn't seem to be a purpose to the 99th St. Loop. The SB buses could go straight down 95th to State. There isn't any lack of service on S. Michigan. I agree, I think the bus is likely laying over at the southeast corner of 95th and State streets. This Wednesday I visit my barber (located near 95th and Normal) and afterward I have to go to 31st and King Drive. I think I'll take the bus to 31st and King from 95th and State and give an update. Gene King Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buslover88 Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 How do buses turn in at the 95th Red Line station if there isn't any room? I personally find this change kind of stupid and if Chicago State University needs land, they should have thought about that when the place was first bulit. I think the #4 Cottage Grove and #X4 Cottage Grove Express change is great and I support it, but the #3 Martin Luther King Drive and #X3 Martin Luther King Drive Express change is very confusing and kind of stupid. Why can't they just use the turnaround at 99th or terminate the two routes at 115th/Martin Luther King Drive? I am very concerned about how many buses are at 95th Red Line station and I personally think many of the routes serving there should not terminate there. That's all I have to say... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geneking7320 Posted June 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 How do buses turn in at the 95th Red Line station if there isn't any room? I personally find this change kind of stupid and if Chicago State University needs land, they should have thought about that when the place was first bulit. I think the #4 Cottage Grove and #X4 Cottage Grove Express change is great and I support it, but the #3 Martin Luther King Drive and #X3 Martin Luther King Drive Express change is very confusing and kind of stupid. Why can't they just use the turnaround at 99th or terminate the two routes at 115th/Martin Luther King Drive? I am very concerned about how many buses are at 95th Red Line station and I personally think many of the routes serving there should not terminate there. That's all I have to say... I think the further the CTA goes on King Drive south of 95th St the greater potential there is for bad relations with Pace. I am looking forward to Wednesday afternoon (6/27/07) when I can see some of this with my own eyes. Gene King Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CircleSeven Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Well as of right now, I believe that CTA had no other choice for where the #3 route turns around since they can't use the St. Lawrence Turnaround. They were happy to reuse the Burnside Turnaround for Cottage Grove. I know somewhere down the line. they would eventually find some land so they can layover the #3 King Drive buses. I wouldn't think that they would use the 99th Turnaround (if it is one). And if it is one, It would still be in the property of CSU. And CTA wouldn't extend their Current #3 further south anyway. And I know they won't have their buses layover at the 95th/State Red Line because of the heavy traffic with other buses. And I think that drivers would take the passenger on 95th before looping down Michigan, 99th & State. That southwest corner of 95th & King would've been appropriate except they made a Walgreens out of that. So we'll see how this turns out. I know Drivers don't really get much recovery time at that end anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geneking7320 Posted June 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Yesterday I was on the south side and observed the 3 King Drive terminal operations. The buses discharge the last passengers at the northwest corner of 95th St and King Dr. They turn and head west on 95th, followed by a turn to head south on Michigan Ave to 99th St, then west on 99th St to State to stop on State St south of 95th St. Buses DO NOT pick up or discharge passengers south of 95th St or west of King Dr. I was coming from 95th and Normal and found out the first place northbound passengers may board is on King Dr just north of 95th St [i asked the driver and she told me this herself]. *** It seems a lot of diesel fuel is being consumed with no passengers being carried. OTOH I don't know of an alternative. If the 95th/Ryan "L" terminal were as large is Jefferson Park maybe the buses could go there. Gene King *** PS - I didn't give the driver any grief but I was angry at CTA's decision not to make stops on that portion of the route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 The schedule effective June 17 indicates that the bus only runs to 95th. So the technicality that it is out of service south of 95th is covered. What doesn't make sense in the press release are the references to 95th /State (Red Line), giving the inference that it is going into the terminal. Are you saying that it does not? In that case, the references seem unnecessary. Is 99th/State used as a layover because it is adjacent the expressway ramps and 98th Shops, and hence laying over there won't disturb any neighbors? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geneking7320 Posted June 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2007 The schedule effective June 17 indicates that the bus only runs to 95th. So the technicality that it is out of service south of 95th is covered. What doesn't make sense in the press release are the references to 95th /State (Red Line), giving the inference that it is going into the terminal. Are you saying that it does not? In that case, the references seem unnecessary. Is 99th/State used as a layover because it is adjacent the expressway ramps and 98th Shops, and hence laying over there won't disturb any neighbors? The bus in fact DOES NOT go into the terminal. It lays over a few car lengths south of 95th St on State. I now wonder if CTA is viewing this as a short term move and will seek a different terminal for this route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 There is an article about Chicago State closing the bus terminal in today's Sun-Times. Of interest:Asked why the terminal at St. Lawrence couldn't stay open until the new transit center is closer to completion, [university spokeswoman]Wheeler said: "That may be one of the end results of us meeting with [the CTA]. We are continuing negotiations." For now, the plan is to put a sculpture where the on-campus bus stops used to be.Sounds like the administration is real intelligent at Emil Jones U, also given that the president also got in trouble in an audit (sorry, Buslover, not directly in point). Close down the terminal because a sculpture is to be placed there 3 years from now, when there is a new terminal???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 Sounds like the administration is real intelligent at Emil Jones U, also given that the Another note in the same article notes that the university is in talks with Metra to put a stop in there. If the ding a ling took a walk to Cottage Grove and 95th and looked up, he would know that there is already a stop there. Yup...geniuses on the college administration level too (probably our next transit leader). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 Another note in the same article notes that the university is in talks with Metra to put a stop in there. If the ding a ling took a walk to Cottage Grove and 95th and looked up, he would know that there is already a stop there. Although the one there (like most of the IC stations that were never renovated) is probably a dump. They probably mean one like at 57th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geneking7320 Posted July 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 Another note in the same article notes that the university is in talks with Metra to put a stop in there. If the ding a ling took a walk to Cottage Grove and 95th and looked up, he would know that there is already a stop there. Yup...geniuses on the college administration level too (probably our next transit leader). I saw the article in today's Sun-Times. It should be noted that the Cottage Grove/Burnside turnaround goes back to the pre-Dan Ryan rapid transit days. Before the advent of the Lake-Dan Ryan trains Cottage Grove buses terminated at 93rd [burnside] or 115th streets. I had heard CSU had claimed security issues as a reason for evicting CTA but note that the students interviewed fear for their safety. On another note indirectly related to this discussion, when CTA announced work on the 95th/Ryan terminal I was hoping that somehow the movement of buses could be improved. Truth is, there is not enough room at that site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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