Stop beating around the bush. Why not forcibly relocate residents to areas nearer to public transit and ban them from owning a vehicle? Your sentiment is as good an argument for NOT having a transit super-agency controlled by Chicago politicians as I've ever seen.

Thanks god. I wish it wasn't going to take 4 years.

Looks like they're going to do the most meaningful part of this first, the northern sections and the part over lakeshore to the west of Lake Point Tower. The portions through Dusable and the river bridge are later. At least those portions are already "open" to a degree, it's just a matter of pushing the trail out on the bridge and over Ogden Slip.

The real messy part now on the trail is getting over Grand and Illinois and squeezing by Lake Point Tower. Hopefully they get get that part wrapped up first.

^Yeah I don't even bike and I live on the south side of the river but I'm anxious for this to get done. Having to climb those stairs up the bridge to cross the river and ogden slip is a real pain in the ass, especially in the dark. Unifying the trail from museum campus/grant park all the way to navy pier might actually make navy pier more attractive.

Will Chicago need more cab medallions and a car service?
 

Lately I have been curious whether the absolute explosion of the city's core population as well as rising tourism and new hotels will spur the issuance of more taxicab medallions? Also, will Chicago ever get a car service industry the likes of what already exists in New York and Boston? I know that Uber will fill some of the demand, but there is nothing like the 'on the spot' service that cabs and car services can provide.

Thoughts?

The taxicab industry is politically powerful and will fight an expansion in medallions kicking and screaming, just as they are fighting Uber, Lyft, and Hailo.

Livery services would be interesting; among Chicago's upper crust after about 30 or so, it's virtually unheard of to live without a car, even if it's fairly common in my Millennial generation. I think we'd need to see an expansion of neighborhood retail where supermarkets and services are placed within walking distance of more wealthy Chicagoans, but if that happens and car services are established, then many 1%ers might give up their cars.

Could you or someone describe how those existing "car service" businesses are different from limo businesses that Chicago has - are they more on-demand and amenable to short-distance rides? Or are they just premium taxis, that can be hailed if they're empty? I know they are common with many white collar employees in NY but I assumed those were under a preexisting contract between their employer and the car hire business.

Black cars can't be hailed, only ordered. That's pretty much the only difference legally.

In New York, they offer a more luxurious experience. Yes, many employers and organizations have accounts with the car companies to avoid the indignity of having to pay at the end of a ride. The seamlessness and quality of the experience is a big reason that they could help encourage wealthy citizens to go car-free, who would otherwise never set foot in a subway or bus.

It's not the everyday shopping, nor (usually) the journey-to-work. It's the weekend special trips, to visit relatives, do suburban shopping, or get to summer homes. Auto ownership and off-street parking in Chicago is still cheaper—and a lot more convenient—than renting or carsharing for those trips. And if children are involved, it gets impractical pretty fast.

Seems to be pretty much what I always thought -- not sure what TUP meant by "on the spot" regarding car services.

If there's nothing regulatory that prevents New York type "car services" here and Chicago already has limos anyway, then I assume the only real difference is supply/demand? In other words, presumably not enough demand within the city (where taxis are often adequate anyway), and Metra (to a park-n-ride lot etc.) is a superior option for people who live in the 'burbs. Also, New Yorkers are more likely to be working past midnight, past the last commuter train and maybe past safe public transport, compared to Chicagoans.

Illiana Corridor Achieves Key Financing Milestone
 

The full press release is available here.

This is not entirely true.

The black cars aren't hailed like a cab, but you can approach one on the street and get a ride. The difference here is, you negotiate the price with the driver. You can also order a ride, but it is not true to say that you cannot get a ride from one of the black cars on the spot.

I lived in New York for 3 years and I can definitely tell you that, especially on busy nights when it is next to impossible to find a taxicab, the black car services are very helpful when you are walking around looking for a ride.

^ I saw that and was too depressed to post. Why Illinois wants to borrow money to build a massive roadway that will allow our logistics industry to migrate to Indiana is beyond me. AS soon as it is operational you will see companies coming to the state hat in hand for welfare threatening to move to Indiana which will offer their own brand of state welfare.

Meanwhile green fields will be torn up and paved over for schlock vinyl housing and worst of all will be the degradation of the Kankakee River watershed.This makes me ill.

It's 2014! The NYC subway and buses and as safe as ever. Even at 3 AM the subway has a good amount of people in them. :cheers:

I have a feeling this will not actually be built.

Legally? Isn't that just the black car operating as a gypsy cab?

Aren't a lot of Uber vehicles just black cars picking up fares in their off hours?

"transit" usually means "public transit," not cabs and livery, right?

Just because we're eligible for TIFIA doesn't mean we get the award. USDOT has already been burned by several exurban toll roads that failed to meet revenue projections. The Illiana doesn't even look good on paper, unless you're CenterPoint or some other logistics company. Now TIFIA is going toward transit projects and even pedestrian projects like our Riverwalk.

The only surefire way we're getting a TIFIA loan is if Obama decides to push for it.

You're absolutely right that Illiana, if built, will be a sprawl trigger like none other. The only way for the road to possibly meet revenue projections is to develop vast cancerous tracts of cheap housing in Wilmington, Beecher, and Peotone. If built as a freeway, it would still be a colossal waste of public funds but at least officials would not feel the ongoing pressure to meet revenue projections through subsidized sprawl.

God I hope not, in its current form it's expensive and useless.

Exactly, jpi & ardecila. Pray this absurd and destructive boondoggle never happens!!!

There was some analysis done on how much tolls would have to be to cover the cost. I don't remember where I saw it, but the numbers were stupid high.

I think it is a campaign ploy by Quinn to win south suburban votes. After the election in November (especially if Quinn loses, which I hope he does), my guess is that this proposal will start to go away.