Looks like the mezzanine level is finished at Clark & Division? I assume the platform level was being improved as well? Is that finished or nearing completion?

The platform is partially renovated. I didn't pay the fare to go downstairs, but it resembles the one at Lake. IIRC the ceiling mosaic is a little different.

http://www.chicago-l.org/stations/im...ke-state07.jpg

Nice to see something moving forward. Metra had a plan to seek Federal funding for a UP-W improvement, but ultimately UP decided to fund the needed improvements on its own with state assistance.

Metra still needs to rebuild A2 Interlocking, though... this was part of the now defunct UP-W project.

Is this legit....

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CrossRail Chicago

http://www.midwesthsr.org/crossrail-chicago

New, electrified express trains linking O’Hare to the Loop, McCormick Place and the University of Chicago.

New, cross-town commuter trains linking the south suburbs to the northwest suburbs.

Setting the stage for high-speed rail and more than $13 billion in economic impacts.

.....




http://www.midwesthsr.org/sites/defa...il-chicago.jpg

not legit

Then that amounts to just an advocacy group that asks for help to make it happen.

Yeah, pretty much. It's just an idea at this point.

It may be included in the next round of CMAP's official project list (GOTO 2040), which will make it an "official" proposal that can compete for Federal funding if politicians wish to pursue it.

At that point, it will be "legit" but still very unlikely unless it has a strong political backer. Given the regional nature of the proposal, it will likely need several strong political backers from city and suburbs. It's actually pretty similar to the plan that the Liberals just unveiled for GO Train.

A new video was posted showing progress on the Englewood Flyover. Looking good, do more trains get shifted to the LaSalle St. Station as soon as it's done?

• Video Link

^ No... a second flyover is needed at 75th and Parnell before the Southwest Service trains will shift to LaSalle.

The only immediate benefit for the Englewood Flyover is that Amtrak trains on the lower level (Wolverine, Pere Marquette, Blue Water, Capitol Limited, Lake Shore Limited, Hoosier State, Cardinal) will experience fewer delays coming into/out of Chicago.

A third flyover at Grand Crossing will allow the Saluki and City of New Orleans to go through Englewood Junction as well.

This is research I alluded to a couple years ago when I gave a tiny bit of help to Ed Zotti - I hope more of it is publicized after the meeting, it's really quite fascinating.

New moves pondered to unclog downtown transit

Ed Zotti the Straight Dope guy?

Looks like it.

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/ed-zotti/4/888/b29

Here's an idea: given the new implications of the redevelopment of River North as an entertainment hotspot and tech hub, what if we did LRT on Carroll Ave, but rezoned the entire length of it as a street as well. Essentially allow all the buildings along that stretch to build another level of retail in the basement facing Carroll. However, leave the entire stretch of Carroll as a pedestrian mall with a tram/trolley moving slowly down the center of it? It might be impossible to mesh with the current loading situation, but it could turn into an incredible nightlife district if you could build proper access to it from the upper streets and also create a reason to get people down there, which is what Trump's river retail suffers from.

Imagine if you essentially had a cut and cover subway that was never covered and was also wide enough to support retail and foot traffic along the sides. Maybe pave all of it with cobble stone and allow lots of sidewalk cafes. Does anything like that exist anywhere? Allowing pedestrian and LRT traffic to mingle at low speeds?

Or hell, maybe cut out the transit portion all together and turn it into the "low line". Make it a linear park/plaza lined by restaurants and even allow it to connect to the lower streets to the East and encourage buildings to convert their basement spaces to retail a la Billy Goat?

Why would you do that? The whole point is to speed up transit, but a tram on a pedestrian mall would be slower than the buses we have now.

I'm interested to see what Zotti's proposal is. Maybe he even got Cecil Adams' input!

Presumably he's proposing this:
http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago...nt?oid=3473194

^ That's one part of the concept, but it sounds like he's also proposing some kind of downtown light rail.

Is the city (CDOT, IDOT, CTA) actually interested in doing anything soon or is this a fact finding mission?

I'd rather put dedicated transit on Carroll Street and cap it and put retail along the top level. It'd be a lot more welcoming to more pedestrians, and it'd be just as effective and tie into other streets a lot better. It might not have the mystery a lower level retail corridor would, but it would be better in almost every other way.

If you did that, and if Wolf Point actually became interesting, the Merchandise Mart could even conceivably create some outward-facing retail along Field Drive and continue the retail all the way from Wolf Point to State Street along Carroll.

I'm curious: has ridership dropped since the bullshit Ventra went into effect? I haven't used the train or busses since the CTA stopped using the normal fare cards. I refuse to pay extra for that dumbass shit, and there are many people I know who feel the same. I'd rather drive.

Anyway, I know a fair amount of people boycotting the Ventra shit, and I'm curious what ridership has been these last few months?

^ Ridership is what it has been - up on rail, down on most buses. There's no indication that Ventra has had much of an effect either way.

Also, you know you don't actually have to pay any extra, right?