Ok, all that combined very likely accounts for the decline. Thanks, I hadn't thought about those things.

It does seem like the kinks in Ventra have been worked out now though. But Divvy is absolutely stealing ridership. I can't believe how popular it is.

http://www.transitchicago.com/news/d...ArticleId=3345

New 95th
 

Can we all just agree the new 95th terminal is probably the consolation prize since the extension probably will never happen?;)

^ Not so sure about that - I actually think that it's probably much more likely to come to fruition than I did a year or two ago (when I was certainly no more than 50/50 on the odds and maybe as little as 1/3 chance in the next 10 years).......

A mayoral election is coming up. I put the chances of vague promises about it at 100%.

Rahm can point to the 95th St terminal under construction when he campaigns on the South Side. Even assuming a full court press by the mayor and congressional delegation, the Red Line Extension is several years from starting. New Starts projects just don't move that quickly unless you decide to pass on Federal funding.

:yuck: I am so sick of seeing that man on TV taking credit for stuff......

Tribune article has updated details about some of the transit improvements coming, including the Union Station bus station and lane alterations.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/ct-dow...htmlstory.html

http://photodesk.chicagotribune.com....RT-map-gfc.jpg

http://photodesk.chicagotribune.com....low-render.jpg

^- The bus/taxi/car situation on Canal at Union Station is such a disaster, I didn't know there was any plan in place to improve it. The divided lane and designated space for coach busses should help the situation a lot. Hopefully it extends to the block south of Jackson where many Megabuses stop.

The article mentioned that the Megabuses will be moved south to Congress outside the Clinton Blue Line station.

This should make for an easier transfer to CTA and a sheltered place for people to wait under the expressway. It would be great to kill one of those parking lots and put in a secure waiting area with benches like DC has at Union Station.

Unfortunately the new rendering in the Trib makes it seem like the signature (and competition-winning) design has now been totally killed in favor of something cartoonish and ugly.

Cermak/McCormick Place Station
9/28/14

http://i58.tinypic.com/15fhjrq.jpg

http://i59.tinypic.com/2qicwft.jpg

http://i60.tinypic.com/2hncsi9.jpg

I prefer Rahm doing it rather than Karen Lewis, union pig or Fioretti, moron.

Let's face it, if one of them were in charge there wouldn't be much for them to take credit of. I'm most afraid of Lewis somehow winning and tanking the Lucas museum.

Back on topic, is there an estimated completion date for Cermak and for the start of demolition of Madison/Wabash?

Cermak needs to be finished this calendar year, I think, because the TIF district is expiring.

:shrug: well I guess he is the best of 3 evils.

How do we all feel about the announcement of another 700 bike Divvy expansion that will push into Oak Park and Evanston?

Divvy's pretty great. I know a lot of people who use it, and others who got crazy into biking after trying it out. The only concern with expanding is whether they can scale their recirculating operations (the trucks that move bikes between stations so everything is appropriately stocked) to cover a greater footprint without delays. You'd think that rebalancing and route-finding stuff would be computerized, but an article I read a while ago made it sound like it was a lot of pencil and paper work.

Union pig? Pretty harsh commentary.

Pigs everywhere are offended by this.

Where is the article? Is this in addition to the expansion that was delayed till next year?

I'm all for expanding Divvy. When my bike was stolen in June I joined as a member and I've been using it a lot. At times, it is more convent then if I were using a bike that I owned.

Museum Campus Transportation Plan Open House