I suspect one tunnel 60 feet under Clark and Grand would be easier and cheaper than threading two along the edges of the CBD. It certainly would be much more useful, offering connections to CTA rail and directly serving the office core.

Except that the office core is rapidly centering around the River and not the Loop core. Edging the two of them yields a far broader service area, better enabling a much bigger area to locate offices.

But it just reinforces the current problem: that the only commuters who matter are the ones from northern suburbs and the BNSF towns. Rock Island and Metra Electric riders get shafted yet again, put off their trains way over in the park, a long walk from the offices.

If you managed it right, you could create some crosses at 16th Street.

Or, better, actually do the Monroe Subway between the Medical District and Streeterville (since we're talking about unlimited infrastructure budgets anyway).

And also when you coordinate the operation correctly and make the right pairs of operation and connect to the River North and Streeterville area.

The Gerber Building at the Wilson station should be open this fall.
http://www.uptownupdate.com/2017/07/...back-time.html

This is pie in the sky, but you're right- connecting regional rail lines and providing downtown circulation are two separate problems.

I sorta side with Mr. D, though... given a limited budget and the turf-war realities of Chicago transit, I'd rather build one regional rail tunnel and a downtown circulator, rather than two regional tunnels. Ideally they could be designed as complements to each other, with easy transfers and maybe a free ride on the circulator with regional fare. However, the circulator needs to be run like urban transit and fully integrated into the CTA system to be truly effective. Trying to distribute people around the downtown using regional rail is too blunt of a tool, especially given the operating mentality of Metra. They might manage to run a regional rail tunnel with a small handful of stops a la Philadelphia, but running actual urban transit is beyond them.

From the CTA's twitter: the Wilson Red Line stop is almost done

Looking great!

08/24/17

https://uniim1.shutterfly.com/ng/ser...689954/enhance

https://uniim1.shutterfly.com/ng/ser...690045/enhance

http://l7.alamy.com/zooms/9616d9d54f...und-c43bht.jpg
Giant Clam

Maybe it's just this angle, but I think the sharp and angular outer parts of the sculpture (I'll call it that) are not well harmonized with the gentle, curvy, undulating inner parts. The lighting emphasis on the tips may be exacerbating this. I kind of fear we're about to see a half century of urbanism books published occasionally using the phrase "poor man's Calatrava" (and this has little to do with budget). Still, I'm grateful for the attempt at making a contemporary station and it will undoubtedly enhance the experience of visitors and commuters alike.

Like most Cta architecture I rarely come close to loving it, even while reminding myself to remember the dilapidated mess it is usually replacing. As far as this station goes, at least one can't say it's boring.

The Wabash/Randolph station will close September 3rd...

Washington/Wabash has wings.

I wish Chicago's subway station renovations would take cues from some of Barcelona's renovated stations.

Not that I love the CTA style of "Disney-meets-the-IRT", but the repetitive designs make it a lot easier for project managers to track and control costs. The renovation of Clark/Division included a new western mezzanine, but the rest of the project was functionally the same as Grand/State, Chicago/State, Lake, etc. Granite floors, ceramic tile ceilings, wall panels, etc.

Subway stations, fortunately, are out-of-sight, out-of-mind. For elevated stations, politicians and community leaders always want something distinctive which can ramp up costs in a major way.

new wilson rehab was needed, but still wish some of the interior stone work/staircase had been preserved. i have to admit im not a huge fan of the current "medium sercurity prison inmate intake" industrial feel of the current schemes.

Or pretty much any first world city outside the shores of the US, hell even most developing countries...

I know it's a bit hyperbolic but I think much can be derived about a society that puts so little creative thought into their public infrastructure.

How would that work? The Gerber Building was entirely cleared out and rebuilt from the inside out. The area where the original entrance used to be along Broadway is now slated to be retail space. The interior finishes at the old entrance were traditional, but they were in very bad shape after decades of deferred maintenance and water damage, and the ceiling headroom on the stairs didn't meet modern standards.

I am a little disappointed with the ceilings, but the CTA's granite floors with stainless accents are actually really elegant. They've also gotten pretty good at using architectural lighting to highlight design features and turn stations into night-time beacons.