^That might be what a rational urban planner would do, but RTA and Metra are political creations. You don't get the suburbanites (or their state reps) to pay for something they don't see serving the places they live.

In the early days of RTA, they ran Saturday-only "country buses" through the cornfields of Kane and McHenry just so the map would show that everyone who was paying taxes to the new agency was being served by it.

Ex-Rep. Lipinski drops federal lobbying after Sun-Times/BGA story
 

http://chicago.suntimes.com/politics...imesbga-story/

Chuck Neubauer and Sandi Bergo

Former U.S. Rep. Bill Lipinski has dropped his federal lobbying practice after the Chicago Sun-Times and the Better Government Association reported the longtime Chicago congressman was paid $4 million since 2007 by clients with issues before the U.S. House transportation committee on which his son, U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Illinois, serves......

I think most outer suburbanites understand the value of the Metra service they receive in exchange for taxes. Even the majority of suburbanites that don't commute by train will still use it for Cubs games, festivals, and holiday trips to the Loop.

So far, most attempts to add service to the outer suburbs (remember the STAR Line?) have been so far-fetched they didn't even make it to boondoggle status. They can't compete effectively for limited government funding.

August Boards of Directors Meetings
 

I will be addressing the CTA's Board of Directors next Wednesday August 10th (10:30am), Metra's Board on Wednesday August 24th (10:30am); and the RTA Board the next day Thursday August 25th (8:30am) -- about improving Rail Transit service to the South Side, Jackson Park, and the new Obama Museum and Library, by utilizing the nearby Metra Electric District services as part of CTA's 'L' system: http://bit.ly/GrayLineInfo http://www.modernmetraelectric.org

Members who would like to see this "presentation" can watch it on the CTA Board channel via YOUTUBE within two hours of the Wednesday meeting.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY6...NIgVixdHmp2V3w

If I was attending the Aug. 10 meeting, I would testify, "Why is it, only ONE citizen is always the only ONE present, advocating that the CTA should adopt over a failed transit service that results in a $64 million/year loss?.... deficit of $64 million in 2015, when the line generated $46 million in revenue but cost $110 million to operate."

"Name any alderman, any state rep, any mayor, any Congress member, any CTA board member, etc, etc, who supported it. I don't know how the idea lived so long. There is no retail business at any station from 63rd to 115th and down the branch to Ashland. Except three gas stations, all owned by outsiders, one Popeye's chicken....that's it. CSU at 95th put out fliers recommending students not use 95th station because of danger to their lives....robbery!!"

"Here's a video that shows what you can expect.....A NB Metra South Chicago service mid-day train.....Stops at seven stations on the branch, picks up all of four passengers. Pick eleven at three stops at Hyde Park. Three more at McCormick Place. Question...how many stops would it take the CTA Red line to have twenty passengers aboard. Well, see for your self.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc9pplGpFNk
Fortunately, the Board members are familiar about the proposal.....they've seen it for decades. So, I'll stay home and watch it on YOUTUBE. It's sure to be the hit of the morning.

DH

The frequency and fare discrepancy / incompatibility are the main reason for poor ridership and lack of nearby amenities. How much money does the Red Line Dan Ryan branch lose? Not sure CTA has these statistics itemized by line. But the systemwide operating deficit was $236 million for rail last year.

That is incorrect. Metra Electric doesn't go where the people living nearby, want to go. Meaning, any location that is not in the Central Downtown Area.

What is the source for your $236 million figure?

DH

Chicago is a POLITICAL - PATRONAGE >> NASTY S E W E R <<

Chicago Politics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-9KPe3nwaQ
Every Nasty Spider has it's place, and none of them want to lose it!

How do you interpret this DH?: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/c...623-story.html

And I guess these people are Idiots also -- Right DH?: http://www.modernmetraelectric.org -- Please explain for us why they have NO CLUE!!

Remember Barbara Byrd-Bennett, she is B L A C K, remember all the WONDERFUL things she did for the B L A C K COMMUNITY (like closing F I F T Y BLACK Schools while she was busy E M B E Z Z L I N G Millions of Chicago School Dollars -- SOOO Honorable)

YES -- I most certainly TRUST Chicago "Politicians" (like Barbara); and I also believe in the Easter Bunny, and Santa Claus!!

I see I struck a chord with a truth.

Go to the meeting with a hundred in your party. Show them! Don't show me.

DH

Where do people want to go that the red line goes and the ME does not that doesn't involve a transfer? I guess the north side?

If the ME South Shore line frequency were increased and the fare integrated with CTA, many riders would find its service preferable to several existing bus routes such as the 6, 26, 71, and maybe even the J14 Jeffery Jump, which when taken together add up to quite a good number of riders (about 30,000 per day total across those four bus routes), all of which also require a transfer to go anywhere other than the Loop. Cut back or eliminate some or all of those bus routes and there you have a good chunk of the money to cover the cost of increased frequency.

As for the $236 million figure: On the chart at the bottom of Page 183 of the CTA 2016 Budget Recommendations
http://www.transitchicago.com/assets...Compressed.pdf

CTA Heavy Rail operating expenses are cited at $514 million while fare revenue is cited at $278 million. Subtract to get $236 million. Capital funds expended are $480 million but I didn't count that.

As usual, you did NOT respond to questions about the Tribune article, or the CMME Website; what chord is it you think you've struck??

I will be all by myself this trip, but columnists from the Chicago Defender, Chicago Reporter, and the Chicago Sun-Times WANT to be there to cover my testimony -- I'm satisfied.

There are not white schools and black schools. There are overcrowded schools and nearly empty schools. It's not racist nor is it a crime to advocate for closing nearly empty schools. The local populations race isn't and shouldn't be a factor.

As far as improving transit to the south side goes - I'm all for it within reason. I don't buy the argument that chicagopcclcar1 is making - that because usage is low today means it's a waste to invest in making it better. But that also doesn't mean the city should throw hundreds of millions at it instead of investing in where the riders are currently at. There is a balance.

BUT IT WAS RACE -- She would N O T have pulled that BullHockey on schools with more "influence", they picked on the weakest link in the chain.

And I imagine there will be MANY more riders in the future, there is precious little parking in the area -- and they are talking about drawing visitors Globally! You will need more than some bus routes.

A Red line customer can continue their trip without a transfer....use the Orange line to go southwest all the way to Midway...go west on the Pink line all the way to Cicero/Berwyn...go west on the Blue line all the way to Forest Park...go west on the Green line all the west to Oak Park...go northwest on the Blue line all the way to O'Hare...go north on the Brown line all the way to Kimball and Lawrence...go north on the Red, Purple, and Yellow lines all the way to Howard, Evanston/ Wilmette, and Skokie. That's a lot of traveling without a transfer.


Thanks for the info. We still don't know how the original reporter arrived at his figure and the CTA does not break their info by routes/lines.

DH

I live in Downers Grove, if I ride down to CUS -- I have to walk a couple of Blocks to get to ANY 'L' Line -- and guess what, I DON'T DIE because of it.

The guy who was robbed in Gary waiting for a South Shore train was traveling from Gary to get to his Job at O'Hare; he obviously had to walk from Millennium Station to Dearborn, to get to the Blue Line: http://www.fox32chicago.com/news/crime/154769870-story He didn't DIE because of the transfer either -- tell us, was there another ALL CTA 'L' way for him to get to O'Hare from Gary?

Sometimes people have to walk a few blocks for a non-direct transfer -- IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD DH

When I lived on 77th & South Shore Dr. the closest 'L' was the Red Line THIRTY blocks away, it took 45 minutes on the #79 to get to it (including waiting 20 minutes for the bus) -- and now I'm still on 79th Street.
.

btw: The wonderful #26 operates ONLY in the Rush direction (NOT reverse), and ONLY on Weekdays -- on Weekends you are truly S O L!

For those of us actually paying property taxes, you know, not the paltry $150 per year or whatever that many lower income people may or may not be paying while complaining about everything that is wrong with the city that failed to rescue them, it sure as hell matters. And it will matter more as they raise property taxes, water fees, sewage fees---raise raise raise!

So yeah, close empty schools. We need to cut the budget.

Having said that, I 100% disagree with Chicagopcclcar1 in that investing in better and more frequent transit on the south side is a waste. I think there is a case to be made that if such an investment is made along the south lakefront, and we can shut up those idiots who keep whining about gentrification as if vacant lots, gangs, and liquor stores are some sort of nirvana we should strive towards, WE CAN PERHAPS HAVE POSITIVE CHANGE on the south side for the first time in a century.

Maybe not but don't you think location, access, and convenience should be though?

I don't think anyone is celebrating those things. People in poor neighborhoods desperately want to see investment and positive change. But they want to be around to enjoy that change without being priced out in five to fifteen years. I agree there are many benefits of gentrification, but it's also a runaway train. Once it gets going and builds momentum, it can't be stopped. Hispanics have experienced this in neighborhood after neighborhood across the city. How do we find a balance between improving neighborhoods and allowing poor and lower middle class people to remain?

You can't.

Most non-poor simply don't want to live near large concentrations of poor people.