This rendering is pretty unambiguous. It does actually show a (long) mezzanine suspended mid-block that allows for transfers and fare control, and mid-block parking will remain. Maybe turning movements will be prohibited?

Maybe the Jewelers Row business owners (who helped fund the streetscaping) wouldn't allow the removal of the decorative light posts and planters?

http://www.chicago-l.org/stations/im...endering03.jpg
src

^ I'd never seen this rendering before. Frankly, it scares me a little.

The station looks pretty overwhelming in this view, particularly with the extra supports for the canopy. I'd be worried that it will result in some major shadows/sun blockage that don't exist today. Yes, I know it'll be replacing two current stations (so that's a plus), but those are actually fairly "light" from a pedestrian's perspective, since Wabash is pretty wide (and currently an enjoyable street to walk on, despite the L).

Why does this station need a bridge between platforms anyways? I can't think of a situation where you'd need to transfer here, since there are earlier stations on all sides. Is it just to minimize the number of elevators needed?

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-V...od+Station.jpg

Ravenswood Metra Station Under construction this evening.

What's lost in sun blockage is made up for in visual interest.

Some of these Loop station houses just look horrible right now. Light and airy is a step on the right direction, imo.

two issues I have with this new station in the Loop. White color, how long will that stay clean and fresh looking. A month? Also the glass roof. Again who is going to keep it clean? It's going to be bird droppings and a layer of dirt on the glass unless cleaned a lot on a regular basis.

The white at Washington/Wells looks decent after 20 years, with the exception of a few rust spots. White's not that bad. The glass roof is a bit of a mystery, but I'm sure it's been considered.

Yeah, it appears to take design cues from Washington/Wells, which I think is a little disappointing. It's held up, but it's just boring.

I don't remember where, but I read that the undulating roof was specifically designed to deter pigeons. I'm not a pigeon psychologist, but they do seem to prefer flat surfaces.

Looking like Washington/Wells is what scares me. While it's great as a passenger, I think it's a terrible station from the ground, including the white paint (which is now rusted). Morgan would be a far better example, and even in the Loop, go with Library.

Still - can anyone explain why this needs to have a transfer? It seems like a huge waste of money and major negative impact on the pedestrian experience because of the added width.

It was probably here. Who else would discuss such minutiae?

It's not a transfer so much as it is to keep people from having to cross the street to get to the side they need. Also probably means they only have to install one ground-to-mezzanine elevator instead of two.

Chicago-L.org's page for Washington/Wabash mentions that about the pigeon ... :-)

Seems like it should be possible to install a continuous elevator from street to platform... if it had doors on both sides, you'd travel from the ground to mezzanine, exit, pass through fare control, then loop back and enter the other side of the elevator to ride up to the platform. This would cause longer waits for the elevator but drastically cut down construction costs (each elevator can cost upwards of $1M).

This only gets you to one of the platforms, of course, so you'd still need two elevators. But you wouldn't need three.

Steps to beat fare controls:
1. Get on elevator at ground level.
2. Don't get off until the door opens into the paid area.

This has the disadvantage of waiting for somebody on the paid side to push an elevator call button. So maybe this is best as a scenario where one person pays the fare and lets all his buddies in for free through the elevator.

You would need an elevator with two compartments to make this work, which would be such a custom job that it would probably be cheaper to just install another elevator anyway.

You could situate the dual elevator next to the attendant's booth to deter cheaters. There might be some evasion when the attendant's back is turned but not dramatically more than what happens now.

Also, double-decker elevators are somewhat common, so you could do it that way. That might kill your cost savings though.

Partitioned elevators work. Had one for a project in the Middle East. They work great for security control. Havent even seen one in tge US. But you need a bigger elevator tower.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s.../2400canal.jpg

A NB Green line train crosses the approaches to the Ogilvie Transportation Center on its journey over W. Lake Street. The cars are from the 2400 series built by Boeing Co. and will be included in the eight car charter train.


http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...larkReject.jpg


A SB Brown line train rounds the corner, coming off the Ravenswood branch at Clark Junction on the city's north side. The Ravenswood was built originally to connect with vacant property holdings west of Western Ave. that owners of the elevated company also had a financial interest in. The cars, known as the 3200 series, are the final DC propulsion cars built by Morrison Knudsen and will also be a part of the charter consist.


http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...akeclinton.jpg

Who would have believed these Budd 2200 series 'L' cars would have lasted 40 plus years in service on the CTA, but because they're still running gave impetus to this eight car charter highlighting all of the current DC railcars on the CTA. Here the cars are paused at a photo stop at the Clinton Green line station.




The Annual Snowflake Charter sponsored by the Illinois Railway Museum will be held Sunday, March 24, beginning at 9 am from Midway Terminal on the CTA Orange Line. The all-day excursion will highlight an "airport to airport" 'L' trip detouring around the unfinished "Block 37." Trips through both the State Street and the Dearborn Street subways are also included plus going as far south as an 'L' can go....to the bumping post in the 98th Street yard in the Bishop Ford Freeway. The charter will have eight cars including a pair of cars from each series of DC high performance railcars currently in the CTA roster. The eight car charter costs $47 and tickets are being sold through the museum's website store.

http://www3.irm.org/store/index.php?...oducts_id=1997

Could this charter be run next year...not probably, since the new 5000 series AC cars that will replace the oldest DC cars are arriving now at a rate of one per day and over 220 are already on property. A "once-in-a-lifetime" is truly applicable.


David Harrison

Opps...the 4th DC class of 'L' railcar is the 2600 series Budd/Transit America shown here leading a NB Blue line train across the abandoned railroad elevation inbetween Damen and Western stations along Milwaukee Ave.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...tMilwaukee.jpg


David Harrison

I wondered if they always watch the trains that closely, or if it was only done because Obama was in town that day. If they always watch that closely then wow, there's a lot more scrutiny of the trains behind the scenes than I imagined there is.

If this has been posted, I apologize.

http://www.circleinterchange.org/


As part of the planning process, IDOT has been conducting an extensive public outreach and involvement campaign. The agency has scheduled a Public Hearing to provide an overview of the study process and solicit public input on April 3, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Marriot Chicago at Medical District/UIC, 625 South Ashland Ave.