Something curious I came across: an article from The Guardian interviewed Andy Byford about high speed rail projects in the US. Some familiar projects like CAHSR and Brightline West were discussed. In addition, the article casually lists an Illinois High Speed Rail project from Chicago to St. Louis in 2 hours, and says it's in early stages of planning. The travel times for projects are taken from either the project websites or directly from Amtrak. There's nothing on the Illinois HSR commission page that says it will have 2 hour travel times, so this makes me wonder if Amtrak is somehow involved and provided the numbers to The Guardian.

I did find from the commission's May meeting that they are studying highway corridors, as well as the existing UP right-of-way, and will connect nearby towns/cities via branches. Interestingly, they list Metra's RID ROW and a potential route into Chicago. This would line up with Metra's plan to spend $1 billion to upgrade the RID for future Amtrak use. Hopefully we get more details soon.

https://i.imgur.com/XIckzxsh.png
Website: https://idot.illinois.gov/transporta...formation.html

That's intriguing.

2 hours is ambitious... that's a 150mph average speed end to end. Even if the train can do 220mph out in the cornfields there will inevitably be much slower sections entering/exiting Chicago and St Louis.

Certainly this kind of speed will not allow the reuse of the UP corridor - Illinois towns are much closer together than in California's Central Valley and each one will either require a bypass alignment around the town (curvy/speed penalties) or a costly viaduct thru the center of town. Really they're much better off using interstates or a true greenfield alignment.

Also interesting they don't seem to be contemplating the Chicago-Champaign-Decatur-Springfield-St. Louis route long favored by the MHSRA (now HSRA). That HSR advocacy group have vision planned that route because they rightfully believe IMO that U of I would be a major ridership generator with roughly 60k students.

^ Rick Harnish, the executive director of HSRA, was appointed by the governor to be on the Illinois HSR Commission, so the governor and other members of the commission must know about the HSRA alignment. If it's not the route the commission is choosing, then it's likely they think it'll be cheaper or provide high-ridership to instead do a branch to Urbana-Champaign from a trunk line.

Fun fact, apparently Metra's CEO Jim Derwinski is the chair of the HSR Commission, so that probably is why the RID ROW is listed at the potential route into Chicago

They have not ruled out the I-57 routing thru Champaign, as far as I can tell. They just showed the UP corridor as an example.

In addition to serving Champaign, another huge advantage of using the I-57 route is that you can use Metra Electric as the Chicago approach. It's already electrified (albeit DC), 100% grade separated and straight as an arrow... you could build a shoulder station at Calumet near the Tri-State, or Kensington with a Red Line and Metra Electric connection. It would save billions. The only downside is that it does not connect to Union Station, so they'd have to spend on that connection or use another downtown terminal.

Another factor in favor of IC via Kankakee is that, surprisingly, it gives a superior route to Indianapolis via the Big Four alignment. I'm told that's in much better shape than the ex-Monon through Rensselaer. Whether Indiana would be on board to help fund a route that skips the Region altogether is another question.

HOLY SHIT! At the Illinois Senate Transportation hearing, Metra said they'll experiment with hourly O'Hare-Union Station service for 10 days during the DNC. They eventually want 15-minute frequency. Metra also said, if they get more funding, they may consider a circumferential route like the STAR Line

I can't believe I'm saying this, but God bless Metra

Wait.... Wut??........

I really like Metra - I take it regularly out to my cousins in the burbs and it's a godsend of a service. Antecedent - I've noticed more and more people taking it too this Summer.

Not extending the ATS tracks over the NCS tracks a few hundred feet during the new car rental facility building is still one of the most shockingly idiotic planning fails I can fathom.

Agreed, but could they do it still? Just re-route the tracks to the facility for a connection, then back to the normal tracks? Re-route from just South of the facility to the connection, the gradually back up to the normal route.

It's too late to extend the ATS, but it would be much cheaper to just build a nice enclosed passage through the CONRAC garage and a Metra concourse over the tracks like Newark has. It's only about 700' walk if they can make it a straight shot, instead of going down to street level and around the garage.

Of course, there's no point to spending that kind of money for the current pathetic service levels on the NCS. The NCS is neither a busy commuter route or an intercity route, so the only reason to upgrade the station is if Metra makes a commitment to a robust O'Hare Express service.

Lots of people pushing for the O'Hare Express behind the scenes, including Rep. Quigley. Honestly I don't blame Illinois Dems to trying to keep visiting delegates off the CTA while the service is a dumpster fire.

Why is it too late? If the demand was there, couldn't they just do something like this?

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...317ed675_z.jpg

Sen. Durbin & Duckworth and Rep. Quigley secured $4.8 million to upgrade O'Hare Transfer for "a covered and lit ADA-compliant walkway from Metra’s O’Hare Transfer Station and the entrance of the O’Hare Multimodal Facility and Airport Transit System station". No renderings yet but if it's supposed to connected directly to the ATS station, which is several floors up, and be ADA compliant it'll probably look something like this sketch from the HSRA

https://www.hsrail.org/wp-content/up...er-station.jpg

Appropriations spreadsheet: https://appropriations.house.gov/sit...d-3.6.2024.pdf
Press Release: https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/new...ckworth-durbin

It doesn't quite appear this way, but a dedicated concourse with people mover, etc. could be a nice seamless experience. Separately, is there room for the additional tracks and platforms envisioned long term?

Very random question, but has there ever been any legitimate discussion of extending the pink line back to Berwyn considering the original right-of-way still exists all the way to Oak Park Avenue? I suppose there would probably be a fair amount of NIMBY angst from those with homes adjacent to the right-of-way but I was curious if either the CTA or the city of Berwyn have ever indicated any potential interest? (granted there are other areas where rail expansion probably makes more sense from a cost/benefit perspective)

^I don't know, but the fact that both Cicero and Berwyn have purposefully managed to preserve it is a good sign that those two town's planning dept's have made serious efforts in case some day a serious extension proposal is contemplated.

It's important to remember that even when the Douglas branch ran all the way to Oak Park Ave, until 1952 I believe, the right of way was pretty primitive with shack style "stations" and irregular partial service patterns. That doesn't really mean anything for the future though, but it is undeniable it is not ideal to extend an at-grade 600v rapid transit line in 2024. It would be pretty contentious with vocal advocates and opponents. And the opponents would have good reason to be concerned as the extension would effectively create a north-south barrier to/from Cermak Road.

Ideally a trenched alignment could be constructed which would solve vehicular and pedestrian circulation, major aesthetic as well as safety concerns but would likely come at 2+ times the cost. I would imagine most residents, property owners and stakeholders would be vehemitely opposed to an elevated structure on visual grounds alone.

Coming from someone who grew up in the Berwyn area, I would absolutely love that. Unfortunately, I believe it's a non starter. Much of that right of way has been converted to parking (which in a very dense yet still somewhat car centric area like Berwyn, people would fight tooth and nail to keep) as well as public parks. No politician would want to stick their necks out for this project and risk being run out of office.

Like much of the decommissioning of CTA transit lines in the 50s-60s, shortening the Pink Line was unfortunately sad and very short sighted.

I too admit that having ground level transit isn't the best situation. The Pink Line runs on surface level after Keeler, and if we somehow got federal funds to extend the Pink Line, I would imagine elevating it all the way would be a part of that. However, I think elevated would be more feasible than trenching, both from a cost perspective as well as physical logistics. The Pink Line ROW is a fairly tight squeeze, so the sort of trench you need would basically be an uncovered tunnel (as opposed to the Yellow Line trench for instance, which is much wider and allows for a gradual slop up to ground level). That said, your concerns about the locals objecting are very valid, although I think they would be against it regardless of the path you chose. No one wants to suddenly find out they will be living adjacent to an active train line, and deal with the noise pollution and potentially lower property values as a result.

An elevated rebuild and extension makes the most sense, especially given the recent success of the Red Line rebuild from Lawrence to Bryn Mawr.

I think it could be extended to Harlem and tied into a redevelopment plan for the North Riverside Park Mall area. Not sure if Hines VA is a large enough driver of ridership for the Pink Line to make it all the way out there, but should at least be considered.

The Cermak Pulse Line should help build ridership to justify a future Pink Line extension by providing BRT-lite service. Disappointing though that won't start service till 2029 :(

https://i.imgur.com/wkG4FNY.png
https://www.pacebus.com/sites/defaul...ter2023-24.pdf

So this will be an express, with no local stops? I do have to ask, at least for the DNC, since all the activity will be at the United Center, wouldn't it make sense to have a stop at Western also? Wouldn't add much time to the overall trip, and a lot of people may want to just taxi from Western straight to the United Center, and skip the Union Station crowds.

I doubt many people flying into O'Hare are going directly from there to the United Center. They'll likely be staying at downtown hotels and will drop their luggage off.

A guy on my floor is a resident at Loyola MC. I'm pretty sure he takes the pink line and bikes the rest of the way...

I predict up to 10 riders per trip.

Hi! Welcome to Chicago! Just go up and over to the ATS, ride it to the MMF, walk another 600 ft to the train, wait an average of 30 minutes outside, heft your roller bag up the bilevel's steps, then ride for 39 minutes to get sort-of downtown, then get a taxi from CUS to your Michigan Ave hotel.

Or you can take the Blue Line right here every 7-10 min.

Hourly does seem a bit impractical unless the timing just happens to align really well with when someone wants to leave.

There will be intermediate stops at Western and River Grove: https://schedules.metrarail.com/pdf/...2407101421.pdf

Hate to say it but $4.8M is nowhere near enough to build what is shown in the rendering. It's possible this money is just for Phase 1/2 (planning/design) but if this is the whole enchilada, then the best we will get is some prefab canopy cover installed over the existing sidewalk, straight from a Florida high school parking lot. Should be lovely in the winter.

https://i.ibb.co/m6pp2tZ/cantilievered-canopies1.jpg


Anything is possible in theory but no, there is not enough room for 6 tracks + 2 platforms like the rendering shows, which also looks a bit like Metra Electric's wide corridor. The rail ROW at O'Hare Transfer is only 75' instead of the usual 100', so it's already pinched. You'd have to deck over / reroute Willow Creek to expand it which is a nonstarter. I'd be surprised if they even have room for a fourth track.

Looks fine to me. If none of us are supposed to own cars and garages and we're supposed to walk everywhere, well 95% of that is unsheltered. Why should mass transit be any different?

Well, this would be a gateway to the city for many thousands of visitors, and most of them will not be accustomed to Chicago weather.

I think we can mange to get people from an airplane to a Metra train and then to Union Station without making them walk thru the cold.

And after Union Station?
Call it "cultural immersion" and pocket the savings.

So more than the red line extension?

5-7 minute headways on the Blue Line (or anywhere else on the CTA) haven't been a thing for years.

More like 20-30 minutes, at best.

When I commute using the red line it’s usually 5-7 minute headways and 7-10 minutes for the brown line. I don’t have regular trips with the other lines recently.

The Metra stop at O'hare is convenient for suburbanites who would like to take transit to the airport but the blue line doesn't go past O'hare. the Metra NCS line is a very busy line that goes all the way to Antioch, some of those commuters would be happy to ride to O'hare if they could conveniently change to the ATS close to the transfer station.

Sure, that was the reason they built the station in the first place in 1996 - it was focused more on suburban air travelers. Originally it was a pain to use - drive to a NCS station, ride Metra to O'Hare Transfer, get on a bus to the people mover, ride the people mover to your terminal. That's (4) modes of transportation before you even get to your plane.

But since then, support has also grown to provide a faster express alternative to the Blue Line. Various studies have shown that adding express tracks to the Blue Line is too difficult and costly, and Elon Musk's underground Loop tunnel was a pipe dream. So that leaves Metra as the best option for an express train. Upgrading the tracks is not a small project but seems feasible, they have room to expand from 3 to 4 tracks and add a flyover bridge or two to decongest the rail junctions.

To me a real golden opportunity is building a connecting track from the NCS to the UPNW. You could run trains from the NW suburbs directly to Ohare and then into downtown.

Is Damen Green Line open yet? All I can find is years old articles. If not, when?

"Late July."

It will open before the DNC event.

Redefine the Drive

I know that this is transit adjacent- but thought that since it impacts bus route along the lake I would post about it.

https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/07...advocates-say/

I hope IDOT gets sued out of their mind for refine the drive. It's insane to me that the year is 2024, and we are actually discussing a highway expansion on the lakefront. Downright terrible plan with tons of misleading graphics and misinformation presented by IDOT. I've read over their technical memorandum, and this option will increase the amount of asphalt in our parks- in some areas more substantially than others. To not include any provisions for transit in the plans as well is ridiculous. IDOT claimed it would take riders away from the redline- they offered no evidence for this claim other than their feelings.

State DOTs need a good look in the mirror and need to move on from the 1950s. The fact that Wisconsin and Indiana have state DOTs more willing to embrace new transportation techniques is embarrassing. IDOT is an embarrassment.

Even if they are correct and it would take people away from the Redline, why is that inherently bad? It would only happen if this route was faster than the Redline, which would be a good thing for those people.

Why don't they use this logic on expanding the roads? Wouldn't more lanes on DLSD take drivers away from Clark St.?

Could it become a 24/7 service?

I don't really see what you're seeing in the proposal. I see no additional lanes of roadway, bus priority at interchange on and off ramps, much better pedestrian and bike trails and more overall green space. While I tend to agree a full bus only lane would be nice, the biggest problem for busses right now is sitting in auto traffic. Changing a lane from auto to bus would help, but then auto traffic gets much worse. Adding a new bus only lane takes away too much green space by working the road even more. Actually getting rid of the Chicago Ave light helps immensely, given most of the gridlock, especially southbound, is from that signal and most express busses exit at Michigan Ave anyhow.

The proposal shows far more access points to cross than currently exist, with much improved pedestrian and bike infrastructure.

Light rail or a new heavy rail line wouldn't be feasible due to cost.

Not sure what else could be reasonably expected here? Other than full tunneling along the lakefront costing tens of billions of dollars, what world make this much better?

August 5th: https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/07...al-convention/

IDOT is bringing the drive up to full federal highway standards- which means much wider lanes- much bigger on/off ramps etc. It'll be better from a driving perspective- but from everything else not really. It'll be even more obtrusive on the lakefront than it is currently. You're also not taking into account induced demand. The year is 2024- we should be encouraging bus ridership on the lakefront not car traffic. The kennedy and the ryan are federal highways for a reason- lake shore drive was never built for that. IDOT is attempting to cram a federal grade highway on the lakefront. I recommend reading through the link here-->

https://northdusablelsd.org/document...cal-documents/

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw...-gm?authuser=0

More to come later (hard to post from my phone and haven't taken pics off my camera yet).

Bravo

I'm not sure when I'll first have the opportunity to use the new Damen green line stop, but the nerd in me loved seeing it show up on Google maps today!

It wasn't really all that long ago that the nearly 3 mile stretch of the green line from Clinton all the freaking way out to California only had the one intermediate stop at Ashland.

But now with the Morgan infill stop from last decade, and this new Damen infill stop, it looks a million times more like a proper intra-city rapid transit line, ya know, kinda like what it was built as 130 years ago, LOL!

Also worth noting there's already 37 photos posted to Google Maps of the stop!

It looks really cool. I love the design, and it's almost alien to see a CTA stop that nice looking. I would love to see so many stations revamped to this level of style, but realize we can only do so much with the limited money we have.

Finally!
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/mark...ef0018d8&ei=30