At least vehicle throughput and bicycle safety has improved. I feel a lot safer crossing intersections and biking down Washington to work since everyone has their own light. Sorry, I predicted from the beginning that transit vehicles on separated and fixed guideways with special signaling is the way to go. Either the highest standard of BRT or light rail vehicles.

The only alternative at this point is not to invest in some costly enforcement system, but wait for the auto industry to perfect autonomous vehicles that will probably improve a lot of reliability in the grid. May sound crazy, but thinking you can easily solve over a century old problem and change behavior is also kind of crazy.

Wilson Red Line station on final phase of renovation

And a tweet from the mayor with photos: https://twitter.com/ChicagosMayor/st...57704189505536

https://metrarail.com/about-metra/ne...-metra-station

Anyone know about this?

It sounds like Metra is willing to consider frequent service when conventioneers demand it, but not when the hundreds of thousands living on the South Side demand it.

Nevermind that there is literally a dedicated road for conventioneers already, fully grade-separated and not cheap to build.

The crossover track would allow Metra to run rail shuttles from Millennium Station to McCormick Place, and then switch back to the inbound track to head northward again. Presumably convention organizers and/or McPier would pay for this... I sure hope so, because I don't want a cent of my tax dollars going toward such a useless, redundant project.

Metra opening bids to comlpete Ravenswood Station SB and additional bridge work

Metra seeks bids for UP North bridge project, Ravenswood Station
(March 7, 2017) -
Metra is seeking bids for the next phase of the multi-year Union Pacific North bridge project, which will replace bridges over 11 streets on the North Side of Chicago, as well as construct the inbound half of the new Ravenswood Station, the agency announced today.
.....

The second phase consists of new bridges for the inbound tracks over Grace, Irving Park, Berteau, Montrose, Sunnyside, Wilson, Leland, Lawrence, Winnemac, Foster and Balmoral. Construction of the bridges for the outbound tracks over the same 11 streets and related retaining wall work on the west side was completed in the first phase.
....

The work also includes construction of the inbound half of the Ravenswood Station, the busiest station on the UP North Line outside of downtown. The completed inbound half will mirror the outbound half of the station, which was completed in the first phase. The project will add longer, covered platforms and warming shelters, new lighting, space for a ticket office, vendor space, ramps, stairs and new landscaping. The new station will be fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Tuck-pointing the existing masonry abutments and sidewalk restoration are also included in this phase. No retaining wall work is planned along the east side of the right-of-way, except at Ravenswood Station. The project is expected to cost around $45 million.

Work should start this summer and take about 30 months. When this phase is complete, the project will move on to bridges over 11 streets between Addison and Webster.


Metra Improvements at Grayland Station include parking bike racks landscape and lighting

(March 15, 2017) -
Metra today announced plans to construct a commuter parking lot at the Grayland Station on the Milwaukee North Line.

The project will add a 68-space parking lot on the east side of Kilbourn Avenue, between Milwaukee and Patterson avenues in Chicago. The Grayland Station, where more than 300 commuters board every weekday, currently has eight parking spaces.
....
Work on the $1.2 million project is expected to begin this summer and be complete by the end of the year. Metra will fund the work primarily with a federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant.

"I'm thrilled that Metra is moving forward with this needed improvement, creating a greater opportunity for residents to take transit in our community,” said Alderman John Arena (45th). “This is a great complement to the new Divvy station at Grayland, as well as the multiple bus routes within easy walking distance."

Construction will also include a retaining wall, sidewalks, ADA curb ramps, stairs, landscaping, lighting, signage, pavement markings and bike racks.

That platform is wide like NY's 2nd Avenue Subway. Whenever I'm in town, I'm in Uptown and Rogers Park a lot so I can't wait to see this in person.


On a semi-related note, how's Washington/Wabash going? Is it in the "any day now" phase yet?

30' (or 10m) platforms are a pretty universal standard for heavy rail systems worldwide. Often the platforms are made narrower on tight sites, or for cost-saving reasons. At Wilson it appears there was plenty of space, so the platforms are 28' wide - pretty close to the ideal.

Washington/Wabash is coming along nicely, both of the Calatrava-esque canopies have started to be framed out. I would have taken a photo if not for my crappy smartphone camera...:(

src: New Loop L Stop Construction To Shut Down Wabash Avenue Traffic

Here's How Bicyclists, Runners Will Be Split On Revamped Lakefront Path
https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/2017...it-will-launch

from a couple months ago....


hate to say i told you so. but told you so.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/c...328-story.html

yeah, you could see that one coming a mile away.

We'll see how far that budget gets. The guy who wrote the budget said he basically took Trump's speeches and designed a budget based on that. Kind of a weird way to design a budget, and I don't think even the Republicans will allow this "skinny budget" get implemented.

Wabash has reopened south from Washington, though just 1 lane's worth (dead center of the right of way). The pleasant surprise is it looks as though they have reconstructed the street (not just a surface layer) while they had it closed for station construction. Also, the lighting running the length of Wabash there is now white LED, which really changes the character of Wabash. Once the whole block underneath the new station is finished, it could be practically unrecognizable if it's entirely far brighter, and whiter, than ever before. Along with the sparkling new station itself the presence and attractiveness of the station area could really encourage more el usage.

How is the bike path bridge at the river / Navy Pier coming along? Haven't seen a picture in a while. When does it open if it hasn't already?

That is a shame. I want to take Amtrak to the Quad Cities, I've been waiting for the new route to Moline to open. I've heard the city and state are still trying to make it happen, but it probably won't happen this year as originally planned.
I need to get there to pick up a car from my parents. My options are an 11 hour bus ride, or a $130 one way car rental. That's what Amtrak is competing against.

Phase 1 is done (the segment north of Ogden Slip) but it's literally a Looney Tunes-esque bridge to nowhere until they build Phase 2. That work is slated to begin this summer and wrap up in 2018. Phase 3 is a just a widening of the sidewalk on the existing LSD bridge - not out for bid yet.

Not sure what interplanetary bus line you're checking, but Burlington Trailways does it in 3:35, for $40.

https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Chicago/Davenport

And the most famous bus company, Greyhound, runs four trips a day under 4 hours to Davenport from Chicago and two additional ones under 5 hours all for as little as $25 if you book a week ahead. And one to Moline in under 4 hours, two under four hours and one additional under 5 hours.

Also, Megabus runs a daily bus to Moline for $29 round-trip in 3 hours 10 minutes.

So, yeah, decent array of options, all much less than 11 hours or $120 car rental. Heck, a fancy bicycle could make the trip in 11 hours. Oh, and I've seen plenty of rentals for around $25/day plus gas (about $25 each way), so even that isn't a terrible options, price-wise, depending on how long you'll be in Iowa. But you might have to pick the car up at the airport lots for the best deals. I've rented cars for as little as $13/day in admittedly rare circumstances - you just have to be flexible and use a credit card that includes car rental insurance.

New renderings for the Belmont Blue Line renovation. This time, it looks a lot more realistic/constructable.

The rendering also appears to show an elevator from the streeet to the mezzanine, which would be utterly pointless if there wasn't a second elevator from the mezzanine to the platform. Maybe CTA has reversed their earlier stance on making the station accessible.

http://i63.tinypic.com/2rzrkms.jpg

http://i67.tinypic.com/fabwxd.jpg

That will complement that gas station and strip mall across the street very well.