^ You're referring to the elevated portion that would become dis-used, right? I think that runs over alleys for almost the entire stretch in question (to Loyola or something?) and so at best there would be, over decades, a zillion little landowner transactions buying a mini-plot to build a garage or something, no?

Belated thanks for this update. It will be nice to see progress on these. Though the rustic viaducts can be pretty and new ones can be a bit brutalistic depending on the structure used.

^ Yes, I was referring to that.

I think it'd be better as a elevated park or, perhaps, a bicycle expressway.

The North Side Main is two different kinds of ROW. From Belmont to Irving Park, it's traditional steel viaduct over public alley. That's probably tricky to develop in any useful way. From Irving Park to Wilson, it's steel structure over the old railroad ROW. Could be sold off, but it's not clear to me whether it's owned by the city or CTA, and most of it is a strip between Graceland Cemetery and the linear "Challenger Park," so the neighbors wouldn't think development a possibility. North of Wilson, it's a 60-foot right-of-way now owned in fee by CTA, apparently, often flanked by alleys on both sides. This could conceivably be a string of new infill buildings, but I wouldn't get too excited. The Winthrop-Kenmore corridor is not exactly the hottest real estate around. The uncertainty of dealing with the environmental implications of removing the existing fill is one thing, the uncertainty of dealing with neighborhood groups in Uptown and Edgewater is another.

I also doubt it would be redeveloped as a string of tall buildings—if the elevated was replaced with a subway, there’d be infill along streetfronts (probably keeping original CTA facades in some instances), but most of the value would come from making the corridor more attractive (less noise, same service) and would allow any potential new infill to go deeper into the block.

Yes, it was discussed at the meetings, and I remember seeing it in CTA's scoping comments compilation. I'm not sure they took it seriously, but it's on their radar in some form.

In other news, the 75th Street Corridor posted stuff about their massive proposal. I'm posting it here since it doesn't directly relate to the Regional Rail projects.

It includes two new flyovers and some intense track re-arrangement to eliminate conflicts. The rendering posted of the SouthWest Service flyover is such a joke, though. Did Metra switch from Nippon Sharyo to Lionel for their passenger cars?

http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/5011/flyover.jpg

This is a graphic of the proposed city wide brt....I don't recall seeing before apologies of it was already posted:

source:http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2...ity-mobility/#

http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/w...hicago-BRT.jpg

Incompetence, a trick of perspective, or not-so-strategic misrepresentation? :rolleyes:

Although I just got through a week of bitching online about CAHSR’s viaducts, I’d say that, regardless of how poorly this image probably represents the way the viaduct will actually cut through the area, it’s worth noting that this will only be about a block long and will probably go a long way towards improving the SouthWest Service’s speed and reliability, taking it off of Norfolk Southern tracks in the city (I’m pretty sure a lot of its delays happen there) and allowing it to be rerouted onto the RI line to LaSalle (not to mention that this project also untangles other traffic).

All of this, of course, makes it all the more frustrating that CREATE couldn’t do a better job with its renderings.

Judging by the height of the surrounding houses and the train rendering, the train would probably be twice as tall/large as depicted in that render. Which really isn't surprising.

If you look closely, the depicted it the same height as a CAR, around 4 feet. Most trains are ~10' tall.

A Metra gallery car is 15'10".

If the engineers can actually build a viaduct with such a long span and slender deck, that's awesome. I don't think it's possible, though, at least not outside of the Netherlands.

This is a relatively new rail flyover designed to American standards in Kansas City. The ratio of column to deck to train-car length is correct in the rendering, but the whole thing is only about 60% of actual size. That little rowhouse seen under the flyover in the rendering could fit under the lower of the two flyovers in the KC picture.

http://www.stuorg.iastate.edu/railro...C05/UP6855.jpg
source

Chicago regional rail passengers to be hit with sharp fare hikes


Read More: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/no...metr-n09.shtml




http://www.wsws.org/images/2011nov/n...r-plat-480.jpg

About fucking time
 

CDOT will put back the crosswalk at Queen's Landing. From the Tribune:

The Lake Shore Drive pedestrian crosswalk between Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park and the lakefront that was removed in 2005 to speed up traffic flow will be reinstalled, city transportation officials said Thursday.

The work to restore the crosswalk and the traffic signal at Queen’s Landing, one of the city’s most popular visitor attractions on the lakefront promenade, will begin Thursday, according to the Chicago Department of Transportation.The Lake Shore Drive pedestrian crosswalk between Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park and the lakefront that was removed in 2005 to speed up traffic flow will be reinstalled, city transportation officials said Thursday.

The work to restore the crosswalk and the traffic signal at Queen’s Landing, one of the city’s most popular visitor attractions on the lakefront promenade, will begin Thursday, according to the Chicago Department of Transportation.

Story here.

FYI, they are doing a lot of construction at the Clark and Division stop. Have they already started the rebuild?

NO ONE wants to confront Metra (and CTA) on how they waste money - so let the fare hikes fly!

They may be prepping utilities, but I don't think they're slated to begin actual construction until 2012.

That would make sense. The have the road torn open on the southeast corner of Clark and Division and the lanes are diverted around that coming from the north.

Halsted Street Bridge

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6120/...ac575c75_b.jpg
flickr/Alvarez

Great shot. OT,but wasn't there supposed to be a development right along the river there a while back? Will that ever come to fruition?

I cannot wait for that bridge to reopen, Im getting really tired of fending off motorists on the Division bridge as I bike over to Hooker.