all this talk about the cta's new stations and potential stations is nice, but i am still worried about the fare hikes. is everybody confident springfield will come through with the cash?

Not at all; the only issue they seem to care about in Springfield is working out a deal so that ComEd customers (i.e. Chicago-area) can subsidize Ameren customers (i.e. everyone else downstate) through electric rate relief, which just means price controls and reduced quality of electric service for everybody. Hey brainiacs, maybe this is a sign of the relative inefficiency of having huge homes in the middle of nowhere, requiring very hefty infrastructure to transport power to the destination? Naw, let's just subsidize bad habits....

In other words, they're down in Springfield wasting everyone's time.

I have a gut feeling the cuts will go through, and within a few days a band-aid will be found to go back to the status quo for a couple months, which is to say, the worst of all worlds: CTA will have laid off staff (some of which won't return), lost many riders, downtown will have been decimated for a week since workers couldn't get there (significant economic hit for the region), and it will be only a bandaid fix without a long term solution, so we're in the same position (except a bit worse, due to inflation) next year.

Having the nation's worst governor doesn't help much either, since right out of the gate this spring he made sure it would be an antagonistic, unproductive legislative session.

ugh ... you're just the person i wanted to hear from, with just the opposite of what i wanted to hear.

In happier news, CTA Pres Huberman's blue line plan:
http://www.transitchicago.com/news/m...d/blueszep.pdf

The entire debate shows the true priorities of our politicians - kicking a few bucks back to ther constituents to win support instead of actually getting anything done. I'd like to think they underestimate the intelligence of an average Illinois voter, but an avergae Illinois voter supported Blagojevich twice so I'm not so sure.

I wouldn't go as far as saying the comed/ameren plan means additional price controls. First, price controls have always been there. Power companies are natural monopolies and such are not outside the pervue of price regulation.

Huberman's plan for the Blue Line is great.... I like how quickly they made the decision to do this, but still, I have to wonder what the money was going to before. Are they slowing down the Brown Line work?

To say Huberman has put an emphasis on eliminating these Blue Line slow zones is an understatement - since he took over we went from replacing about 5000 ties in the subway by October to doing nearly twice as many in less time. I didn't mind Kruesi at the time, but in retrospect there is no denying that these tracks deteriorated dangerously under his watch, and never really had a good plan to rapidly bring all the Blue Line back up to a proper state of mantainence quickly. Blue Line ridership finally started dropping because of it.

Its going to be a busy year for track maintainence, and especially on weekends passangers are going to be very inconvenienced, but there finally is relief in sight. By mid september trains should be flying from Division to Grand.

Unrelated to Brown Line work - different contractors and the money is coming from different places for each project.

Chicago might support tax for CTA
 

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/...o-might-s.html

Originally posted: July 23, 2007

Chicago might support tax for CTA
Posted by Ray Long at 7:55 p.m.

State lawmakers are looking to the Daley administration to see if local officials would put in place a real estate transfer tax that would help underwrite the Chicago Transit Authority. Mass transit advocates hope such a move could generate additional legislative support in the Capitol.

"We're talking about the possibility of a city-imposed real estate transfer tax," said Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Evanston), chair of the House Mass Transit Committee. She said that Mayor Richard Daley is keeping an "open mind."


The real estate transfer tax has been a piece of the legislative package pushed by transit officials hoping to stave off fare hikes and cuts in bus routes, but the proposed difference is the city would make the tough vote on the transfer tax instead of state lawmakers imposing it.

It is "something we are looking into and have had general discussions about," said Jodi Kawada, Daley's deputy press secretary. But she would not say whether Daley has given the go-ahead.

Hamos said giving the city the responsibility for the real estate transfer tax "would show a real partnership between the state legislature and the city." She said a city-imposed tax also would go over better with suburbanites who don't want to feel that they are bailing out the poorly funded CTA pension system.

"I think he's come a long way," Hamos said of Daley. "I think he understands the seriousness of this situation and is willing to play this partnership role. I think that will go a long way toward getting support for the legislation."

Daley initially had balked at the idea of such a real estate transfer tax--worth $42 million--being imposed on Chicago by the state.

Currently, state law says no municipality, including home-rule cities like Chicago, can impose or raise real estate transfer taxes without a referendum, but the legislation would provide an exception, possibly a one-time window for the city to take action, Hamos said.

If Chicago were willing to take up the local real estate transfer tax itself, then that could bring aboard more legislative support from lawmakers who have not committed to voting in favor of an overall funding package, Hamos said.

"There were some legislators down here who really did say to us, 'Why are we doing all of the heavy work here?'" Hamos said.

She said she hoped a bill could be ready for a vote within days, but the trick now is to gather enough support to win a supermajority vote in both houses because extra votes are needed once the legislature goes into overtime.

Blagojevich has vowed to veto a legislative package that contained a quarter-cent sales tax increase in the Chicago region as well as the real estate transfer tax and another quarter-cent tax for transit and transportation projects in the five collar counties. To override a veto, the legislature would need the same three-fifths margin of votes as are required for a supermajority vote.

Hamos said she said she hoped to get Downstate lawmakers to support the proposal with a pledge to phase in more mass transit support for their regions in the future.

Tribune staff reporter Gary Washburn contributed to this report.

My questions:

1st How much does the Chicago Metro pay in gas taxes verses the rest of the state of Illinois?
2nd How much per dollar do we get back?

I have heard we get less than 100% back and that we subsidize rural Illinois. That must stop. Then I would go for something like the transfer tax, BUT it would also charge those who live outside the political boundary that is being taxed to pay more for public transportation when visiting. If they are out of state they pay what the metro pays, but if they live in any rural areas they pay more. Same thing with our toll ways. If they are licensed outside the Toll areas of Chicagoland then they need to pay the higher toll. They are causing congestion and lifestyle issues.

lots of wheeling and dealing going on to get the rta bailed out by mid-august.

here is a story from the 'burbs' daily herald:

link

p.s. what is with the board lately, and it showing additional extra pages beyond the actual last page of the thread? strange.

^ I extracted this from the link, which I found encouraging:

"Suburban Republican Sens. Dan Cronin of Elmhurst and John Millner of Carol Stream initially opposed the mass transit bailout because 60 percent of the money would have gone to the CTA, 30 percent to Metra and 10 percent to Pace -- despite the suburbs paying nearly two-thirds of the new taxes. The compromise would see the CTA getting 48 percent, Metra 39 percent and Pace the remaining 13 percent.

"We're working to change it, making it more favor the suburbs," said Cronin, noting Democrats will need some suburban Republican support to get the three-fifths required for approval. That three-fifths majority also would allow lawmakers to override Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich's expected veto."

it looks like Chicago will need to work on a combination of tax hikes to get the CTA working at a world class level. 1. get at least 55% of the new tax money & 2. inact a citywide tax that injects even more necessary capital into the system.

things getting interesting, but the tone has been more positive the last week. also, i suppose i could stand the increased fares as described below (not the doomsday $3.25 fares) if it means good service, and improving transit throughout the region. (and if it didn't mean another fare increase for awhile, which i think the lawmaker below, Rep. Mathias, is intimating, which is fine, as i have read that nyc wants to up its fare to $3.00 by 2010, or so, but i would have to go back and find that info.)

anyways ...


Lawmaker: Fare Hikes 'Probably' On The Horizon

CHICAGO (WBBM) -- For the first time, a legislator involved in the talks over mass transit funding is suggesting that a fare hike may be needed even if new funding sources are approved.

WBBM's Bob Roberts reports.

"As I see it, there will probably be some fare increases," said Rep. Sidney Mathias (R-Arlington Heights), the GOP spokesman on the Illinois House Mass Transit Committee. "But they will not be in the same nature as there would be if this funding were not there. This would substantially reduce any fare increases in the near future."


Link, WBBM Chicago.

also, another republican, this time aurora's rep. wyatt, seems to be on board for the new funding plan: "If they run the (RTA) the say it should be run, it's a good thing," he said.


Link, Aurora Courier News

surely this has been covered before, but canadian firm bombardier will be producing the next generation L cars, and i had been wondering how the cta predicament would affect that order. while i still don't know, i did come across this pdf on wikipedia that gives a few more details as to what the interior would look like--the exterior looks largely the same. (in fact, now i am sure i remember reading complaints on how the cars would look the same, but i will post this anyways for the interior shots.)

low budget pdf, but i think the interior improvements are much-needed, and i am a bit disappointed in reading that the cta will not receive the new rolling stock until 2010, as i was sure i had read 2008. it turns out, however, the cta only receives the prototypes for the cars next year, and then, i assume, tests them out for a year or more before their official introduction:

Link.

Am I the only one that thinks the new layout sucks? That long linear row of seats seems to me like it will just make it easier for a piece of shit bum to sleep across them all. I know I am not the only one who has gotten into an el car that was crowded and had no seats only to find a bum taking up 4 seats (the two that currently face the aisle by the door, with his feet and bags on the adjacent side facing seat).

I definitely prefer the old layout. Obesity is running rampant in this country.. the seats however have stayed the same size but now there is no buffer zone at all.

I do like that there will now be something overhead to grab onto, but that could have been accomplished with the old seating layout IMO.


About the new fare hikes:
I don't think I would mind a small fare hike so much if it meant increased service/comfort/something.. but I suspect service may actually become worse, while costing more.

I rather dislike layouts with forward/rearward facing seats. First, half the people wind up facing backwards, which sucks. Second, there's never nearly enough knee room. Even a 6' tall person can't sit comfortably. Longitudinal seating is just better, IMO. Not to mention the significantly increased capacity due to more space for people to stand up.

i think i'm with you, orulz. i will miss the forward-facing seats, but i will not miss the backwards-facing seats. the fact that we are getting new rolling stock, and that there will be enhancements to the interior, i.e., the next stops "written out" on an LED panel, is what i care most about.

in other news, i heart julie hamos. here is a rosier outlook of the situation than some of the others you will find by doing a google news search for "chicago transit authority," though others still have a hopeful tone. julie hamos is impressive in the few soundbites she has on the video in the link below, as i had never heard her speak before.

also, we're stuck with blago till 2010, aren't we? i'm guilty too, though, as i voted for him.

Lawmakers close to transit deal

July 26, 2007 - Lawmakers in Springfield are close to a deal to keep Chicago's mass transit system running. It includes $500 million to bail out the CTA, Metra and Pace, and avoid service cuts and fare hikes.

Link, WLS Chicago

imho, the best seating layout for a modern L car was acheived with the 3200s, with the 2-1 transverse seating in the middle of the car. This ensures the center aisle is fuller utilized by standees while also providing the much more desirable transverse seating for those seated (and with most of the system, it's nice to have a bit of a view). Pan would probably have liked the 6000s: all tranverse seating, with narrow benches and no seat divisions. That is, non-fat people could easily share a bench, and the aisle was wide enough for plenty of standees to fill up the whole car (which had cleverly operable windows, too!)

Would the new funding bailout for CTA/Metra/Pace only be a bailout for this year, or are we looking at longer term sources of revenue with these new sales tax increases?

In other words, do we find ourselves in the same exact boat 1 year from now?

To answer your 2nd question, the answer is no. The first question would require a long answer with an in-depth discussion of public transit finances (e.g. breaking down expense vs. revenue streams). But the short answer is that historically, given enough time, any budget surplus usually finds its way into wage and benefits increases for union employees, meaning that inevitably every transit system will be in crisis when the wages and benefits awarded to the union by the arbitrator leave the transit agency in an untenable financial position as a result of expenses (wages) inflating at a faster pace than revenue (fares + subsidy).

That said, diversifying the CTA's subsidy sources (including real estate transfer tax along with sales tax) provides a little extra cover against any drastic sudden deficits caused by a fluctuating economy, and provides a little tempering of the imbalance between the inflation of sales tax revenues and the inflation of wages (wages historically inflate faster, and this problem was further exacerbated in recent years when sales tax revenues fell as a result of online sales, which escape the transit tax). It's also worth noting that the sales tax only covers merchandise and goods, while an ever-growing proportion of spending is on professional services, which do not pay the transit tax.

My guess is that this deal would provide between 5 and 15 years of relative stability until the next inevitable transit funding crisis, depending on how the overall local economy performs (in re: overall productivity and in the division between different types of shopping, online vs. store, goods vs. services) and depending how quickly the labor contract arbitrators eat up any room in the budget for improved wages and benefits.

^ Haven't Chicago/CTA been in this same boat for the past 5 summers? I lived there for 3 of those 5 years and it wasn't pretty when that topic came up.

I just finally got home to Lincoln Square after sitting at the damn Wellington brown line stop for 30 f*cking minutes! :hell: Their joke of a schedule says that trains run every 7-8 minutes during the 10pm and 11pm hours. Ha! :yuck: Not even close tonight. In the end it took me 45 minutes to go just 3.5 miles. I could have walked home quicker than the CTA got me here. :hell:

I believe someone was struck by a train along the brown line last night and that probably explains your delay. The CTA is not very good about communicating delays to customers.

A teenager was struck by a train in Albany Park and as a result the CTA was only operating trains to the Western station. But I'm not sure why it took a half hour for a train northbound from the loop to make a stop at Wellington? I saw three different brown line trains heading south while I just sat there and waited, and waited, and waited on the northbound platform. Go figure they had another brown line train immediately following the one that finally came after I'd waited for a half hour. The spacing was ridiculous. Management of the situation last night was not particularly impressive IMHO.

Pace board will cut routes, raise fares
 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...,3823968.story

Pace board will cut routes, raise fares
Legislature stalemate holds up transit funds

By Richard Wronski | Tribune staff reporter
August 2, 2007

Several suburban Pace routes will be eliminated and bus and paratransit service fares will start to rise starting next month as a result of the legislature's failure to approve new funding for mass transit.

,,,Paratransit service users—including the disabled and elderly, many of whom are on fixed incomes—will feel the sting first. On Sept. 1, paratransit fares will increase regionwide to a standard $3 charge, from $2.25 in Chicago and $2.50 in DuPage, Lake, McHenry and Will Counties. Suburban Cook paratransit riders already pay $3.

Other fare increases and service cuts will be phased in through January 2008. Some of these moves could be rescinded by the Pace board if the Illinois legislature provides funding.

These accidents on the at-grade section of the Brown Line just make it all the more apparent to me that grade separation needs to occur along this segment.

I'll excuse the Pink and Yellow Lines, because pedestrianism is much lower in Cicero and Skokie, but Albany Park is an extremely dense, multi-cultural, highly-pedestrian area where trains running at-grade poses a serious safety hazard.

Was grade separation even considered as part of the Brown Line rehab? I get the impression that anything beyond station expansion/renovation was out of the question.

I like that part... as if cultural clashes between residents are causing people to be thrown in the way of oncoming trains... ;)

Why are trains at grade--with gates, bells, etc.--more dangerous than trucks or buses at grade? Raising the Brown Line would significantly increase the noise, no way to win friends. The tracks predate the subdivision of lots and streets west of Western, so they don't even require a city franchise.

Maybe the at grade portion of the brown line should be sunk underground and extended via subway to Jefferson Park for better rail connectivity on the north side. :D

(we just need some money is all...) ;)

hey \Viva, for the airport express trains, couldn't they use the existing crossovers before/end of the existing stations ( instead of pass arounds) where if a blocking train in path of direction is at the station and the opposite side is vacant, then just use the crossover and hold any opposite train at bay until the airport xpress has cleared?

Taggers, slash property destruction.

While riding the Orange Line into the Loop today I had the great fortune of being seated behind two youths of pursasion who had camera in hand and talked loudly on full train of possible and great opps of new tagging. All in view of a passe soon to me cta motorman who couldn't wait to get home.

Anyway.... CTA . Chicago. As soon as you repaint tagging, monitor it because that's what they go for, blank space. lawmen, hit male taggers eswhere it will kill, revoke drivers licence. All these cams the city puts up, there is nothing on cta trains, right of ways. CTA station masters are usually to busy being talky lazy on the lower level to be patrolling the upper level platform.... but what do you expect from a cta lifer?

This would require alot of money to install high-speed crossovers (most of CTAs crossovers are rated for 15mph, which sort of defeats the purpose of high-speed service) before and after every station. On rush hour headways this would all be very disruptive to trains headed both directions.

Carroll Avenue Circulator
 

Over in the 200 N. Riverside thread, I was speculating that the Carroll Avenue circulator might get a needed push due to the construction that is booming along its path: 200 N. Riverside, possible mega-project at Wolf Point, 300 N. LaSalle, 353 N. Clark, Trump Tower, Cityfront Plaza development, even the Carley site east of Columbus.

All of these developments are occurring along this route, and I wonder if anyone knows how this will play into the possibility of this happening? What do people think? Will the developers and tenants put pressure on the city to increase transit access, once all of this is finished (that's my hunch)? Should the city have been more proactive, requesting developers to allocate space within their buildings for transit stations or to pitch into a transit fund? If I recall, the city did make special requests at Trump Tower for underground constructon not to interfere with the right-of-way.

Where does the plan stand at the moment, anyway? It seems like ages since I've heard anything about it....

Here's a CDOT document from Nov, 2006 that shows the routes being studied, and the rather obvious "conclusions" drawn from the surveys that were taken last year. http://www.railvolution.com/rv2006_pdfs/rv2006_200a.pdf

PS - I don't know how they are thinking of putting this thing on Michigan Avenue, but I think that sounds like a miserable idea, unless it's underground.

No we need to start sueing families for such ignorance. They called it an accident. How does a person walking around or driving around flashing and dinging rail arms constitute an accident. It is called stupidity. Sad...but that this is a prime example of the survival of the fittest.

Now now, let's not take everything regarding transit that the Japanese do...

Dangerous crossings
 

I am all for closing all grade level crossings when there is a train related fatality.
Starting the day after they close each street that has an auto related fatality.

seems like the Friends of Downtown brought it up in a February meeting as part of their Central Area action plan:

http://www.friendsofdowntown.org/Cen...ion%20Plan.pdf

OT -
What caught my eye on either p.10 or 11 was the Lakefront Expansion Plans from Olive Park to North Ave. Even though I have thought that those stretches need some greenery and some sprucing up along the mostly concrete paths I haven't heard of any concrete proposal to do as such. Nice to see. Those sketches make it look real nice. Also the first time I remember seeing a sketch for the park replacement for the River North post office.

That was a presentation about the Central Area Action Plan to the Friends of Downtown, not by Friends of Downtown. CAAP is a city initiative.

doh! my bad. thanks for the clarification.

(i should have read the event description:

)

i hate our state government.

House Speaker: Expect State Budget Vote Wednesday
State Will Not Be Able To Pay Almost 5,000 Employees If Budget Not Passed By Aug. 8

(CBS) CHICAGO Labor leaders want a judge to force the State of Illinois to pay almost 5,000 employees next week, even if a new budget is not approved by the deadline on Wednesday.

...


House Speaker Michael Madigan told Democratic representatives late Monday to expect a budget vote as early as Wednesday. Sources tell CBS 2 that Madigan's budget proposal does not include the cash that the Chicago Transit Authority said it needs to avert nearly 1,100 layoffs and huge service cuts.

Link

madigan's email:

mmadigan@hds.ilga.gov

please write him and say the rta needs support.

^ This Madigan/Blago thing is so damn disgusting. I think they both need to be recalled.

What a fucking waste. Republicans are probably laughing at how inneffectual this Democrat-run state is right now.

How the hell is Daley going to explain to the Olympic Committee that his transit system is rotting?

Chicago needs to take this transit issue into its own hands.

CTA approves plan in case of shortfall
By Jon Hilkevitch | Tribune transportation reporter
12:21 PM CDT, August 8, 2007

The CTA today approved a doomsday plan that will take effect in September if a state funding package is not approved by the General Assembly.


Link, Chicago Tribune

olympics? suuure ...

chicago boom rundown? that will be a lonely thread ...

even the chicago spire? the tenants there would probably be driven around, but will they pay to live in a city whose central business district will be a lot less lively when the spire opens its doors in 4 years?

very depressing. i know this is a discussion forum, but all chicago forumers, and any forumers who enjoy visiting chicago, please write your representative, senator, or, i guess for any out-of-towners, the governor. a good name to know is julie hamos. beg her to get her funding bill through somehow ...

world class, indeed.

I'm pissed. I sent an email. This is ridiculous.

I am considering moving to Chicago but I am just going to move to New York if transit service cuts happen. This is the most obvious rejection of needed progressivism I have seen in a long time. Chicago transit's capital improvements have been underfunded for years. The system currently operates on a far smaller operating budget for its size compared to its peers. Chicago is a green, world class city? Yeah right.

^^^ Have the Trib/Sun-Times/Reader written editorials about this? I don't think there's a bigger crisis facing Chicago today.

I need to move back so I can help vote out the morons who're letting this happen ...

^ The only paper that has fully pressed this issue is Crains.

I'm clinging with hope to a vow Blagojevich made to veto any bill that does not include a funding bailout for Chicago's transit agencies. But the problem is, nobody can agree on a funding solution. Republicans want money for roads and bridges attached to any transit bailout; what a bunch of goddamn dolts. We have a transit crisis here, can you not see that?

Now for a bit of good news, I found this article. I only included the portion that I found rather interesting:

http://www.nearwestgazette.com/Archi.../News0807b.htm
RFMA gets METRA to help improve railroad crossings

By Patrick Butler


Romanelli described the track renovation as one of several recent RFMA accomplishments. "Another was helping to persuade the CTA to put a new Green Line station at Morgan and Lake," he said, noting the RFMA also is doing a diagonal parking feasibility study in some places along the Kinzie Industrial Corridor.

"This is going to improve the efficiency of the companies here," Romanelli asserted. "We're getting more businesses in this area—more office space, retail, art galleries, and even some residents moving into the area. Our goal is to modernize business conditions to retain our businesses for generations to come and not lose them to the suburbs, and to make sure the City sticks with its 2009 timeline for completing the Morgan/Lake station."

^ The Morgan/Lake station is in the design stage....it's definitely chugging along. But it's primarily a CDOT project.

I just sent Madigan an email voicing my displeasure over press articles indicating his budget proposal doesn't include the funding needed for CTA. I may be a hardcore Democrat, but he won't see a single bit of support from me in the future when it comes time for his reelection.

alright, kiddies, the budget passed the house with not one red cent for transit.

please go here: http://savechicagolandtransit.com/actnow.asp

call your rep and ask where the money for transit is. call your senator and ask him or her to veto this budget. call republican senate leader tom cross to veto this bill. call governor blagojevich's office, no matter what you think of him, and ask that he veto this bill -- to his credit, he said he would veto any bill that did not provide for the cta/rta.

time to take action here. just go to that link and most of the work is done for you, and they provide numbers.