They still have flashing Green lights in New England for Fire Stations...

^ Meaning, on the public roadway next to a firehouse, flashing green 24 hours a day except when the emergency vehicles are leaving/arriving?

I'm not sure....All I know is in New England and Canada they have them. In Canada its in replacement of a green arrow...

In Eastern Canada a flashing green indicates that all other aspects are red, so it's the equivalent of a left-turn arrow, and known as an advance.

In some places in the US and Canada, a flashing green indicates a pedestrian signal or a fire station exit that changes to red only on demand from a crossing pedestrian or exiting fire apparatus.

The current MUTCD, however, specifically prohibits flashing green, so it will disappear rapidly from the US.

^ Seeing as we've descended into the nether reaches of traffic nerddom (I had never heard of the "MUTCD") and news lately seems a bit slow, I've got another question about something I've found rather annoying. At some point some decades ago, traffic signals began being positioned overhead, on horizontal booms above the roadway lanes, rather than merely on vertical poles on the corners. Obviously these are more expensive, but visibility and safety is vastly improved.

I have noticed some arterial intersections in the city that still have the old style traffic signal positioning, with pretty outdated lights (dim bulbs; poor-transparency glass covers) to boot. There are 2 of them right in the middle of Wicker Park on Milwaukee, and I'd be surprised if there haven't been accidents as a result from time to time, particularly during sunny days during heavy business hours. Is there a legal mandate, or any City policy, ensuring that signals like these will be upgraded soon? Or are they going to just keep on ticking until they rust to death or contribute to a deadly accident? Seems this would be more important, and far easier to complete, than all the curb cuts being rebuilt throughout the city, or all the sodium vapor streetlights being replaced everywhere.

No legal mandate that I'm aware of, though eventually they may become so rare that someone will win a lawsuit claiming that they unreasonably dangerous. As far as I can determine, the MUTCD does not yet require overhead signals except on streets with 45 mph or greater speeds.

The ones on Congress Parkway, especially at Plymouth, were a very dangerous spot for cyclists like me using Plymouth. Drivers from the suburbs or other states who'd never seen anything but mast-arm signals over the roadway just never even spotted them, especially coming only 140 feet after they'd passed the mast-arm signals at Dearborn.

You young'uns don't remember, but a lot of Chicago neighborhoods had totally uncontrolled intersections—no stop or yield signs on either street—well into the 1980s.

If you speak of the one at Milwaukee/Wood/Woolcott at least that one is being replaced this year (or so i thought) as the intersection is being reconfigured/straightened. However, that means I have no idea why the city repaved the apron from Wood just last month.

I still run across intersections like this occasionally in the far west neighborhoods.

CTA approves extension of popular South Side bus route
 

CTA approves extension of popular South Side bus route

August 8, 2012 2:15PM

BY TINA SFONDELES
Transportation Reporter
tsfondeles@suntimes.com

Read More: http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1...bus-route.html

They should extend it a few blocks North on Cicero to terminate at the Cicero Ave. Station on the Pink Line.

I’m guessing the extension’s a sop to the Route 31 people.

I’m not sure if there’s really much point of terminating it at the Cicero Pink Line station—is there that much of a commute market for stuff along the route? People on the 35’s route can go downtown quicker via the Red or Orange lines, and the N-S crosstowns could deliver them to Cermak and 18th more quickly too. By getting to 24th Place they at least pass by the big-box retail on Cicero, which I’m guessing will be a bigger draw for most people along the route.

They're all over the place, and not just on the west side. Wellington and Sheffield, Buena and Sheridan, Wellington and Broadway, Clarendon and Buena, Clark and Belden come to mind immediately.

He was talking about intersections with zero traffic control. No light. No stop signs. Nothing. I don't think anything like that exists in Lakeview. Broadway and Wellington certainly has stop lights - if you've been ignoring them, perhaps you ought to visit an eye doctor. :)

P.S. this is Google's Streetview at Clark/Belden - INSIDE a building?! (And oddly, not even the correct location for the business)

Interesting article about the engineering work at Morgan.
http://www.asce.org/CEMagazine/Artic...id=25769810003

I didn't realize the platforms are isolated from the elevated structure. This is definitely the way to go - I hate the swaying you get on the older platforms.

Oh, I thought we were still dishing about intersections with lights to the side and not overhead. I notice a lot of those light setups don't even have walk signals. I just kinda walk out when it's green and hope it doesn't turn immediately.

Civic group calls for end to RTA
 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...tory?track=rss


Civic group calls for end to RTA

Transit agency should be merged with regional planning unit, group says

“In Chicago, we’ve been content to go along with a transportation system that was once a real champion and now is in real danger of becoming derelict,” says George Ranney, who is widely credited with being the architect of the RTA when it was created in 1974. Ranney, now CEO of Metropolis Strategies, thinks the RTA should be replaced.

(Keri Wiginton, Chicago Tribune / August 9, 2012)


By Richard Wronski, Chicago Tribune reporter

August 12, 2012

One of Chicago's most influential civic groups is calling for an end to the Regional Transportation Authority, saying the nearly 40-year-old agency is broken and should be merged with another.

The effort by Metropolis Strategies is spearheaded by the group's president and CEO, George Ranney, who said the relationship between the RTA and its subordinates — the CTA, Metra and Pace — is dysfunctional and ripe for a change.

"In Chicago, we've been content to go along with a transportation system that was once a real champion and now is in real danger of becoming derelict," said Ranney, who is widely credited with being the architect of the RTA when it was created in 1974.

Metropolis Strategies said it believes the agency is no longer the best overseer of the nation's third-largest transit system, which provides more than 2 million rides a day.

A better plan, the civic group proposes, would be to create a new entity by merging the RTA with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, a low-profile organization responsible for land use and transportation planning in northeastern Illinois.

The move would integrate regional planning and transit oversight, Metropolis Strategies said. It also would save at least $10 million a year, or about 20 percent of the agencies' combined budgets, by reducing overhead, administrative costs and duplicate functions, the group said.

"It's time to bring some fresh thinking to the transit issue," said Ranney, 72. "Continuing to ignore the problem as we are now ... is a road to disaster."

RTA Chairman John Gates Jr. disputes Metropolis Strategies' assessment. While describing longtime friend Ranney as thoughtful, Gates defends the RTA performance and dismisses a merger with CMAP as a "pie-in-the-sky idea."

"I'd love to cure cancer. I'd love to see Middle East peace. But (combining the agencies) doesn't really work as a practical matter," said Gates, who took over at the RTA in 2010 after a successful business career as co-founder of CenterPoint Properties Trust.

"Given the scale of what the RTA does, it would swamp what CMAP does, and probably lessen CMAP's effectiveness," he said.

A scathing critique

Independent experts don't appear to be sure, either. DePaul University transportation professor Joseph Schwieterman, who has written a book about the history of Chicago's planning efforts, said the RTA proposal raises issues of governmental efficiency, taxing power and political obstacles.

"This landscape is pretty complex," Schwieterman said. "But you could say it's worthwhile to explore all the options, given our region's problems."

Ranney said his goal is not simply to get rid of the RTA. Rather, he said, the region needs a new agency that can respond better to the challenge of shrinking transit use in the face of growing population.

Between 1980 and 2010, Metropolis Strategies said, the region's population has grown by 1.2 million, or 17 percent, to 8.3 million. Meanwhile, annual RTA system ridership has decreased by 20 percent, down 162 million annual rides to 652 million rides.

In 2007, Illinois Auditor General William Holland issued a scathing critique of the RTA, calling for an overhaul of the agency. The report cited a lack of leadership and oversight and feuding among the transit agencies, among other problems.

The Legislature responded in 2008 by enacting a new state law beefing up the RTA's powers while boosting its funding from sales taxes and Chicago's real estate property transfer tax.

A serious mismatch remains between what the law directs the RTA to do and its capacity to deliver, said Metropolis Strategies, conceding the agency has played a vital role over the years.

The RTA's Gates said the agency is exercising proper oversight, but acknowledged that integrating the three service boards into a regional system remains a challenge.

"In the DNA of all the service boards, there is a certain amount of mistrust of the others," he said. "This is something we have to overcome."

At RTA board meetings, directors representing the city and suburbs often split into factions favoring the CTA, Metra or Pace.

"That's a very good thing," Gates said. "If everybody sat there and sang 'Kumbaya' all the time, they'd probably be wasting a lot of assets and a lot of time. Now there's a very healthy competition for the scarce resources."

Political hurdles

CMAP is the federally designated metropolitan planning organization for the region. It is responsible for approving transportation funds, including money for the RTA's capital programs.

CMAP's chairman, Gerald Bennett, said the agency's directors discussed the Metropolis proposal at a board meeting in June but took no action.

"We want to know more details on what would be involved," said Bennett, the mayor of Palos Hills.

The agency has become a strong regional voice and a national model for sound planning in the past six years, Metropolis Strategies said. It hailed CMAP's work in adopting GO TO 2040, a comprehensive regional plan with a strong eye on transportation needs.

A merger would be smoothed by the fact the RTA and CMAP are virtually identical in their leadership and structure, the civic group said.

The boards of directors are appointed by the same elected city and county officials. Each board includes one-third of its members from Chicago, one-third from suburban Cook County, and one-third from the collar counties.

The civic group suggests the merger could take place in several steps, starting with legislation that would combine the staffs, then create a single new, nonpaid 15-member board.

Over the past several months, Ranney and other Metropolis Strategies executives, including Executive Director Frank Beal and Vice President James LaBelle have been quietly floating the idea with key legislators, county board chairmen, transit agency leaders and Gov. Pat Quinn.

Beal serves on CMAP's board, representing Chicago, and LaBelle sits on Metra's board of directors. Both said their support for the merger centers on improving overall transportation.

"The work I'm doing at Metropolis isn't on behalf of Metra," said LaBelle, who represents Lake County. "It's policy work I've been involved in for a long time."

Formerly known as Chicago Metropolis 2020, Metropolis Strategies also focuses on early education, housing and criminal justice issues. Sponsored by the Commercial Club of Chicago, its board of directors is a who's who of Chicago business, labor and civic leaders.

If the group's RTA proposal advances, it will be up to lawmakers in Springfield to make it happen. And the most powerful legislator, House Speaker Michael Madigan, has ties to both agencies.

Madigan's son-in-law, Jordan Matyas, is deputy executive director of the RTA; the speaker's son, Andrew, is a CMAP board member, representing Chicago.

Madigan's spokesman, Steve Brown, said Thursday that he was unaware of Metropolis Strategies' proposal and did not want to speculate about its chances.

Matyas said he believes legislators would find little merit in the plan because it would amount to moving an agency from one building to another, instead of improving the RTA's oversight efforts.

"This would not be helping the RTA, but it would certainly be hurting CMAP," Matyas said. "Springfield wants change, but this is not the change they are looking for."

House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago, said that if the RTA has problems, those should be fixed rather than eliminating the agency.

"This is an idea whose time hasn't come," Currie said.

Nevertheless, Ranney and Metropolis Strategies said they hope the proposal sparks a public debate on the issue.

"If we don't do something, we will have a major economic problem in this region," he said. "The sad thing is we've got the bones of a very good transit system. We ought to be building on it."

The chairman that would lose his job opposes the merger... imagine that.

This sounds like a proposal with a lot of promise. If regional transportation planning is combined w/ land use oversight we could be looking at the potential for actual sensible TOD development and a REAL integrated transit system.

RTA Board Approves Innovative Projects that will Enhance the Customer Experience
 

http://www.rtachicago.com/press-rele...xperience.html


RTA Board Approves Innovative Projects that will Enhance the Customer Experience

The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Board of Directors approved today nearly $16 million for six projects that will make commuting easier and more efficient for transit riders.

The projects, funded through the use of a two-year RTA Innovation Coordination and Enhancement (ICE) program budget of $15.92 million, will be implemented by the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace to advance the vision and goals of the RTA’s regional priorities initiative of Enhancing the Customer Experience.

“The key objective of the ICE program is to provide a seamless and reliable commuting experience,” said Leanne Redden, Senior Deputy Executive Director, Planning. “These are high impact projects that can be quickly implemented and provide our customers with a more convenient trip on transit.”

The following ICE projects were approved:

Real Time Next-Bus Signs for shelters and key transit centers in Pace’s service area

Advanced Paging System at all 145 CTA train stations

CTA Customer Information Displays system-wide

Blue Island/Vermont Street interagency transfer signage improvements

Pilot/Demo Projects to Test New Regional Fare Solution Technologies for Metra

Regional Transit Fare System Program Management and Systems Integration for Metra


Most projects are slated to be implemented beginning late 2012 to early 2013. A full description of each project is attached.

The Innovation, Coordination, and Enhancement (ICE) program, established as part of the 2008 amendments to the RTA Act provides operating and/or capital funding for projects that provide cost-effective ways to enhance the coordination and integration of public transportation, and develop and implement innovations to improve the quality and delivery of public transportation.

The RTA previously approved funding for customer enhancements now in use including the CTA’s real time arrival signs on bus shelters that debuted last year and Metra’s Rail Time Tracker announced in June that provides riders with up-to-the-minute train schedule information through Metra's website and mobile devices. F

RTA Innovation, Coordination and Enhancement (ICE) Program of Projects

Real Time Signage – This project includes the purchase and installation of real-time next-bus signs for shelters and transit centers in Pace’s service area. The project will have an interagency coordination component on signs located at stops that serve CTA and/or Metra customers. Implementation expected to begin in late 2012/ early 2013.

Advanced Paging System – This project will support the CTA’s effort to implement a new technology that will upgrade paging at all 145 rail stations allowing staff to better communicate with customers. This technology will allow mass notification via the Public Address (PA) system and will display announcements directly to CTA’s Train Tracker signs.

This system meets ADA guidelines for providing written words so that hearing impaired riders are able to get information. Implementation expected to begin in late 2012 / early 2013.
Customer Information Displays – This project will support the CTA’s effort to install Digital Customer Information Displays and non-digital customer focused information throughout the system. Digital displays provide real time bus tracker and/or train tracker information as appropriate, system status updates and CTA customer alerts.

These are interspersed with paid advertisements, time and weather information. The paid advertisements support the operation of the displays and provide a source of revenue to CTA. Implementation expected to begin in late 2012 / early 2013.


Blue Island/Vermont Street Interagency Transfer Improvements – The Blue Island Vermont Street Station is a hub of interagency transfer activity between Metra, Pace, and CTA. Transit service in this station area is provided by four Pace bus routes (348, 349, 359, and 385), one CTA bus route (49A), and three Metra lines or branches (Metra Electric Blue Island Branch, Rock Island District Beverly Branch, and Rock Island District Main Line).

Improvements to the Blue Island, Vermont Street Interagency Transfer Station would include additional interagency signage at multiple locations, including both Metra stations. Implementation expected to begin in late 2012 / early 2013.


Pilot/Demo Projects to Test New Regional Fare Solution Technologies –

Early this year, Metra staff formed an internal Working Group and established a timeline for the implementation of a Regional Fare Solution required by the legislation adopted in 2008 (Illinois Public Act 097-0085).

This project will allow Metra to conduct various pilot/demo projects that will help Metra staff get a better understanding of what best fare payment solutions and technologies are available. Metra was awarded $880,000 in re-programmed ICE funding for this type of project in October 2010 but has yet to initiate it.

For that reason, only 2013 ICE funding (subject to appropriation) is proposed for this project. Implementation expected to begin in 2014.
Regional Transit Fare System Program Management and Systems Integration – This project will allow Metra to select a fare systems management team to serve in a program management oversight and systems integrator role.

This expert would have a strong background in implementing other transit fare technologies and/or systems at various transit peer agencies, relationships with the banking industry, and expertise in the various technologies that Metra is considering. Implementation expected to begin in late 2012 / early 2013.

Morse Renovations

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7258/7...ded9237e_z.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7273/7...f354b308_z.jpg

^ That flickr page shows a massive amount of work done at the station. Makes it look like they practically did a whole north main rebuild there. So, hopefully there won't be duplication of work in a few years. At least the station portions need not be re-done - which would be the case as long as they decide to keep the 2-track elevated configuration, I hope.

Although in the Morse photos they do still have large platform signs pointing to an exit at Lunt Ave. After all these years I would've thought something could have been about that; the name always seemed a bit off to me...