I saw a similar map that tried to claim the old interurban lines offered frequent service comparable to an L line. Is that the case?

I know the two modes shared tracks, but I thought the interurbans were a scheduled service every 30-60 minutes - definitely not frequent by most urban definitions.

^Yeah, I found that funny, too. The interurbans, at least in later decades, were functionally commuter railroads. Here's a 1955 CA&E timetable, for instance. A couple trains an hour, except at rush hours.

http://i.imgur.com/ZAE4Qzw.png

At Issue - CTA President Forrest Claypool
 

February 9, 2014
WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore speaks with Forrest Claypool, President of the Chicago Transit Authority, about the challenges of rebuilding the CTA's Blue Line to O'Hare and some success for the new Ventra Fare Card System. http://chicago.cbslocal.com/show/at-issue/#

According to the interview, Ashland BRT is far from a "done deal."

Thanks be to God!

..........

Are there really a shortage of parks and playgrounds?

Statistically Chicago is low on parkland per resident compared to other cities. Whether it really has a shortage is a different question, although there are definitely areas that are low on parkland.

Monroe through Grant Park I can see, that makes sense.

Dearborn or Clark through the Loop I think are fine as they are. There are parks downtown and that's the business district, it's suppose to be bustling.

Rush/Oak - maybe a one block section of them, I wouldn't recommend shutting down large blocks long sections or it will seem quiet.

Michigan Ave - no way, keep it as it is.

Wrigleyville, I think it's actually ok, especially with the road diet coming along with the renovations. The only street that you wouldn't notice closing as a car is Waveland, but it also by far has the least amount of pedestrian coverage and things to do. I think it would be a waste. Possibly expanding the sidewalks on Clark and eating away the parking lanes, but of course then the city would have to pay for the meters because of that stupid deal.

Segments of Broadway in Lakeview. Again, maybe turning it into a one-way or taking away parking one side of the street to increase the sidewalks, but not just shutting down large sections of the street. I'd rather just shrink it, although honestly it's a pretty narrow street as it is.

Milwaukee is too much of a traffic artery going towards the northwest, i would say to just leave it.

Clark Street in Andersonville, I would be for this from a traffic point of view since Ashland can handle the traffic and is less than a block away. Maybe from Catalpa down to Winona. I wouldn't really say shut the entire street down, but maybe just have it one-way and lose some of the parking. I'd be more inclined to lose the parking along Broadway where an overwhelming people who shop there are walking/transit compared to Andersonville where there are probably a few more drivers along Clark who want to park.

Webster in Lincoln Park sounds good to close off near the zoo.

If I had to close down any streets it would be Monroe and Columbus through the park. Monroe is a good start, though. Magmile is a nice thought, but I'm sure there would be too much opposition to that. Michigan is too major of an artery north of the river (which I guess is the problem).

I'm all in favor of closing roads through Grant Park

Maybe they could flood Columbus, and use BP Bridge to fish off of :)

I have long thought they need to close at least 1 road through Grant park, maybe sink the roadway and cap it for access from the fountain to the lake. I like that option better than a tunnel for pedestrians to Queens landing.

Interesting, I didn't know that.

A Rock Island rider has posted an update on the Englewood Flyover. There's lots of progress on the bridge itself, but widening the embankment west of the Dan Ryan has a ways to go.

• Video Link

+1

The vast majority of roadways through Chicago's parks should be removed in my opinion. Completely unnecessary, spoil the park setting, and hazardous.

Heck, I'll just copy/paste my quick list from curbed:

Seem like the retaining walls are taking forever on that flyover. On the south end they actually had to move a street, including all of the utility lines underground. Hopefully the work will accelerate once the weather warms up.

This project should allow for an increase or at least a rescheduling of Amtrak service to Michigan and points east, relieving the Norfolk Southern line of heavy freight congestion. It's a crying shame that we aren't ready to start work on the next pieces of CREATE... 75th St Corridor, Grand Crossing, etc.

Just wondering, did anyone attend the Wilson Station public meeting yesterday and if so, did they announce anything new about the project?

I'm not for the total conversion of parkland thru streets into green space, but I can see a reduction in their footprint and reprogramming their infrastructure with natural materials that integrate into the surrounding park. Columbus in Grant Park would be the first on my list.

Nothing new. Wilson will be built exactly as it was presented last year. The only reason CTA had another meeting was to discuss construction impacts and present the final design for the overpass at Broadway, which shift some columns around to placate some fussy landowners.

Narrow it slightly, add another edge row of trees, remove the curbs, replace asphalt with permeable pavers... done.

I think for sure all the east-west roads in Grant Park can be removed and maybe depress Columbus.