CHICAGO: Transit Developments

[ardecila]

I hope the new lights include protected left turn phases... Hundreds of intersections across the city lacking this basic feature even when left turn lanes are present.

[CTA Gray Line]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

Well, apparently there's a dispute between RTA and CTA about the signal priority money. CTA wants to use some of the money to update old Chicago traffic signals so they can be prioritized; RTA says that's beyond the scope of the federal grant.

CTA efforts to reverse declining bus ridership are not being helped by the Regional Transportation Authority, which is holding back money related to the installation of special traffic signals that give buses green-light priority over other vehicles, CTA president Forrest Claypool said Wednesday.

In 2012, the RTA received a $36 million federal grant and $4 million in local money to implement traffic signal prioritization in Chicago and the suburbs to increase CTA and Pace bus speeds and help bus routes operate more efficiently.

So far, the CTA has received only about $2 million from the RTA, even though the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning released all the federal money to the RTA for distribution two years ago, Claypool said.

This year, the CTA received $1.6 million for final engineering on South Ashland, from 95th Street to Cermak Road; and on Western, from Howard to 79th streets, the CTA said. Those areas already have modern traffic signals that are able to communicate with the controller boxes for traffic signal prioritization as well as with modems on buses.

But the majority of traffic signals on Chicago’s street grid operate using older technology that is not compatible with traffic signal prioritization.

CTA officials have asked the RTA to allow some of the $40 million to be used to update traffic signals in order to speed up the rollout of traffic signal prioritization and free buses from the congestion knot that frequently occurs at busy intersections, CTA spokeswoman Tammy Chase said.

RTA officials said the federal grant can be used only for equipment directly involving traffic signal prioritization, not the replacement of old traffic signals.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/c...813-story.html

This is exactly why there should be just O N E Transit Agency, all this silly internecine squabbling like immature mentally challenged children.

[Mr Downtown]

^Under whose control? City—where most of the current riders are—or suburbs—where 72% of the tax revenue comes from? There's a reason we have a divided system with a balance of power, just as there's a reason we have two houses of Congress instead of one national assembly.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

^Under whose control? City—where most of the current riders are—or suburbs—where most of the tax revenue comes from? There's a reason we have a divided system with a balance of power, just as there's a reason we have a bicameral legislature instead of one national assembly.

One agency, represented by people throughout the region.

[Mr Downtown]

^In what proportion? How many suburban reps, how many city reps?

[BVictor1]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

^Under whose control? City—where most of the current riders are—or suburbs—where 72% of the tax revenue comes from? There's a reason we have a divided system with a balance of power, just as there's a reason we have two houses of Congress instead of one national assembly.

Two houses of congress that have their thumbs and heads up their asses.

[CTA Gray Line]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

^Under whose control? City—where most of the current riders are—or suburbs—where 72% of the tax revenue comes from? There's a reason we have a divided system with a balance of power, just as there's a reason we have two houses of Congress instead of one national assembly.

The Governor I guess, actually ANYBODY! There is no "balance of power", it's our Illinois Government F**King the Illinios Taxpayers.

Because what's happening now is Criminal (remember Brad O'Halloran, and ALL the other Metra, CTA, and RTA crooks who resigned) and should be Prosecuted.

Speaking of, I wonder if Alex Clifford has been able to wash all of the "Illinois Government Shit Smell" off of him (do people still hold their nose when he walks by -- through NO FAULT of his own) from swimming in our Illinois Government Cesspool?

[Mr Downtown]

It's easy to throw rocks at the transit board structure we have, but what would be a better one? Put it all under the governor's control? Just imagine what kind of harm a conservative Downstate Republican could do to the CTA.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

^In what proportion? How many suburban reps, how many city reps?

I don't know % ridership?

[CTA Gray Line]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

It's easy to throw rocks at the transit board structure we have, but what would be a better one? Put it all under the governor's control? Just imagine what kind of harm a conservative Downstate Republican could do to the CTA.

How come other Urban Regions in the U.S. are able to function without our Silly @$$ed BullCrap -- and WHY do we have to suffer it??

And also -- they are wasting MY F *King MONEY (I pay Taxes) that I work VERY F *King HARD for every day -- So I should just let them THROW IT AWAY Downtown (like the Popular and Profitable Block 37 SuperStation)???

[Mr Downtown]

Many large metropolitan regions have a division of responsibility very similar to what we have: Bay Area MTA oversees San Francisco Muni, AC Transit, etc. New York MTA oversees NYCTA, Metro-North, LIRR, etc.

Allocating seats based on ridership wouldn't get very far. Chicago would end up with probably 8 out of 11 seats, even though it only pays 28% of the tax revenue. The suburbs would demand that Chicago pay for its own damn buses and trains and the whole coalition would splinter. The first incarnation of RTA ran a bunch of "Country Buses" once a week through the cornfields of McHenry and Kane so there would be something on the regional map to make those counties feel they were getting their money's worth.

There's a century of distrust between city and suburbs—and public transit is utterly irrelevant to 80 percent of the region's inhabitants. Chicagoans think Metra is a service for stockbrokers coming from Lake Forest, while suburbanites think CTA is a rolling homeless shelter.

[CTA Gray Line]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

Many large metropolitan regions have a division of responsibility very similar to what we have: Bay Area MTA oversees San Francisco Muni, AC Transit, etc. New York MTA oversees NYCTA, Metro-North, LIRR, etc.

Allocating seats based on ridership wouldn't get very far. Chicago would end up with probably 8 out of 11 seats, even though it only pays 28% of the tax revenue. The suburbs would demand that Chicago pay for its own damn buses and trains and the whole coalition would splinter. The first incarnation of RTA ran a bunch of "Country Buses" once a week through the cornfields of McHenry and Kane so there would be something on the regional map to make those counties feel they were getting their money's worth.

There's a century of distrust between city and suburbs—and public transit is utterly irrelevant to 80 percent of the region's inhabitants. Chicagoans think Metra is a service for stockbrokers coming from Lake Forest, while suburbanites think CTA is a rolling homeless shelter.

Those other Urban Area's Transit Agencies work together to serve their riding Public; here is how Chicago's Transit Agencies Ridiculous Rolling BullCrap affects us all: http://bit.ly/VtAXqG

If Metra was not in WASTEFUL DIRECT COMPETITION (Thousands of Dollars per Day) with CTA in some areas, would Metra have to raise it's fares on YOU??

[Mr Downtown]

Your logic escapes me here. If Metra trains quit stopping at Oak Park or Ravenswood, how would their expenses go down more than their revenues?

[CTA Gray Line]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

Your logic escapes me here. If Metra trains quit stopping at Oak Park or Ravenswood, how would their expenses go down more than their revenues?

I said in "some areas", in Oak Park and Ravenswood (and many other areas) they are somewhat complementary, and both profit (besides well benefiting the surrounding communities, TOD's, TIF's and such).

BUT they COMPETE with each others Transit services all over the South Side (costing both thousands daily, and of absolutely NO benefit to the surrounding communities (and I completely understand the "F *k the South Side" principle -- and why it is like that -- City vs Suburban stinkity P O L I T I C S just like you said Downtown)

I lived there for 40 yrs, so I watched (and rode) the Greatest in the World Illinois Central Electric rail services deteriorate into the present worthless wasteful in-city MED abyss: http://bit.ly/1pAhdxM

I am going to try to explain something, I did live on the South Side for over 40yrs; now I am lucky enough to both live and work in Lisle, which is like living INSIDE the Morton Arboretum (quiet and almost creepily peaceful). BUT my Family and Friends are still trapped on the South Side with Noise, Sirens, Guns, Drugs, and Stupid Killings Each and Every Single Day. Why? NO JOBS!

The "Powers that be" W O N ' T change that -- So I guess it's all up to silly me Thank You.

[Mr Downtown]

Yes, it's hard to defend something like the Blue Island branch, which has only 850 daily boardings on the entire line (most stations don't even reach triple digits). That doesn't even cover the cost of the train crews. But given the racial politics of Chicago, there'd be a holy shitstorm and parade of "community leaders" bleating about how the suburb-controlled Metra board was shutting down a South Side line vital to the community.

[CTA Gray Line]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

Yes, it's hard to defend something like the Blue Island branch, which has only 850 daily boardings on the entire line (most stations don't even reach triple digits). That doesn't even cover the cost of the train crews. But given the racial politics of Chicago, there'd be a holy shitstorm and parade of "community leaders" bleating about how the suburb-controlled Metra board was shutting down a South Side line vital to the community.

You are exactly right, in it's present running format it is useless, and costs a lot more than it makes; and some Mainline stations have less than 100 daily boardings of trains (all with minimum 3-man crews). You're also right about the shitstorm in trying to close any of the in-city MED down. A way could be found to utilize it better (just like the rest of the MED)

I will be doing my next Don Quixote impression this Wednesday the 20th before the RTA Board, and it's new Chairman Kirk Dillard (who says he's going to try to get more cooperation and coordination between our Regional Agencies -- we'll see)

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by CTA Gray Line

You are exactly right, in it's present running format it is useless, and costs a lot more than it makes; and some Mainline stations have less than 100 daily boardings of trains (all with minimum 3-man crews). You're also right about the shitstorm in trying to close any of the in-city MED down. A way could be found to utilize it better (just like the rest of the MED)

I will be doing my next Don Quixote impression this Wednesday the 20th before the RTA Board, and it's new Chairman Kirk Dillard (who says he's going to try to get more cooperation and coordination between our Regional Agencies -- we'll see)

While I don't always agree with every detail of your proposals, I am impressed by your persistence and general good attitude in the face of the seemingly impossible task of hammering citizen input into the minds of our local transit executives. Keep up the good fight!

[ardecila]

Ultimately it has to be more than a one-man quest... I was impressed when SOUL and Kwame Raoul started agitating for their Gold Line proposal.

Are they still committed to this plan? I know there were minor differences between your concept and theirs, but it was pretty similar all the same.

The Blue Island branch might get more use if Blue Island is selected as an Amtrak station for the Chicago-St. Louis trains. Build a real intermodal station at Vermont St!

[CTA Gray Line]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Ultimately it has to be more than a one-man quest... I was impressed when SOUL and Kwame Raoul started agitating for their Gold Line proposal.

Are they still committed to this plan? I know there were minor differences between your concept and theirs, but it was pretty similar all the same.

The Blue Island branch might get more use if Blue Island is selected as an Amtrak station for the Chicago-St. Louis trains. Build a real intermodal station at Vermont St!

There is no such thing as the "Gold Line", they had the ear of the Governor and the whole big group of them still couldn't get it accomplished.

If it wasn't for SOUL and Kwame the Gray Line would be running right now, they didn't come up with any plan -- they Hi-jacked ("stole") my plan, and then screwed it up: http://archive.today/A912 And there were/are MAJOR differences; which is why their "plan" failed.

The Gray Line was created in 1996, 11 years before they tried (somewhat successfully) to get credit for it: https://app.box.com/shared/jqvpx489un I don't think SOUL even existed in 1996.

They screwed it up mostly by leaving it in the hands of the Transit Agencies to implement the plan (like leaving Black Voter Registration in the tender mercies of the KKK).

And by having absolutely NO type of technical knowledge of either rail transit operations, or the MED infrastructure itself -- just "we want this", instead of supporting a Major Capital Project that was already included in the State RTP at the time; with specific plans, designs, and operating formats specific to the existing MED infrastructures.

[CTA Gray Line]

Originally Posted by CTA Gray Line

"And by having absolutely NO type of technical knowledge of either rail transit operations, or the MED infrastructure itself -- just "we want this", instead of supporting a Major Capital Project that was already included in the State RTP at the time; with specific plans, designs, and operating formats specific to the existing MED infrastructures."

For example, they had/have no idea or concept of what to do with the Kensington/Blue Island trains, both where and when to berth them in the very limited Downtown Terminal track layout, and which tracks they would use between downtown and 67th St; and what their stopping pattern would be. Among lots of other things they have NO idea of (like train crew size costs).

And the Agencies gave them the same answer I would have -- "Sorry, that just won't work".


Thank you sincerely for the concern Ardecila, but I'm a big boy -- and I'm OK all by myself......