CHICAGO: Transit Developments - Page 12

SevenSevenThree · #**221** Posted **Jul 11, 2006, 10:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego

Now if they could just remove the slow zones on the north end of the red line so it doesnt take 50+ minutes to get downtown...

Everything sounds good so far esp the prospects of cleaning up the other Red Line stops but good luck with the above quoted statement. I dont understand that slow zone deal when the Red Line is completely straight after Loyola going south. Maybe its something Im missing but it would be nice to not wait between stations for 20 minutes with nothing in front of us for a good 5 stops.

LA21st · #**222** Posted **Jul 12, 2006, 12:51 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by spyguy

Maybe the time to bring it up:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...l=chi-news-hed

Were you able to find anything out?

Oh man, I forgot about this request. I just looked at that spreadsheet today.

I will post some information on some of the more interesting ones tomorrow.

I think someone was asking me about the Van Buren bridge? Or Taylor Street? Maybe that was SSC.

creamcityleo79 · #**223** Posted **Jul 12, 2006, 1:32 AM**

Blue Line Train Derails btwn Damen and Racine stations.

http://www.cbs47.tv/news/national/st...2-6B3F0859701F

Chicago Shawn · #**224** Posted **Jul 12, 2006, 7:50 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LA21st

Oh man, I forgot about this request. I just looked at that spreadsheet today.

I will post some information on some of the more interesting ones tomorrow.

I think someone was asking me about the Van Buren bridge? Or Taylor Street? Maybe that was SSC.

That was me on the Taylor Street Bridge. I just wanted to know if CDOT looked at reusing the North Avenue bascule draw bridge for the restored Taylor Street crossing.

LA21st · #**225** Posted **Jul 12, 2006, 1:03 PM**

I just talked to an engineer in Bridges. Thats a no, Shawn. CDOT has no more use for old material and they end up selling it scrap.

Chicago Shawn · #**226** Posted **Jul 12, 2006, 3:34 PM**

^Damn! That bridge is far too beautiful to go to the scrap heap.

Thanks for the update though.

spyguy · #**227** Posted **Jul 12, 2006, 7:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SevenSevenThree

Thank you kindly.

I hope larger renderings and details are released. I wonder why things arent more visible with this particular project. The station NEEDS this and will do wonders for commuters as well as just the overall appearance of the immediate area. Thats my neighborhood station and I cant wait until completion.

Are these accurate?

VivaLFuego · #**228** Posted **Jul 12, 2006, 8:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by spyguy

Are these accurate?

Yes that's what I've seen, though I've also heard that the full canopy over the platforms and track has been scaled back due to cost issues (similar to some of the redesigns of the new Brown Line stations). Nice big hi-res renderings, where'd you find those?

SevenSevenThree · #**229** Posted **Jul 12, 2006, 8:38 PM**

Ah thanks spyguy for those. Ive heard about the canopy cutback also, which disappoints me. I think it could lend a great deal of "something" to the appearance of the station. They cut back the canopy BIG time on the brown line, esp the Chicago Ave station which Im slighty upset about. I never understood why they cut back so much of the canopy. Who wants to get rained on? Who wants to be beaten to death by the sun? I liked the canopy. I guess it depends on the materials, although they switched up on that too. Regardless, its a whole hell of a lot better than whats there now and thats most important. I also like the new entrances being right by the bus terminals. Sometimes, I have to turn into a track star to make the bus. Thanks again, VivaLFuego and spyguy.

SevenSevenThree · #**230** Posted **Jul 12, 2006, 8:41 PM**

One more thing: I'd love to see alot more trees and flowers around the bus terminal storefronts, bus stops and the immediate vincinity. It needs it badly to counteract the immense amount of concrete and stone drawing in the heat. So much potential for Howard St...

trvlr70 · #**231** Posted **Jul 12, 2006, 8:47 PM**

I can't remember, but hasn't the Chicago Av. CTA station been rehabbed because it is in a touisty part of Chicago.

Is the Clark/Divison stop still disgusting?

VivaLFuego · #**232** Posted **Jul 12, 2006, 9:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by trvlr70

I can't remember, but hasn't the Chicago Av. CTA station been rehabbed because it is in a touisty part of Chicago.

Is the Clark/Divison stop still disgusting?

Chicago/Red Line was rehabbed a few years ago. The next Red Line station to be rehabbed will be Grand/State. Clark/Division is still disgusting, and has no concrete plans for renovation anytime soon (though it will probably be next, after Grand, but it's at least a few years off).

Jackson/Blue line is currently being renovated, and after that, the Clark/Lake/Blue Line platform will be renovated (again).

I'm not certain, but I think some improvements to Washington/Blue Line and the red line may be rolled into the Block 37 superstation and tunnel construction. I know the Washington/Red Line station will be removed as part of the B37 construction, but I'm not sure if the plan is to keep the current station at Monroe, or split the different and put one at Madison. Either way, there should be pedway connections between all of the surrounding mezanines, and B37.

Again I'm not certain about this, but I think the Monroe stations are generally being let to lie, under the hope that there will one day be a transit route under or over Monroe, so renovations to the current subways in the vicinty under State and Dearborn would be planned accordingly.

Since the city owns the subway tunnels, it would be nice if they took more initiative in renovating every subway station.....which I guess is another incentive to renew the central area TIF.

Loopy · #**233** Posted **Jul 12, 2006, 9:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by trvlr70

I can't remember, but hasn't the Chicago Av. CTA station been rehabbed because it is in a touisty part of Chicago.

Is the Clark/Divison stop still disgusting?

Affirmative. Still disgusting.

Chicago was the first of the downtown underground stations to be rehabbed. A few more have been done since. Grand and Harrison are now the worst looking stations after Clark/Division.

LA21st · #**234** Posted **Jul 13, 2006, 12:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by spyguy

Maybe the time to bring it up:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...l=chi-news-hed

Were you able to find anything out?

Sorry to be a downer (again) but these projects arent on CDOT's construction radar yet. It might not be that far off, but Im guessing those projects you are asking about wont start until 2008 at the earliest.

Jackson/Dearborn subway station is a little over 25% complete.

LA21st · #**235** Posted **Jul 13, 2006, 12:58 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by VivaLFuego

Chicago/Red Line was rehabbed a few years ago. The next Red Line station to be rehabbed will be Grand/State. Clark/Division is still disgusting, and has no concrete plans for renovation anytime soon (though it will probably be next, after Grand, but it's at least a few years off).

Jackson/Blue line is currently being renovated, and after that, the Clark/Lake/Blue Line platform will be renovated (again).

I'm not certain, but I think some improvements to Washington/Blue Line and the red line may be rolled into the Block 37 superstation and tunnel construction. I know the Washington/Red Line station will be removed as part of the B37 construction, but I'm not sure if the plan is to keep the current station at Monroe, or split the different and put one at Madison. Either way, there should be pedway connections between all of the surrounding mezanines, and B37.

Again I'm not certain about this, but I think the Monroe stations are generally being let to lie, under the hope that there will one day be a transit route under or over Monroe, so renovations to the current subways in the vicinty under State and Dearborn would be planned accordingly.

Since the city owns the subway tunnels, it would be nice if they took more initiative in renovating every subway station.....which I guess is another incentive to renew the central area TIF.

CDOT would love too, if they had the funds to do it.

VivaLFuego · #**236** Posted **Jul 13, 2006, 2:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LA21st

CDOT would love too, if they had the funds to do it.

The city could use TIF money rather than giving public money to private investors and developers in an unblighted area...but I understand thats not necessarily CDOT's decision. Good folk at CDOT.

LA21st · #**237** Posted **Jul 13, 2006, 2:36 AM**

Thats not our call to use those funds. That belongs to our friends across LaSalle St at City Hall.

VivaLFuego · #**238** Posted **Jul 20, 2006, 1:19 AM**

The following is a survey conducted as part of the research on the Carrol Ave. transitway:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/DisplayS...U=187881151555

This is from the River North Residents Association website:
http://www.rivernorthresidents.com/Transitway_Study.htm

Just find it interesting that 80% of people who live in that area, one of the densest, centrally located in the city, own cars.

There seems to be moderate transit usage for work trips, but nothing more, otherwise its all taxis and private autos and walking. Good to see the decently high walking numbers, at least.

the urban politician · #**239** Posted **Jul 20, 2006, 1:40 AM**

^ Interesting data. It's a small survey, but it's actually promising.

A lot of people walk, naturally.

PT usage is decent, but if you think about it, these people often live so near to work that PT may not be necessary

Although about 1/4 of people are driving, lets not forget that a certain percentage of them may also be working in the suburbs.

All in all, the data is pretty promising. Thanks for providing it

VivaLFuego · #**240** Posted **Jul 20, 2006, 4:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Interesting data. It's a small survey, but it's actually promising.

A lot of people walk, naturally.

PT usage is decent, but if you think about it, these people often live so near to work that PT may not be necessary

Although about 1/4 of people are driving, lets not forget that a certain percentage of them may also be working in the suburbs.

All in all, the data is pretty promising. Thanks for providing it

There's some potential there. It suggests that at least in the short term, Chicagoans are very willing to live in dense, walkable neighborhoods, and will take transit when it provides a simple/quick enough trip. All with the caveat, that they'd still really like to have a car, mostly for shopping and leisure. So maybe the parking blob pedestals are a-ok....though i wish they could pretty them up a bit more.