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Originally Posted by chicagopcclcar1
CTA Green Line Faces President Obama Library Fight
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Green Line Garfield Boulevard station.
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Ground level showing the "L" overpass over the boulevard.
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A Green line train rattles the switches at 59th St. Junction. Next stop is Garfield, "doors open on the right."
Now that the two sites have been singled out, transportation issues makes the Green Line and the Washington Park site the clear winner. CTA "L" headways easily beat out the hour schedule of Metra Electric and the CTA #10 Museum, in those months when the #10 runs. An Obama Presidential Library could have a direct entry from the Green Line Garfield station. Whereas a Jackson Park location would be blocks away from any Metra Electric station requiring walking. The #10 Museum bus would easily get its route diverted.
The Chicago Tribune in its Wednesday, June 3, edition, wrote an article called "What Will City Do For Obama Library?" and cited the transportation issues of the two sites but the article also said "making the south side seem more attractive to tourists and residents from the entire Chicagoland area" is a major task . The article mentioned studies that say a $220 million-a-year economic impact would come to the city. But a library would have to draw 800,000 visitors a year.
A Jackson Park location would offer a close connection to Hyde Park, the U of C, the Science Museum, and the lakefront. These areas are thought by some as being "more" safe. But that is an idea that runs counter to a main theme...."the library should bring new investments to the surrounding neighborhoods, creating jobs and spurring economic growth." Which community is in dire needs: Hyde Park or Washington Park. A major task would be making the Green line "safe."
DH
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Another big Theme as you said is "Access".....
The Metra Electric Line (even with just it's existing rail service) provides vastly more Regional access to the Jackson Park area than the Green Line does to the Washington Park area.
The Green Line runs farther south only to 63rd. St. (Cottage Grove and Ashland), with a direct connection to Downtown on the Loop "L".
The Metra Electric also connects directly to Downtown, but also could bring visitors from South and Southeast neighborhoods within the city (South Shore, Lakeside, South Chicago, Grand Crossing, Chatham, Burnside, the Pullman National Park, etc.) that the Green Line obviously couldn't reach, in additon to South Suburban Minority communities like Riverdale, Dixmoor, Calumet Heights, Blue Island, and Harvey (all the way out to University Park).
And the NICTD services running on the MED would provide Minority NE Indiana communities like East Chicago, Hammond, and Gary with access to the Obama Library; and from even as far as Michigan City and South Bend.
An upgrading of the in-city routes of the MED to CTA Gray Line service, would provide the same "L" services to Jackson Park, as the Green Line does to Washington Park -- but throughout the eastern South Side areas in addition.
The neighborhoods truly needing the most economic investment can be easily seen, as described in this Crain's Chicago Business "Money Train" article:
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/artic...income-levels#