New Metra SouthEast Line: Will it revitalize south suburbs? (Naperville: apartment complexes, rentals)

[pvande55]

When the North Central service was expanded - and it was definitely needed - they built the parking lots much larger even though there was no parking problem at most stations. None has ticket agents or ticket vending machines.

[DarkWolf]

Hmmm , it seems Metra has been slipping over the last few years. Its now number # 3 , commuter Rail system by Numbers dipping to 292,000. While NJT has climbed to over 301,000. Metro North is expected to climb to 320,000 by the end of the decade after a few extensions and upgrades are finished. NJT will climb to 467,000 by 2020. Of course if Metra were to expand then it could probably get back into the #3 spot.... The Number one Spot will be held by either the LIRR or NJT its to early to tell... I just redid the numbers , and its looking close for all 6 of the top systems...15,000 difference for some...

[Humboldt1]

Allen,

You make good points. Thanks for not ignoring how changing demographics and ethnographics affect an area.

Are the blacks in Hinsdale more or less affluent than other schools such as Rich Central? I think it has less to do with race and more to do with what background they come from. Affluent kids outperform less affluent kids as a whole due to all the advantages of affluent kids (tutors, involved parents, role models, etc).

[reppin_the_847]

I'm not from the south burbs so perhaps I'm not the best voice on this issue, but is it true that there is a lack of decent job corridors in the south suburban region? For example, a Lake-Cook Road type of corridor (Deerfield / Northbrook) or a Rosemont (O'Hare) area or an Oak Brook or a Schaumburg, etc. etc. Downtown Chicago seems to be the largest & most viable job corridor for south suburbanites to commute to rather than schlepping to one of the above mentioned areas with the possible exception of Oak Brook. If this is indeed the case, the new Metra SE line could be a huge boon for the area IMO.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by PrairieGirl

sunnyandcloudydays~So you think the SE Line will take 7 years? I was hoping it would happen sooner. Seeing as how Thornton has little room to build out, it is hard for us to attract new business here. Except bars and barber/beauty shops, at one time there were three bars in Thornton and it's a very small town! There are finally some new businesses going in, but it was pretty dead for awhile. It is my hope that the train will increase my declining property value, by making the beautiful homes here more attractive to people who are looking to live in a single family home w/yard and mature trees, within walking distance of a quaint downtown shopping district (yet to come) and a short hop onto a downtown train. The fact that the SE Line will go into LaSalle Street Station (the financial district) will make it more attractive for some everyday commuters than the existing Metra line, which goes to Millenium Station, depending on where in Chicago they work. I have no doubt that there will be demand for both lines, and that public transportation is the wave of the future.

First of all I think this line will happen between 4-7 years.
It will happen though
I used to have a link for the se commuter line and will try to find it somewhere
Thornton is one village that will greatly benefit from this service

Please dont let any naysayers on the boards tell you different
the line is needed and will happen
the economy will not stay this way forever

just to give you an idea for the service needed
the metra line is metras busiest line and their is revenue to be generated
off the se commuter line.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by allen2323

Chet, you make a decent point that I also agree in part with. In my opinion none of the proposals are absolutely needed. But the fact of the matter is there are four new proposed metra lines for the chicagoland area. Only one of these public works projects is in the south suburbs. There is a new metra line proposal to connect many of the outlying far western and southwestern suburbs together. Such as joliet, naperville, plainfield, aurora, spaulding, and rosemont. It's basically a half circle that ends at ohare and joliet in the other direction. There is a proposal to expand metra service all the way out past woodstock to harvard. And a proposal to expand service west all of the way to elburn. Out of all 4 of the current proposals the south suburban line may be the most practical one in my opinion.

Not saying that any of them are abosolutely needed. But there are areas that don't have nearby service in northwest indiana, far eastern suburbs such as lynwood, lansing, and the far will county rural suburbs around crete. Those areas have grown in population. There will be some infill of stations closer in that already have nearby metra electric access. Which kind of appears unneccesary. But, prarie girl raised a good point that the downtown station that this line will be ending at is the la salle st station. Which is different from the metra electric that ends on the other side of downtown at millenium station. So it may be more convenient for some riders and will add another entirely different public transit option to the area.

One question lasalle st station is just right before the millenium station -correct

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by PrairieGirl

allen~NWI already has the South Shore commuter rail, the article you linked to discussed expanding it vs IL building the Metra SE Line. Good point in there that whoever expands their line first, puts a kibosh on the other one going forward. Show me where infill of stations is anticipated. Is there?

Chet~Have you ever commuted via Metra? Most of the suburban stations have been recently upgraded, they're not overbuilt unless you consider heat in winter to be unnecessary. You don't need staff at all at the stations, if the ticket machines are serviced regularly. BTW The Metra SE Line already has stations at the last three proposed stops (Pullman, Gresham, 35th Street). Pullman is where the line intersects existing service. And it will connect far south-east suburban areas to La Salle Street Station in Chicago, not the SE side of Chicago, two entirely different regions. There are already low crime rates, and very nice houses, in Thornton.
I agree that the schools NEED IMPROVEMENT. But don't you agree that accessibility to public transportation factors into desirability of a neighborhood? That's why I lived in Riverdale, once upon a time. I would NOT live there now, so I get the point you're trying to make.
I personally think that all of the suburbs need to have Metra service to connect them to Chicago and to each other. When you're paying $4.30+ a gallon of gas how can it not be so? I don't think it will get done without numbers to support ridership, can't believe people will allow that to happen.

Just a note the NICTD will never in a million years pass with indiana
they shun lake county down in indy - that line extension will never happen
Indiana is having a major shortfall right now due to property tax caps
they exactly dont have surpluss either. lots of spin but indiana is not a mecca of endless money
the economy over there is hurting too , they also have a problem with tax caps
property taxes are at a point where villages or towns dont have any money to spare
they have a lot on the chopping block.
The Indiana legislature is too concerned about Indianapolis than lake county - and that makes sense as the bulk of the states population lies within marion county and its burbs.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

I am sure most of you have this link but here is what I found on Metras page
Metra Connects : Proposed New Starts

[PrairieGirl]

Sunny~Thanks for posting that link. I didn't find the map I was looking for, but no, LaSalle Street Station is further west, in the heart of the financial district. It is not the stop right before Millennium Station (formerly known as Randolph Street/South Water Street), that stop is Jackson/Van Buren.

This map shows the existing lines. You need to picture another line north from Crete in the south, crossing the existing Metra line (ME) at Pullman/115th Street and then crossing the existing Rock Island line (RI) further north at Gresham. I'll try to post a map of the proposed line later, I couldn't find it.

Metra System Map

[PrairieGirl]

Hi reppin-the-847~You are correct in your assessment of the sitch, plus there are way too many White Sox fans around here!

There are buses to Oak Brook, no trains yet. Wouldn't that be a perfect dream?! Maybe when Metra connects the spokes? Lots of big corporations in OB/OBT, traffic and gas prices make commuting there a nightmare.

nexis and sunny~thanks for the encouragement regarding ridership numbers, etc.

pvande~Are the parking lots full now?