Long Overdue Changes for the CTA (Chicago, Roscoe: pricing, groceries, versus)

[oakparkdude]

Big traffic revamp: More bus-only lanes, rush-hour meters -- chicagotribune.com

Chicago Tribune
Big traffic revamp: More bus-only lanes, rush-hour meters

By Jon Hilkevitch | Tribune transportation writer
12:28 PM CDT, April 29, 2008

Federal and city officials announced today an ambitious plan to get more commuters out of their cars by freeing CTA buses from traffic congestion and speeding the ride to and from work in Chicago.

Lanes dedicated to buses-only will be created on four major city corridors that were not immediately identified. One could be Lake Shore Drive.

In addition, buses will make fewer stops—four to five blocks apart. Kiosks will be installed at the bus stops to enable passengers to pre-pay their fares and board quickly once the bus arrives.

These inexpensive changes will make a big difference in increasing the desirability of bus transit versus the private auto.

[jdiddy]

That's a nice surprise.

In other CTA news, the combination of $4.00 diesel and Blago's pandering free rides to seniors means we should be seeing a CTA fare increase soon.

[Drover]

You know all of those corridors where there is theoretically "no parking" during rush hour? I'd like to see all of those parking lanes become 'bus-only' lanes during the no-parking hours. Let's make those "express buses" actually mean something. I'd also like to see the buses rigged up to be given stoplight priority, at least during peak hours.

And I've been advocating for more spaced-out bus stops for a while now. There is no reason why a bus should stop literally every numbered block. Every other block would be just fine.

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by Drover

You know all of those corridors where there is theoretically "no parking" during rush hour? I'd like to see all of those parking lanes become 'bus-only' lanes during the no-parking hours. Let's make those "express buses" actually mean something. I'd also like to see the buses rigged up to be given stoplight priority, at least during peak hours.

And I've been advocating for more spaced-out bus stops for a while now. There is no reason why a bus should stop literally every numbered block. Every other block would be just fine.

They're going to begin phasing in some stoplight priority as well. From the article...


"Technology will be added to some traffic signals to extend green lights for buses running behind schedule, much like the signal-priority equipment that gives the green to ambulances and fire trucks, officials said. Pace has experimented with the technology on Harlem Avenue in the suburbs."

I'm also glad they're going to get rid of some stops. The Damen bus has 4 stops between Roscoe and Belmont, a distance that takes 4 minutes to walk between. It's ridiculous.

[aamert]

Utilizing no parking spots during rush hours, as express lanes, is an excellent idea.
Of course, they will have to reinforce that with signage and towed cars.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by aamert

Utilizing no parking spots during rush hours, as express lanes, is an excellent idea.
Of course, they will have to reinforce that with signage and towed cars.

I understand they have a lot more ground to cover here in Chicago, but in Madison WI, those rush-hour lanes are enforced with impunity. When the parking restriction starts at 3pm, you can expect that when you step out of your place to move your car at 3:06pm, the city will have already done it for you. They have fleets of tow trucks lined up ready to start yanking cars away the minute the parking restriction goes into effect, and they continue to prowl around until the restriction is no longer in effect. They are NFA about rush-hour restrictions in that town.

[chet everett]

The mindset of "stop every block" was probably something that makes a lot of sense when you have old country grandma's riding the bus for groceries when the sidewalks aren't shoveled. Now that there are younger people actually counting on getting miles across the City to work it is pretty stupid -- it ties up traffic and encourages people to do stupid things to get out from behind a bus.

A big reason that buses "bunch up" is that every other vehicle will literally pass the buses as they stumble from block to block to block to block for miles on end. The best thing about real cable cars is that it gets pretty hard for them to bunch up.

I wonder where Daley is going to find money for the traffic light overrides? Think they might add some protected left signals too? The combination ought to bring traffic technology at least into the 1980's... All in all this makes a LOT more sense than GPS reporting to cell phones -- far better to actually spend money to speed up traffic than tell people a bus is 12 minutes, make that 16 minutes, make than 19 minutes behind schedule...

[long101]

I think to tell you where a bus is on the schedule would be pretty neat. But if they do this it will deffinetly speed things up

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by chet everett

I wonder where Daley is going to find money for the traffic light overrides?

They received a large federal grant, including some of the money alotted to New York had they passed their congestion pricing plan.

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by jdiddy

They received a large federal grant, including some of the money alotted to New York had they passed their congestion pricing plan.

Thank you NY. BTW, I spent a little bit of time browsing the comments posted on the Tribune website in response to the article. (I know, too much time on my hands.) Its a quick gauge of (uninformed) citizen opinion, but reading the stupidity that people write almost hurts my eyes.