Chicago Infrastructure Thread (Oak Park: how much, moving, metra)

[surlycue]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

Rosemont?

whoops. roseland. it was a typo and you know it.

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

I'm happy that I'll finally have a way to get to the huge sewage treatment facility down there!

It seems like they only picked that terminus because there's available land and an existing rail right-of-way.

Its next to the expressway and will have a park and ride facility similar to the Cumberland stop.

[surlycue]

Originally Posted by sukwoo

Its next to the expressway and will have a park and ride facility similar to the Cumberland stop.

But who would take the redline downtown when the metra is just east and much faster, cleaner and safer?

[Avengerfire]

^ People that cannot afford Metra ^

[Carantini]

and people that want to stop somewhere off the red line other than the loop

[Lookout Kid]

I'm just saying I'd rather see a rationally planned system instead of one that's cheap and convenient to set up. But I realize this level of funding is unlikely in the world of today.

[coldwine]

You would think that traffic would be the most important thing to any city. It's the life force of a city-- getting citizens around easily and quickly.

It's always mystified me that Chicago has such a poorly funded transit system. Thank god the suburbanites and down state have freeways, that's clearly the most important priority, but still. The city that pays for the state should at least have a top notch public transit system.

And I do not mean BRT. That's the cheapest way to avoid having to pay for light rail.

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

I'm just saying I'd rather see a rationally planned system instead of one that's cheap and convenient to set up. But I realize this level of funding is unlikely in the world of today.

You can have cheap or you can have nothing.

Plus you need to have a train yard at the end of the line. Can't build it anywhere north of 120th.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by sukwoo

You can have cheap or you can have nothing.

Either way I'll complain.

[paytonc]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

It seems like they only picked that terminus because there's available land and an existing rail right-of-way.

On the other hand, 95th is the busiest station in the entire system -- and it's not from the people walking in, it's people doing bus-rail transfers, since all those buses from the south have to detour up there. The new terminal at 130th will probably have a similar rider base.