Should the CTA Build A Perimeter Subway Line? (Chicago, Cicero: home, transfer)

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by Visvaldis

An elevated rail line parallel to Harlem Ave would be great.

Not sure that would be my top priority.

[Aleking]

perimeter seems kinda too far into low density land...that said, i think the circle line should be a couple stops out from what i've seen proposed.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by Aleking

perimeter seems kinda too far into low density land...that said, i think the circle line should be a couple stops out from what i've seen proposed.

I fully agree with you on the Circle Line, it's the chicken and the egg thing.

Yes, Chicago may only have 2.7 million people right now, but it once had 3.6 million, and that was before the residential boom in the greater downtown area.

We are sitting on Lake Michigan, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world. Much of the growth in desert areas is unsustainable, where as Chicago is going to do nothing but grow.

All long term planning should be taking that into consideration.

Btw, I agree we have a decent system, but the comparisons to London, Paris, etc. are apt as although Chicago is a much younger city, we are most definitely headed in the same direction (the highly gentrified core growing both in density and geographic range, pushing the service/lower income workers further and further out from where those jobs are).

[Aleking]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

I fully agree with you on the Circle Line, it's the chicken and the egg thing.

Yes, Chicago may only have 2.7 million people right now, but it once had 3.6 million, and that was before the residential boom in the greater downtown area.

We are sitting on Lake Michigan, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world. Much of the growth in desert areas is unsustainable, where as Chicago is going to do nothing but grow.

All long term planning should be taking that into consideration.

Btw, I agree we have a decent system, but the comparisons to London, Paris, etc. are apt as although Chicago is a much younger city, we are most definitely headed in the same direction (the highly gentrified core growing both in density and geographic range, pushing the service/lower income workers further and further out from where those jobs are).

[SIZE=3]No one has a crystal ball and the topics of water crisis/climate change are worth discussing and are problems for which Chicago is well positioned to absorb and thrive but they’re real impacts are decades off. As much sense as it makes to plan for the future with that kind of foresight, it’s just not going to happen. Chicago will continue to evolve, ridership will continue to increase and we’ll get a circle line but I’ll be an old man when it happens.[/SIZE]

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by Aleking

[SIZE=3]No one has a crystal ball and the topics of water crisis/climate change are worth discussing and are problems for which Chicago is well positioned to absorb and thrive but they’re real impacts are decades off. As much sense as it makes to plan for the future with that kind of foresight, it’s just not going to happen. Chicago will continue to evolve, ridership will continue to increase and we’ll get a circle line but I’ll be an old man when it happens.[/SIZE]

Points noted, but when I hear an actual flesh-and-blood MRWD president say we need to un-reverse the Chicago River, I'd say the pendulum has shifted in a very substantial way.

And the water/drought/wildfire problems in the SW are getting demonstrably worse every year, those definitely aren't decades off. And just watch what happens as treaties with neighboring states for river water expire...

I'm just sayin', we're basically sitting on a huge pile of "blue gold." By the time I croak I expect that Chicago to Milwaukee will be fully mature in terms of development all along the lakefront, which should make for some nice biking.

[Aleking]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

Points noted, but when I hear an actual flesh-and-blood MRWD president say we need to un-reverse the Chicago River, I'd say the pendulum has shifted in a very substantial way.

And the water/drought/wildfire problems in the SW are getting demonstrably worse every year, those definitely aren't decades off. And just watch what happens as treaties with neighboring states for river water expire...

I'm just sayin', we're basically sitting on a huge pile of "blue gold." By the time I croak I expect that Chicago to Milwaukee will be fully mature in terms of development all along the lakefront, which should make for some nice biking.

People have been talking about the coming water crisis for a long time, including the somewhat over the top Great Lakes Water Wars, but from what I’ve read, including the major UN reports on the issue, anything approaching a crisis is still mostly a third world problem with the American problems manageable with some modest conservation. I also haven’t seen any evidence to point to US migration patterns being driven by water costs/availability…we’re still seeing golf courses being built in the desert and a net migration out of the central lakes to the south. Texas will continue to dominate in growth over the coming decade..

The Great Lakes Compact was a great preliminary measure to stay on top of things but more substantial impacts are a ways off.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Visvaldis

An elevated rail line parallel to Harlem Ave would be great.

Harlem's a little far out there. Not sure I'd go any further west than Pulaski; Kedzie would probably be about the ideal balance between serving sufficiently dense neighborhoods and providing cross-town service.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by Drover

Harlem's a little far out there. Not sure I'd go any further west than Pulaski; Kedzie would probably be about the ideal balance between serving sufficiently dense neighborhoods and providing cross-town service.

Yep. In the meantime, one wonders why on earth they discontinued the Kedzie bus.

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

Points noted, but when I hear an actual flesh-and-blood MRWD president say we need to un-reverse the Chicago River, I'd say the pendulum has shifted in a very substantial way.

And the water/drought/wildfire problems in the SW are getting demonstrably worse every year, those definitely aren't decades off. And just watch what happens as treaties with neighboring states for river water expire...

I'm just sayin', we're basically sitting on a huge pile of "blue gold." By the time I croak I expect that Chicago to Milwaukee will be fully mature in terms of development all along the lakefront, which should make for some nice biking.

there already is some very nice biking in Lake & McHenry counties. I think I do get what your saying-a path all the way up. But won't happen because of all the private property along the lake. But I can route you all the way to Kenosha, avoiding high traffic roads and keeping you on bike paths a good part of the way. It just won't be right along the lake.

[Alacran]

How are subways even built???

What's easier? elevated or subway?