September 2007 Archives

Posted by Scott Kleinberg - 12:59 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007

True story, and while it was annoying at the time, it's really funny.

My wife and I were on the Brown Line the other morning on the way to Lakeview when a woman and her son -- probably 5 or 6 years old -- get on at like Randolph and Wabash.

This kid is hysterical. Screaming. And at first it was hard to make out what the problem was, but then as the cries filled the car and it became impossible to concentrate on anything else, it became clear.

"I wanted Greeeeeen. Waaaaaaaaah. Green, mom!"

Yes, readers, this young man was having a temper tantrum over his mom's choice to ride the Brown instead of the Green.

I was surprised. Personally, I think Brown blows Green out of the water, with the exception of the cool tunnel near IIT.

Eventually, his mom redirected his attention to the book he was carrying. And he became one with Brown, although he cried sporadically as we approached Sedgwick and Armitage.

Hopefully, he gets his wish and gets to go Green someday. But kid, let me give you a little piece of advice. Orange. That's where the excitement is at.

Doors closing. Until next time.

Posted by RedEye - 8:22 a.m., Sept. 25

Well, how do you like that. The CTA actually did something to help customers that they didn't have to do.

From today's Chicago Tribune story...

"In no mood to add to the legions of angry riders, CTA officials on Tuesday will cancel plans that would have put the burden on thousands of Chicago Card customers to prevent deactivation of their expiring fare cards and the potential loss of the unspent balance."

So is a new day dawning for the CTA or will this just be a blip?

Posted by Kyra Kyles - Sept. 25

Of course we want buses to stop bunching and instead run in accordance with posted schedules.

It's only natural to dream of trains that run with a precision that rivals clockwork.

And who doesn't fantasize about leak-free, puddle-proof stations?

Riders tend to dream big about fixes for buses and trains, but as a number of e-mails to "Going Public" have suggested, there are some small things that could improve the immediate CTA environment. To help get the ball rolling, here are some flashes of rider-generated genius:

Posted by Kyra Kyles - Sept. 20

It's been a really rough ride these past few weeks, CTA citizens, but it's time to fight the train and bus blues. There still is some good out there on the system, though it may not feel that way now.

We spent the last week tensed up, bracing for doomsday, only to have Springfield lawmakers come through with a $24 million Hail Mary bailout last week.

Posted by Supriya Doshi - 4:48 p.m., September 14

What is the proper way to handle vomiting in a CTA train car? And no, it was NOT me.

While riding the Red Line the other afternoon, a young woman sitting across from me suddenly exploded. I didn't see it coming out, but I certainly heard the cringe-worthy sound, which repeats in my head in slow motion every time I think about it. Blech.

Posted by Kyra Kyles - Sept. 13

Pop some champagne on the train. Break out the balloons on the buses. Let's celebrate at all the stops. Doomsday has been averted with Wednesday's announcement that the state will provide $24 million to the CTA, staving off fare hikes and the cutting of 39 bus routes.

But before you don a party hat, isn't this doomsday deja vu? Didn't we have a similar celebration in 2005 when riders were threatened with dramatic fare hikes and then rescued by a $54.3 million bailout from the state?

Needed or not, Wednesday's temporary reprieve is nowhere near the $110 million the CTA needs to balance its budget and keep service levels intact. This most recent infusion is the equivalent of treating precious public transit like a temp worker, forced to live check-to-check instead of being offered a long-term livelihood.

Posted by Supriya Doshi - 3:59 p.m., September 12

And so the CTA averts disaster yet again. Surprise, surprise ...

Not that I'm unhappy about it. I was dreading the service cuts and fare hikes as much as the next person. But the CTA's doomsday plans are starting to sound a lot like the boy who cried wolf.

Posted by Jane Hirt - 7:24 p.m., Sept. 12

OK, so I was wrong ... Doomsday averted--for now. But check out the last line of this story. It seems to indicate that if there are no new state subsidies by December, we may see a SYSTEMWIDE shutdown. Yikes

From the Tribune:

Posted by RedEye - 4:05 p.m., Sept. 11

Join RedEye's Kyra Kyles and the Chicago Tribune's Jon Hilkevitch for a live web chat about the CTA's doomsday scenario at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Send them a question right here.

UPDATE: Unfortunately, Kyra wasn't able to make the chat. But the Trib's Jon Hilkevitch carried on without here. Watch Jon's chat right here.

Posted by Tracy Swartz- 2:45 p.m., Sept. 11

More bad news for the Blue Line.

A federal report cited mismanagement and lack of safety oversight in last year's Blue Line derailment and fire.

The Tribune article notes "problems uncovered included failures in setting up effective training, track inspection, maintenance and supervisory programs, leading to unsafe track conditions, the board said.

Mud and standing water in the subway tunnel, wet and rotten rail ties, corrosion of rail fasteners and worn or broken screws and tie plates accelerated the track's failure, while CTA inspectors failed to identify the obvious problems, the investigation found."

More than 80 percent of inspection records were missing for the Blue Line. Yeah, it's definitely unusual for the Blue Line to be MIA.

So will this report spur change? Will the CTA/Blue Line get their act together? Or will the lack of oversight and safety force riders like me to search for transportation alternatives?

Posted by Jimmy Greenfield - 10:10 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 11

It's now Tuesday, Sept. 11, just 5 days until the CTA’s doomsday plan will go into effect.

Last week, I took a quick poll of RedEye's CTA bloggers and five our eight bloggers didn’t think the cuts would be enacted. Our readers strongly disagreed, with almost 85 percent saying the cuts will go into effect.

Here's today’s response from those who were able to get back to me. I’ll add more as they come in. So far, only Cara has changed her mind. New RedEye blogger Leonor Vivanco comes in with a "yes" vote.

No
Jimmy
Tran
Mark
Alexia (updated 10:40 a.m.)

Yes
Tracy
Cara
Leonor
Jane (updated 11:09 a.m.)
Supriya (updated 11:21 a.m.)
Jim (updated 3:46 p.m.)

Posted by Leonor Vivanco - 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 11

Standing room only, I was pushed up against the glass Monday morning on the Blue Line train for my first ride to work since moving back to Chicago from California.

What a welcome back greeting! CTA told me I might be paying $1 more next week to board the train - the train I waited 15 minutes for that morning as an express train whizzed right by my Montrose platform.

Posted by Jimmy Greenfield - 9:13 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 11

This is a true story, I swear.

I'm on the No. 86 bus yesterday (which happens to be one of the routes up for elimination) when I had this conversation with my bus driver:

Bus driver: "Excuse me, I'm new on this route. Do I turn here?"
Me: Uh, yeah. Turn here.
Bus driver: "And then I turn on Diversey?"
Me: No, you passed Diversey about 12 blocks ago.

Then I went on to tell her how to complete her route. Maybe if the funding comes through the CTA could, you know, actually teach the bus drivers their routes.

What. A. Joke.

Posted by Jim Walsh – 9:25 p.m., Sept. 10

So it looks like the fare hikes and service cuts the CTA has been threatening for so long are actually going to go into effect. The hikes will be a sting for a lot of riders, like me, who live on a budget.

But what I’m really concerned about are the folks who are losing their bus routes—especially people who are new to the city and not necessarily familiar with the best plan of action for alternative commutes.

The Tribune recently talked to a regular CTA bus rider, Amina Doctrove, who just moved to Chicago from Shreveport, La., to attend Columbia College. She said she “wouldn't know the first thing about how to get to school, and then back, too, if anything changes.”

And I’m sure she’s not alone. If you’re reading these blog posts and following the CTA fiasco on a regular basis, you probably know more about the changes than the average Chicagoan, and you’ll probably be equipped to deal with these doomsday scenarios if and when they take effect next week.

But what about folks like Doctrove, who don’t “know the first thing” about coping with the CTA’s inconveniences? What are they going to do?

Posted by Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz – 1:40 p.m., Sept. 10

It’s hard to rally around the CTA as it navigates its financial crisis when the agency does even the simple things poorly.

I’m talking about the evening closure of the northbound Red Line for track work to eliminate “slow zones.” After 9 p.m. on weeknights, northbound Red Line trains only operate on the elevated tracks, so you can’t board at the regular underground Red Line stations between Chinatown and Fullerton.

The fact of the detour itself is annoying, but understandable. What seems inexcusable is that there’s no clear signage or explanation for how the detour works.

Posted by Kyra Kyles - 2:20 p.m., Sept. 10

Ah, the feeling of rapture when I see a No. X3-King Drive Express gliding toward me when I'm bus-ing a move to work and hoping to get there within 30 minutes (or before hearing 6-7 songs on my MP3 player).

Oh, the horror when I see its slow-motion counterpart-- the No. 3-King Drive-- that guarantees me a 40- to 45-minute crowded schlep downtown to Trib Tower. Even worse is when two or three of these slow-mo's arrive at one time, all surprisingly stuffed with riders.

"We'll be stopping at every rock and tree for sure," I fume inwardly, as I turn up my player and get a good grip on one of those trusty aisle poles.

Posted by Mark Bazer - 1:25 p.m., Sept. 10

With the team's first preseason game about a month away, this seems like an awfully odd time to eliminate the #19 "United Center Express" route.

While it's true that not all members of the Bulls take the #19 to games, most of the players and Benny do. In talking with such players as Ben Gordon, Chris Duhon and Kirk Hinrich, I get the sense that the potential of Doomsday coming to pass not only has the team confused but is severly impacting players' preparations for the upcoming season.

Instead of working out or sharpening their skills this offseason, the Bulls have been practicing taking alternative bus routes to the stadium. Right now, much of the team is placing all of its hopes on Ben Wallace ponying up the $110 million the CTA needs.

The problem is Wallace prefers taking a horse-drawn carriage to the games. It should be another exciting season for the Bulls this year -- if the team makes it to the games.

If Doomsday for the CTA comes to pass, Chicagoans from all walks of life will be severly impacted -- but none more so than the members of the Chicago Bulls.

Posted by Cara DiPasquale - 12:48 p.m., Sept. 10

I drove to work today.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my rush-hour CTA commute home to the North Side takes more than an hour. In the car, it takes half that.

Is the time saved worth the $10 it costs me to park downtown? I’m still trying to figure that out. But it’s certainly good to have the option, especially as Doomsday approaches. Even though my bus routes aren’t on the list of 39 that will be cut if Springfield doesn’t bail out the CTA this week, the service reductions will affect all of us. In addition to higher fares, fewer buses means more crowded buses. More crowded buses means waiting for the next one. Waiting for the next one means an even longer commute.

I know it seems hard to believe that the rush crush could get any worse. But D-day is coming, people. Brace yourselves.

Or consider getting in the car, hopping on your bike or hoofing it—at least one or two days a week. It could make the CTA nightmare more bearable for all of us.

Posted by Jane Hirt - 12:01 a.m., Sept. 6

Critics say Mayor Daley needs to step in and do something before the CTA Doomsday scenario kicks in Sept. 16. Others point out that this is not the City of Chicago's problem; it's something the state legislature is responsible for figuring out.

On Wednesday, Daley himself spoke. Here's some of what the Tribune reported from the scene:

Mayor Richard Daley on Wednesday implored Springfield to provide more funding for public transit before fare increases and service cuts go into effect.

"Without action, the people of Chicago will pay the price, and the quality of life will diminish," Daley said of the transit bill.

Daley expressed disappointment at the state House’s defeat Tuesday of a measure that would have mandated a quarter-cent increase on the sales tax in the Chicago area to provide more money for the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace. And he said he is "concerned the governor continues to say he will veto the plan if it passes."

"If there are any other ideas out there that can pass this year to reform public transit-funding, I think everyone wants to hear them," the mayor said. ...

Posted by Jimmy Greenfield - 10:53 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 5

It's Wednesday, Sept. 5, just 11 days until the CTA kicks us in the rear. That is, unless the state bails the CTA out again.

I took a quick poll this morning of RedEye's CTA bloggers to see who believes the doomsday plan will have to go into effect on Sept. 16.

Here's the response from those who were able to get back to me.

No
Alexia
Cara
Jimmy
Mark
Tran

Yes
Tracy
Scott
Jane (added at 12:30)

So if the majority of us are right, this is all much ado about nothing and Big Daddy will bail out the CTA before it's too late.

Funny, I didn't take Scott and Tracy for pessimists. Or myself for an optimist.

Posted by RedEye - 5:08 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 4

SPRINGFIELD — A measure that would raise local taxes to shore up funding for Chicago-area mass-transit systems failed today in the Illinois House, raising the potential for fare hikes and service cuts at the Chicago Transit Authority and the Pace suburban bus agency.

Anybody out there still think a fare hike and massive cuts can be avoided? Let us know what you think.

Posted by Jimmy Greenfield - 11:35 p.m., Monday, Sept. 3

No matter what happens with funding over the next couple weeks...

- Service will remain poor.

- Some CTA employees will give a damn and some won't.

- We'll seldom hear about the ones that give a damn, but you can bet readers of this blog will share plenty of stories about the ones that don't.

- Mayor Daley won't take responsibility for any problems with the CTA.

- Chicago voters won't hold Mayor Daley accountable for not doing anything about the CTA's problems.

- Another $100 million or so will be needed in a year or two, and we'll go through this again.

- I'll continue taking the Green Line because my only other choice -- driving to a Tribune-owned lot on Chicago Ave. and then waiting for a shuttle van -- just takes too much time.

Posted by Scott Kleinberg - 11:13 a.m., Labor Day (Monday), Sept. 3, 2007

Well, things could get a little better on the CTA before they could get worse on Sept. 16.

The Tribune reported over the weekend that the CTA announced temporary fee and price cuts in the face of a looming fare hike if state legislators do not approve additional funding.

Because the CTA wants more people to convert from regular tickets to electronic fare cards, the agency will waive its $5 card-purchasing fee until Oct. 31, the Tribune reports.

Fare hikes and service cuts are scheduled to start Sept. 16, with more later if state funding isn't secured. Supporters plan to bring a $450 million proposal before the full House Tuesday, The Tribune reports.

RedEye reported extensively recently on what the contingency plan means to you. Here's a recap:

-- The cost of a bus ride using a Chicago Card or Chicago Plus Card will increase to $2, 50 cents cheaper than what cash-paying riders will pay.

-- Rail fares will rise to $2 for Chicago Card and Chicago Card Plus holders, while other riders will pay $2.50 for off-peak hours and $3 during peak hours -- 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. -- according to the CTA.

So as we get down to the wire, folks, are you worried? Do you have a contingency plan of your own should the worst happen? We'd love to hear from you.

And stay with RedEye for the very latest on the potential changes to come Sept. 16. Click here for the most up-to-date information.

Doors closing. Until next time.

Sunday, Sept. 1, 2007 -- 3:08 a.m.

Not sure if this is common knowledge or not, but you can find any CTA station by typing in some basic info into Google Maps.

For example, to find the Brown Line Paulina station shown above, I simply typed in (yep, you guessed it) Brown Line Paulina.

While on the surface it would only seem like a huge help for someone driving to a station, it can also tell you where you are in relation to that station or another one. Useful for those Friday night beer runs.

And if you happen to have an iPhone, well, then you have something cool that you can do with the built-in Google Maps feature.

Shameless plug in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

Check out Scott's blog "iPhone, Therefore I Blog,” RedEye's hip spot devoted exclusively to the iPhone featuring tips, tricks, wallpapers and so much more.