What's up with the Howard Station?
Howard Station. Abel Uribe/Chicago Tribune
Was this a facelift gone wrong? Despite a massive recent makeover, the Howard station--which connects the Red, Yellow and Purple Lines--is showing flaws, according to riders who wrote to "Going Public."
In March, the CTA finished station renovations, which included improving accessibility for the disabled, a new stationhouse and remodeled platform areas, among other modifications. But riders say the station, which logged 1.9 million rides last year, has reverted to its pre-beautification state.
In one instance, a rider complained a pedway didn't connect to the station. CTA spokeswoman Wanda Taylor said the CTA is in talks with the private developer of the adjacent parking garage to determine ways to improve the connection between the garage and the station. Other riders wrote to "GP" about pigeon droppings and the lack of Purple Line trains.
Make the connection
I'm wondering why the raised, covered pedway bridge from the Gateway shopping center does not actually connect to the Howard station? It feeds into the second floor of the parking garage, where you have to descend one flight of stairs, go around a corner and then up two flights of stairs to get to the CTA entrance lobby.
It's especially frustrating because there is a window wall in the side of the parking garage that looks into the Howard station at the mezzanine level. It appears that the mezzanine level's only reason to exist is to connect to the pedway, at which it fails.
--STEPHEN GEIS, 42, ROGERS PARK
Stop looking at me, pigeon
How about asking the CTA why I have to run the gauntlet of pigeon [droppings] on the north end of the Howard station, you know, the one they just spent millions of dollars renovating so that the pigeons could have a nice place to roost under the underpass and [poop] on people as they try to enter the station? The sidewalk looks like a minefield. I thought about calling up the city and reporting it as a health hazard.
--KEVIN BLACK, 47, ROGERS PARK
Perplexed by train schedule
Five full northbound Red Line trains should not terminate before one two-car Purple Line train arrives to take an overcrowded train north to Evanston. How often does the CTA study riding trends on other lines not named the Brown Line?
In the past year the CTA has made strides, but it shouldn't be hard to keep a new station in a state of good repair and condition. As commuters, we deserve that right.
--LAMONT LYNN, 27, ROGERS PARK
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1 Comment
thunder1109 said:
Like many cities on the west coast, CTA should consider birth control for those pigeons
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