Proposed Blue Line extension to DuPage (Chicago, Rockford: how much, homes, construction)

[oakparkdude]

Cook-DuPage corridor project would extend Blue Line -- chicagotribune.com

The RTA has proposed extending the Blue line from Forest Park all the way to the Yorktown Mall in Lombard. The rationale is to improve transit in the west suburbs and link up to job-rich areas along the I-88 tollway.

Although I'm a big fan of transit, I'm not sure this is the best way to spend CTA operational funds (running and maintaining this 13 mile extension. I understand federal capital funds would pay for the upfront construction). On another urban forum (which I'm not supposed to mention) a suggestion was made to use some of the tollway funds to pay for operations of the extension. This sounds like a good (although politically impossible) idea.

[aragx6]

I can see it being a concern to Chicagoans though too. The lines int he city are essentially falling apart and they want to expand?

In theory it seems like a good idea though

[mdz]

I don't know, that is so far out and already in areas served by metra so I don't know how much that is actually going to help. It'll take an hour to get to downtown from the outer station from there, who wouldn't rather take the metra?

They still have to figure out some way to build the 4th lane on the Ike through oak park and the "avenues". I don't know what the solution is (given the tracks on the south side of the expressway and the homes on the north side), but that has become an absolute disaster choke point.

[oakparkdude]

If this is built (and its a big if) expect to see housing prices in Oak Park skyrocket. We'll be smack dab in the middle of a transit line that connects two huge job clusters (the Loop and I-88 corridor).

[gardener34]

I could see a line into schaumburg/hoffman estates instead (unless they have one already?) there are lots of corporations out there that people work at. As well as the malls.

[jdiddy]

Interesting. Even though there are a few Metra lines in the area, none of them are of much use to anyone working in the I-88 corridor. There are thousands of Chicagoans who commute out to the Oak Brook/Downers Grove/Lombard area, and this could satisfy enough of a demand to be successful. On the other hand, due to the planning in that area, most people wouldn't have stops close enough to their office to get to without another bus.

[summers19]

My husband works at a corporation adjacent to Yorktown and was very curious about the article in the paper this morning. Metra doesn't service that area. It goes about 5 miles north of it (Lombard station) and 5 miles south (Downers Grove). From our perspective living in Elmhurst, it would be a wonderful addition.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by jdiddy

Interesting. Even though there are a few Metra lines in the area, none of them are of much use to anyone working in the I-88 corridor.

There is a stop in Winfield, about 1-2 miles from the I-88 corridor. I see alot of people taking taxis from the Metra stop to Cantera. It is a bit of an inconvenience.

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

There is a stop in Winfield, about 1-2 miles from the I-88 corridor. I see alot of people taking taxis from the Metra stop to Cantera. It is a bit of an inconvenience.

Exactly. Or you can stop in Hinsdale and cab it to Oak Brook. Either way, it's inconvenient and expensive. And most all of these lines make every stop during the reverse commute period, so its not even much of a timesaver. So extending the blue line directly in the middle of all those office buildings adjacent 88 could be beneficial.

Of course, if this happens it would mean Dupage would have to contribute more to the CTA, and I don't think the DuPage Republicans in the state legislature would let that happen.

[via chicago]

Its a nice idea and all, but I don't see it getting implemented any time soon. I saw this on another forum, but this is just a sampling of all the proposals we've had in recent years:

Grey Line
Circle Line
Red Line extension
Yellow Line extension
Orange Line to Ford City
Blue Line to Schaumburg
Blue Line to Lombard
Metra Star Line
O'hare to Midway
Midcity Transit
Clinton Street Transit Hub
Carrol Street Transitway
Metra to Rockford
Metra to Milwaukee
Metra to DeKalb
Express trains to O'hare
Express trains to Midway



But hey, we got the Pink Line (a reroute of an existing line)