dream CTA updates? (Chicago, Blue Island, Madison: power lines, house, live)

[jrs2]

If you could update the CTA in anyway from it's current state, what would it be?
I would love an Ashland el line, connecting the brown, blue, green, orange, and pink lines to for almost a "second loop" making travel much easier between the north, south, and west sides.

[compactspace]

A line all the way down Ashland, for sure. Also one the whole length of Kedzie. Convert the Metra Electric to a high-frequency CTA metro service and perhaps hook it into the Red or Blue lines.

I'd also like to see the restoration of Chicago's streetcar network. The roads are easily wide enough to accommodate them. They could have right-of-way and act as a far superior alternative to buses.

[ForYourLungsOnly]

Ashland subway from Bryn Mawr to 95th. (a BRT is more likely though)

Western subway from Howard to Blue Island

Kedzie subway from Devon to 95th

Updated trains on the whole system...especially the blue line.

Brown line extension to Jefferson Park blue line

Irving Park streetcar from LSD to the Irving Park blue line, and several other East/West streetcar systems like this. I think the street car could be excellent for the East/West shortcomings the CTA has, especially when busses are held up by traffic. Busses need to stay and have their place, but a street car on a few of the bigger E/W thoroughfares especially on the North and far South Sides like Irving Park, Belmont, Fullerton, North, Chicago, and a few main roads on the South Side. The Pink/Orange/Green fill some east west travel in the loop, west of the loop and parts of the near south side, but there are definitely some streets (maybe 63rd, Cermak, 87th)

Better bike lanes, everywhere ( I know not CTA, but just as important)

An updated, modern CTA station at O'Hare. That thing is embarrassing

Good start! We are lucky we have the infrastructure, no matter how old, to actually do a lot of this stuff..its just that billions of dollars thing in the way. Some cities start from scratch with their transit systems, which is hard to do in the 20th century.

***Edit**: I bolded what I think is actually somewhat possible to happen in the next 20 years.

[NealIRC]

^ I don't think there's ever any talk of extending the Brown Line... they got no where to go.

[MSchemist80]

They've been talking about extending the yellow line to Old Orchard for decades. They even got rid of the overhead power lines to push forward. There is even an abandoned freight right of way they can use (granted it wouldn't get them all the way there and would put the station either at Golf 4 blocks west or at Old Orchard RD between the court house and mall).

overall though faster, cleaner, more reliable trains with few slow zones would be nice. Get the bums off of them especially the ones who solicit.

[IrishIllini]

Originally Posted by compactspace

A line all the way down Ashland, for sure. Also one the whole length of Kedzie. Convert the Metra Electric to a high-frequency CTA metro service and perhaps hook it into the Red or Blue lines.

I'd also like to see the restoration of Chicago's streetcar network. The roads are easily wide enough to accommodate them. They could have right-of-way and act as a far superior alternative to buses.

I agree the streetcar network was cool, but Idk how I feel about them in the modern world.

Division brown/purple lines
Madison pink line
N/S line anywhere (Ashland/Western?)
Subway line down Broadway connecting to existing brown/red/purple lines would be nice. Maybe it's an extended yellow line?

[ChiGuy2.5]

Rapid transit bus lanes down Lake Shore Drive would be awesome.


Also, as others mentioned I too vote for some sort of Circle "L" line that would connect the outer ends of the CTA.

Like this one here

[personone]

I'd like to see a line/ some sort of connector that goes East to West on the north side. It would also be nice to have a cta (red line) with a stop in the heart of Hyde Park.

[pvande55]

I would run it down Western Avenue, where it would connect with Metra MN, MW,NCS and BNSF, and even UPW if we move their station from Kedzie. It should connect with Sox35th and McCormick Pl. What color should it be? How about mauve?

[beaniemac]

I'd love to see either the south east or southwest side get service even though I dont' really live near either. however, they are both underserved. as well as the far south side.