Is Chicago the best major U.S. city to live, work, and play? (rent, tech jobs)

[Lookout Kid]

In terms of the poll, I don't know if I'd call Chicago the "best" city for living, working, playing, etc. (and isn't it silly to shout "We're Number One!!" like we're cheering for a sports team or something?!?). But Chicago is definitely in my top five, and it works very well for my budget and family situation. I can't think of any place I'd rather be at this point in my life.

[studedude]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

If your money didn't go to the CTA and RTA the roads would be so congested you couldn't go anywhere at all. You'd also be breathing the millions of pounds of air pollution that would be realeased by the large number of new cars added to the daily commute. And downtown would be nothing but a hollowed-out shell with parking lots, like many other American cities. It's money well-spent, "dude".

Your homicide numbers are way off. You're making the assumption that all months are equal, and they are not. This year's numbers aren't that far off from last year's at the same point in the year, and last year we had the lowest murder rate we've had since the 60s.

How about spending money to syncronize traffic lights to help traffic move instead of a stainless steel jelly bean. No photo op on traffic lights and the rest of the world wouldn't know what a great Mayor King Richard is. Maybe we should quit stopping every truck that goes thru Chicago every 5 mi to collect tax(toll). Have you seen the lines of trucks and cars sitting still, burning fuel and polluting, waiting to give $1.00 to a $20.00 hr toll collector? That might have an effect on traffic. But again no photo op.

You are right about murder rates. They don't remain the same every month. They go up with the temp.

[TheseGoTo11]

Chicago is one of the best. Beaches + vibrant downtown + tons of interesting neighborhoods all the way up Clark St from the River to Wrigleyville. Beats NY for me.

But I voted no because the weather, and a business community that seems to be a few years behind the times for those of us in the technology sector. Still, probably would live there if the climate were a little different.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by TheseGoTo11

But I voted no because the weather, and a business community that seems to be a few years behind the times for those of us in the technology sector. Still, probably would live there if the climate were a little different.

HUH? I dont know how long its been since youve been to the area, but the tech job market here EXPLODED in the 90s and still remains strong to this day. Sure its not Silicon Valley, but numerous publications and research companies have put Chicago on top of their lists for several years running. Here is the latest site to agree...

Best City for Technology Companies - Chicago - Best State for Technology Companies - Illinois - Gaebler Ventures - Business Incubator - Holding Company - Venture Capital

[Chicago60614]

Originally Posted by studedude

379 homicides 1/1/2008-5/15/2008. The way that looks carried out to 12 mos it looks like 1010 homicides this year. I may be outside of Chicago but thanks to King Daley's cronie in the Gov's mansion my money goes to run the CTA & RTA which I cannot use. State(my tax) money helps maintain a top heavy school system that while spending more money per pupil than most achieves less. So as I said I'm out of the State of Chicago

Where on earth are you getting 379 homicides? Last year we had 435 for the entire year. It's only May. That's fine if you don't like Chicago, I could care less, but you don't need to post "stats" that are grossly inaccurate.


Based on the latest information I could find online, there have been roughly 120 homicides this year in Chicago. Through March the city was actually running below last year's levels (already the lowest in half a century), but I know April was a rough month in a few neighborhoods on the south side.

[Chicago60614]

Originally Posted by studedude

How about spending money to syncronize traffic lights to help traffic move instead of a stainless steel jelly bean. No photo op on traffic lights and the rest of the world wouldn't know what a great Mayor King Richard is. Maybe we should quit stopping every truck that goes thru Chicago every 5 mi to collect tax(toll). Have you seen the lines of trucks and cars sitting still, burning fuel and polluting, waiting to give $1.00 to a $20.00 hr toll collector? That might have an effect on traffic. But again no photo op.

You are right about murder rates. They don't remain the same every month. They go up with the temp.

The tolls are in the Suburbs, not the city. If you wanna complain about that, talk to yourself, not Chicago.

The city actually has one of the biggest network of stoplights that are connected and capable of adjusting based on traffic. The mayor went to LA in 2005 to study their system, the largest in the United States. Here's a little blurb from a few years ago, and I know the City received $4 million in grants to further this program, and has applied for $4 million more.

"1. Installing bus-priority signal systems on CTA buses. Examples of these systems are MIRT, 3M Opticom, and Tomar Strobecom. This technology has resulted in improvements of running times from 17% to 20%, as well as ridership, according to Michael Bolton of the CTA.

2. Changeable message boards to prompt motorists to take alternative routes

3. Synchronizing traffic lights to reduce travel times

There are 400 intersections and 60 more planned in 2006 are interconnected and synchronized
2000 traffic intersections synchronized out of 2800
Interconnection allows for cameras and other technologies to monitor and modify traffic flow. This can result in a 15% improvement in travel times.
The holy grail is "being able to adjust traffic signals in response to situations, rather than changing signal timings only at predetermined hours each day, will improve traffic flow around accidents, crime scenes and special events."

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Chicago60614

Based on the latest information I could find online, there have been roughly 120 homicides this year in Chicago. Through March the city was actually running below last year's levels (already the lowest in half a century), but I know April was a rough month in a few neighborhoods on the south side.

Any way you look at it, its still grossly disturbing. To take another person's life?

[studedude]

Originally Posted by Chicago60614

Where on earth are you getting 379 homicides? Last year we had 435 for the entire year. It's only May. That's fine if you don't like Chicago, I could care less, but you don't need to post "stats" that are grossly inaccurate.


Based on the latest information I could find online, there have been roughly 120 homicides this year in Chicago. Through March the city was actually running below last year's levels (already the lowest in half a century), but I know April was a rough month in a few neighborhoods on the south side.

I stand corrected. I must have mistyped search parameters on everyblock.com. You are correct re murder so far this year. There seems to be an escalation in gang warfare in some neighborhoods lately. Since we only hear bad news it may sound worse to me than it is.

I will however stand by my statement concerning tollway. Anything that goes on in the Chicago metro area is or has been controlled by Richard J or M Daley. If Chicago got money to syncronize lights you can bet it was at the expense of some town downstate.

[chopsky]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Any way you look at it, its still grossly disturbing. To take another person's life?

Yeh, it's grossly disturbing, but the reality is that it happens everywhere.
Not something that is in the least unique to Chicago.

[OrangeAndBlue]

Originally Posted by Chicago60614

3. Synchronizing traffic lights to reduce travel times

There are 400 intersections and 60 more planned in 2006 are interconnected and synchronized
2000 traffic intersections synchronized out of 2800
Interconnection allows for cameras and other technologies to monitor and modify traffic flow. This can result in a 15% improvement in travel times.
The holy grail is "being able to adjust traffic signals in response to situations, rather than changing signal timings only at predetermined hours each day, will improve traffic flow around accidents, crime scenes and special events."

Are you saying they have done this already in Chicago?? If they have, I have yet to drive on the roads where this has been done.

It's amazing how in and around the loop, it's nearly impossible to drive through more than 2 lights at a time. In fact, in some places it seems like the lights are synchronized to make you stop at every block, with a light turning red just seconds after the previous light turned green. If they actually did that downtown, I think they need to go back to the drawing board. It should be really simple to implement in this area since most streets are one-way. I hope they can make this happen, as it seems like a pretty simple solution to ease some of the congestion on downtown streets without doing something drastic like widening roads. It would also help cut down on pollution / gas consumption as people would not have to continually stop, wait, and accelerate again at every intersection.