Do you think the EL will ever be expanded or new lines added? (Chicago: to buy, school)

[Drover]

Originally Posted by edsg25

I would be interested in knowing what the real need being served by bringing the yellow line up to Old Orchard. Will it in some way aid those far north siders in places along the red line in Edgewater and Rogers Park from heading to Old Orchard (seems like a trip downtown wold be just as easy)? Is it to bring commuters easier access to getting into the city (seems Metra stations in Evanston, Wilmette, and Glenview and CTA service in Evanston and Wilmette have that one covered well).

It's not that I would argue about rapid transit expansion. But I do question expansion on the fringes which opens up very little to new connections in areas where rapid transit is massively used. Lines added within the city of Chicago pay the biggest dividends.

What exactly does northern Skokie offer to those not there and what isn't offered to the people in northern Skokie through yellow line service at Dempster (and also coming to Oakton) and Metra in those three surrounding communities??????????

Old Orchard is a pretty substantial employment hub. And it's not just the mall, it's all the other crap around it. Making it easier for people who live in the city to get to work in the suburbs encourages them to stay in the city instead of moving to the suburbs.

As for being easier to get to downtown.... it takes about 35 minutes to get to downtown from Howard on a good day. And that's if you catch an express train; add another 20 minutes if you travel during off-peak times. It takes about 10 minutes to get to Dempster on the Yellow Line, and would take about another 5 to get to Old Orchard if the Yellow Line were expanded.

[scarletneon]

Originally Posted by edsg25

are you talking about the elevated portion at Dodge or the below grade areas to the east?

elevated.

[scarletneon]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

I can believe that.

I still do not think rebuilding the concrete structure and stations would cost more than the extension.

What do you think nerdy?

I don't know about costs. All I know is they will probably have to shut the whole damn thing down and rebuild it.

p.s. in other words, I agree with paytonc's post. It is going to get to a point where it's unsafe to ride that portion of the line no matter what they try to do.

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by Drover

Old Orchard is a pretty substantial employment hub. And it's not just the mall, it's all the other crap around it. Making it easier for people who live in the city to get to work in the suburbs encourages them to stay in the city instead of moving to the suburbs.

As for being easier to get to downtown.... it takes about 35 minutes to get to downtown from Howard on a good day. And that's if you catch an express train; add another 20 minutes if you travel during off-peak times. It takes about 10 minutes to get to Dempster on the Yellow Line, and would take about another 5 to get to Old Orchard if the Yellow Line were expanded.

sure OO is a substantial area or employment, but how would that be served any differently with a new stop on the west side of the center near Niles North? Nothing is within walking distance from that sight other than the shopping center with the business going west across the Edens on Old Orchard Road places nobody is going on foot. The only place that is close and walkable is a few blocks to the east, but the folks in Memorial Park don't use rapid transit.

I guess my point is that the Dempster Station can take care of the bus routes the way they do today well enough that one station to the north may not be worth the effort (especially when the right of way will need to be elevated in its far north reaches). Skokie may be part of the grid, but it does not function like el portions in Chicago where tight and more dense communities, more intracity trips, and more interconnectiveness of el lines gives you more bang for the buck that in northern Skokie where cars are king and metra stations surround as noted close by in Evanston, Skokie, Glenview, and Golf to take care of the real need that Skokians and West Wilmetters would have for public transit: getting downtown.

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by skipcromer

There are several bus lines that already serve old orchard (5 or so.) These bus lines carry many reverse commuters to their place of employment in skokie.

Also, I had to laugh at your assertion that getting to downtown from Rogers Park and Edgewater is easier than going to Skokie. If they expand the line out to Old Orchard that will be a much easier trip out that way from Rogers Park.

the Red Line will put you a couple blocks from Michigan Avenue shopping north of the river and directly on State to the south of it. That's pretty easy to me. Heck, when Block 37 opens up, you don't even have to go outside. Just get off the train and enter. To me, that's pretty easy and you don't even have to switch trains at Howard to do it.

[Chicagoland60426]

The EL should expand and complete the southside. Right now it stops at 95th St. forgot about 100s.

[Venom]

Yes, I do think it will be expended.

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by Chicagoland60426

The EL should expand and complete the southside. Right now it stops at 95th St. forgot about 100s.

there are endless issues of economic equity that hinge on that very expansion. One has to wonder what the far south side and even south suburbia would look like today if rapid transit service has been extended to include that region.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by edsg25

there are endless issues of economic equity that hinge on that very expansion. One has to wonder what the far south side and even south suburbia would look like today if rapid transit service has been extended to include that region.

I agree. They should have done that long ago.

[QOESTE]

Originally Posted by Drover

Old Orchard is a pretty substantial employment hub. And it's not just the mall, it's all the other crap around it. Making it easier for people who live in the city to get to work in the suburbs encourages them to stay in the city instead of moving to the suburbs.

As for being easier to get to downtown.... it takes about 35 minutes to get to downtown from Howard on a good day. And that's if you catch an express train; add another 20 minutes if you travel during off-peak times. It takes about 10 minutes to get to Dempster on the Yellow Line, and would take about another 5 to get to Old Orchard if the Yellow Line were expanded.

I read that Most People in the Skokie area strongly oppose the expanding the yellow line or adding new stations.
However Most people in the Roseland, West Pullman & Riverdale neighborhoods favor expanding the Red Line.
No idea what people in the Ford City area think of expanding the Orange Line