Do some people who live and work in Chicago drive to/from work and for daily errands? (Lincoln: apartment, neighborhoods)

[LovesCatsandDogs]

Does anyone live and work in Chicago and use their car to commute to and from work and for mosst daily errands and appointments? I get the sense that not everyone is physically able or willing to walk and wait for public transit or cabs every day to get where they need to go, especially with the recent cuts to CTA service.

[myrc60]

Not all Chicago addresses are convenient to public transit. I used to drive to the Loop everyday from the SW side. If we had used public transit from there we were investing 2hrs each way. Sometimes the money you spend is not worth the time investment.

[Lookout Kid]

There are definitely many people who use their cars daily in the city. I would imagine there are also people who do not use public transit at all.

[prelude91]

Originally Posted by LovesCatsandDogs

Does anyone live and work in Chicago and use their car to commute to and from work and for mosst daily errands and appointments? I get the sense that not everyone is physically able or willing to walk and wait for public transit or cabs every day to get where they need to go, especially with the recent cuts to CTA service.

Considering 70% of Chicago households own an automobile, I would say yes

[chet everett]

The stats for average speed of the buses in Chicago are depressing -- surface streets it is barely faster than walking, even the bus routes that do take LSD tend to plod along with too many stops. I suppose it's "better than nothing" but far from the kind of systems that are possible with just a little bit more planning / technology integration. The El lines are in some ways more disappointing. The lack of modern designs severely limits the speeds the vehicles are capable and the whole system is plagued with penny pinching. Many parts of Chicago are more than dense enough to support a robust truly cost effective system, but the disproportionate concentration of jobs in the Loop coupled with the workforce's huge bias in living in just a handful of neighborhoods makes it less than prudent to make the system wide kind of investments that are needed. There is a lot of of vicious circle to the problem -- without a compelling reason to improve service it is easier to make cuts those cuts make it easier for more folks to decide driving is a better option. Once folks have their cars at work it is easy for they to expect more parking lots at grocers and dry cleaners. That leads to more strip malls which make more people want to drive to work. Rinse lather repeat...

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by LovesCatsandDogs

Does anyone live and work in Chicago and use their car to commute to and from work and for mosst daily errands and appointments?

Depends where I'm going. I live at 14th and Michigan; for trips to the Loop or up north I'll take the bus. But we do our grocery shopping at the Dominck's at Archer and Ashland and we use the car so we can load up and do a weeky trip.

On the other hand for odd shopping needs we'll walk to the Jewel at 12th and Wabash.

For the library in the summer I'll walk or take the bus to the main branch on Congress but in the winter I drive to the McKinley Park branch because it gives me a chance to smoke a cigar (I don't smoke in the apartment and it's too cold to use the balcony). When if gets warm I'll smoke on the balcony again and use the Congress branch.

Our union meetings are at 38th and Racine, easier to drive there.

One doesn't need a car in the city but having one opens up possiblities one doesn't have being carless. Like going to the Voodoo Lounge on 79th St. A car opens up the whole city not to mention the burbs too.

[lombardsouth]

Originally Posted by LovesCatsandDogs

Does anyone live and work in Chicago and use their car to commute to and from work and for mosst daily errands and appointments? I get the sense that not everyone is physically able or willing to walk and wait for public transit or cabs every day to get where they need to go, especially with the recent cuts to CTA service.

When I lived there the best forms of public transit were designed to get people in and out of the loop. If you don't work in the loop I'd say your chances of driving to work probably exceed 50%. I knew some people who worked in the loop but just preferred to drive but theirs was a very expensive preference.

One poster said he worked in the loop but didn't live near a train or el station so driving to work took significantly less time. I don't think that would be true for the majority of daytime loop workers. I lived in the far suburbs and there is no way I could have driven to work on the rush hour freeways as quickly as the Metra train got me there.

[Holdencaulfield]

IrishTom, isn't the Dominicks on Roosevelt and Canal closer to you? I find this location has a bigger selection then the one on Archer.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by Holdencaulfield

IrishTom, isn't the Dominicks on Roosevelt and Canal closer to you? I find this location has a bigger selection then the one on Archer.

The one on Archer is cheaper. Better overall selection too for my taste. But we also use the one on Canal at times.

Funny, my wife just said, even as I type, she's gonna walk over to the Jewel on Roosevelt for some fruit.

[chirack]

Originally Posted by LovesCatsandDogs

Does anyone live and work in Chicago and use their car to commute to and from work and for mosst daily errands and appointments? I get the sense that not everyone is physically able or willing to walk and wait for public transit or cabs every day to get where they need to go, especially with the recent cuts to CTA service.

The thing is public transit makes the most sense in the loop or downtown. The lack of parking\expensive parking not to mention traffic makes driving downtown not a smart idea. Two other areas where driving could be a bad idea are Lincoln park and lake view due to parking(although they are no where near as bad as downtown).

Outside of the downtown area people drive a lot more. In fact if you don't work downtown driving maybe the best way to get to\from work. Not to mention the ability to fill your trunk with groceries.

However there is enough CTA service and enough small stores in the city to make driving optional or a good back up when your car breaks down, or when you are going to a sporting event ect.

Cabs are perhaps the least used form of transit due to cost. Yes, some people can afford to take a cab to work and sometimes you need one(i.e. Going on vacation with a lot of luggage). In fact outside of downtown and parts of the north side, you can not just walk out on a street an hail a cab. There simply are no cabs to be had and you will need to call one.

The CTA is also great for the poor who can not afford a car but still need to get to work, the young who are too young to drive or be able to afford the car, the elderly who may no longer be able to drive, and the handicapped who can not drive. It also might make more sense to take the bus than drive to work depending on the logistics of the situation even if you don't work downtown but that is rare.