New Metra SouthEast Line: Will it revitalize south suburbs? (Chicago: apartments, townhouse)

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by PrairieGirl

Sunny~Thanks for posting that link. I didn't find the map I was looking for, but no, LaSalle Street Station is further west, in the heart of the financial district. It is not the stop right before Millennium Station (formerly known as Randolph Street/South Water Street), that stop is Jackson/Van Buren.

This map shows the existing lines. You need to picture another line north from Crete in the south, crossing the existing Metra line (ME) at Pullman/115th Street and then crossing the existing Rock Island line (RI) further north at Gresham. I'll try to post a map of the proposed line later, I couldn't find it.

Metra System Map

Thanks
Jackson van b is what i was thinking of for some reason

[PrairieGirl]

The first article that allen linked to said that, but they got it wrong.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

I think the map you are looking for was in the link i sent to you
There was a line from balmoral south north to the city
The link is on the tabs under the south east line
is that what your looking for

[pvande55]

Originally Posted by PrairieGirl

Hi reppin-the-847~You are correct in your assessment of the sitch, plus there are way too many White Sox fans around here!

There are buses to Oak Brook, no trains yet. Wouldn't that be a perfect dream?! Maybe when Metra connects the spokes? Lots of big corporations in OB/OBT, traffic and gas prices make commuting there a nightmare.

nexis and sunny~thanks for the encouragement regarding ridership numbers, etc.

pvande~Are the parking lots full now?

No, they never reached capacity, even during the good times. Parts of some have been barricaded off. Probably a long time before they fill up.

[allen2323]

Originally Posted by Humboldt1

Allen,

You make good points. Thanks for not ignoring how changing demographics and ethnographics affect an area.

Are the blacks in Hinsdale more or less affluent than other schools such as Rich Central? I think it has less to do with race and more to do with what background they come from. Affluent kids outperform less affluent kids as a whole due to all the advantages of affluent kids (tutors, involved parents, role models, etc).

As for your question, I am sure that the black students attending hinsdale south on average come from much more affluent households. I am sure that a lot more of the students from more affluent families attend marian catholic in the rich central school district. Marian catholic is around 33 percent african american by the way, so this goes for black students also. And rich central's student body is 52.1 percent low income. But, still made AYP at higher rates then the african american student body at hinsdale south. Rich Central's AYP results are not actually any worse in my opinion, then many so called better public west suburban schools. Hinsdale south, oak park-river forest, and evanston high school are all "top notch" high schools in the west and north suburbs with african american student bodies sizeable enough to be counted in the AYP results. And interesting enough the african american students are making AYP at lower rates at all of these "top notch" western and northern suburban schools than south suburban rich central high school.

And rich central is not the best school in the southern suburbs. That is of course homewood-flossmoor. By in large the quality of education at many south suburban public schools is totally comparable to many western and northern suburban school districts. Particularly the achievement gap between white and african american students is no lower at "top notch" west and north suburban schools then it is in the southern suburbs. And in many instances south suburban schools are outperforming western and northern suburban schools in that regard. And in the case of homewood-flossmoor, as far as students of all races making AYP at higher rates. Since there are enough black, white and hispanic students at homewood flossmoor for there AYP results to all be counted. HF is clearly one of the top ten suburban public high schools in the chicagoland area for it's students making AYP if you actually break down the numbers in an accurate manner. Right up there with barrington high school, naperville north, and the rest of the top ones.

Given that rich central is 93.6 percent african american and african american students test results are the only ones reported for rich central. It would be great to see how the small minority of white students faired at rich central. But since they are not reported the black student's results are all that we have to go on. Given the choice, most affluent parents within rich central's school district still would choose to send there kids to marian catholic. It's an outstanding school where a quality education is pretty much a given. Also, a very low percentage of low income students attending marian catholic. So it's kind of a social status thing as well as a top private school like marian catholic being a better academic environment.

[PrairieGirl]

Thanks sunny, I must've had a senior moment!

Pvande~I'm not familiar with that area. but hopefully Metra won't make that mistake. I know the lots around the existing ME line are always pretty full.

There are relatively few jobs in the south suburban area, with the exception of Tinley Park, which has newer corporate offices in a large complex off of I-80. Oh, we have the usual hospitals and local schools, police and other government.

Contrary to some opinions, all south suburban areas are not alike. Majority Black or majority White, or majority Hispanic, all would benefit from the proximity to convenient, safe, affordable public transportation.

And don't forget, this would also create jobs working for the railroad itself.

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by PrairieGirl

"For example, rich central high school which has a 98 percent plus african american student body. It's african american student body makes AYP at higher rates then the african americans attending hinsdale south in affluent west suburban darien."

I think you're answering your own question, kids learn best in an environment where they are comfortable. Maybe the black kids at Rich Central would not do as well in Hinsdale South because they would be distracted by non-educational concerns. I know it's not politically correct to say so, but don't most people feel more comfortable where they can let their hair down?

The demographics of the minority population at Hinsdale South is predominantly low income -- the housing options are largely inexpensive apartment complexes. The job options are pretty limited for these kids' parents too -- some manufacturing and light industrial is nearby in Burr Ridge, awful commutes to other spots along the Stevenson down towards Bolingbrook, not a whole lot of folks relying on Metra to get to the loop. In fact in terms of other nearby high schools my estimate is that with more options for affordable homes and nicer rentals there are probably higher income minorities at Downers South and Lisle...

The higher performing kids at Hinsdale South are probably coming from the Asian households -- lots of IT workers and medical folks drive to jobs from Westchester through Naperville (and beyond) which is also different than the student population at Hinsdale Central where a huge percentage of parents are employed downtown in finance / financial services. Those folks are taking the train.

Believe me I ride Metra a lot -- the range of station upgrades is ridiculously wide -- Western Spring built a station that looks like the kind of project the crew on This Old House would undertake to preserve some masterpiece of American architecture that once was home to an author of the Constituition, though this station was constructed FROM SCRATCH & made to look like something from a previous era. The trout-headed freak offspring of Lipinski that slimmed his way into daddy's congressional seat probably coughed up some federal funds for that project... When I have needed to get to someplace south of say Hyde Park on the electric service the contrast in how "spartan" the stations are is striking. The antiquated vending machines scream "user unfriendly". There is quite the OPPOSITE of a "chicken and egg" problem as most folks that study the history of the RTA will admit that cuts have fallen heavily on the southern portions in the past and that did shrink the options for commuters to the Loop, which surely made folks look to towns further north for better amenities of all kinds.

That said I have my doubts that the political forces in power would like to see a more professional work force in the south burbs.

[skorch101]

Seems to me that nobody should get too excited about this. There hasn't been a lot of press around this topic in quite some time! I'd love it if the line started service now! It would help make the decision on where to live a little easier! I would be willing to bet nothing happens for quite some time - talking at least 5-10 years!

[urza216]

Originally Posted by allen2323

I would be shocked to see this project actually move forward, before the peotone airport goes forward. The new service would mostly benefit expanding rural suburbs in far south will county such as crete, monee, beecher, peotone, and farming communities far out that way. And towns in northwest indiana by locating a couple of stations further east. Not so much the already eestablished south suburbs. Because, majority of the south suburbs already have convenient access to the metra electric line that runs all of the way south to university park in will county. The new line will just give some more suburbs that it passes through there own metra stations, but there are already metra electric stations close to all of these suburbs. Why not just improve service and upgrade the nearby stations for the metra electric line?

As you noted, there already is a Metra station in University Park - Crete's neighor to the west. University Park is cushioned in between Monee and Crete so this proposed line doesn't have anything directly to do with Monee at all. Same deal with Peotone which is also closer to University park than Crete. And by the way, there are no "farming communties" out this way. There are cornfields but the farmers live elsewhere, I guess. Or are you referring to farming communities that are further out?

And University Park has plenty of undeveloped areas / cornfields too. Why, you can even see a big old cornfield looking out the window of the University Park library (the closest library to my house). You can see more cornfields at the University Park Metra station. This line would benefit the south suburbs as a whole (especially the ones right by Indiana) but I don't know what focusing on eastern Will has to do with anything.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

[quote=urza216;19072816]As you noted, there already is a Metra station in University Park - Crete's neighor to the west. University Park is cushioned in between Monee and Crete so this proposed line doesn't have anything directly to do with Monee at all. Same deal with Peotone which is also closer to University park than Crete. And by the way, there are no "farming communties" out this way. Wtf? There are cornfields but the farmers live elsewhere.

I believe the metric electric line if extended would serve peotone

For people not to think monee, peotone, crete, beecher will not grow into larger towns need to rethink their thought process.

as people are spilling into will county
so far other parts of will show the most growth but if we have any kind of uptick in population these ares will fill in.