CTA Red Line Dan Ryan track rehabilitation starts next week (5/19) - closed till October. (Chicago: shops, bus)

[C. Maurio]

Originally Posted by emathias

Yeah, "screwed" that they're getting their younger, less-ridden trunk rail line completely rebuilt years ahead of the higher-ridership, older North Side trunk rail line ...

I think the CTA will run this far better than they did the 2-year Green Line shutdown, and it's only 5 months long, and many South Siders will ride at a reduced price for the inconvenience, and when it's over speeds will be much higher.

I think it's rationally a perfectly acceptable option given the alternatives they had.

The green line could be shut down for 20 years. Nobody would miss it. They already tore part of it down anyway on the south side (Jackson Park).

[JBVirtuoso]

Originally Posted by C. Maurio

Most people on the south side have homes which means cars. They do not care about the red line which, after all, runs down the middle of the largest expressway in the world. It is just something to look at when they are driving on the Ryan. And many of them do not work in the central city anyway if they work at all. The northsiders do not have a Ryan Expressway and are far far more densely populated. And many of them are professionals that do work in the core of the city. I do not even know why the red line runs 24/7 past 35th street. Really it should terminate at 35th after midnight.

You really need to get out more. There's no way the Dan Ryan is the largest expressway in the world. Come on. I'm pretty sure that Highway 401 in Toronto is bigger, and that's just off the top of my head. I'm sure there are plenty of examples in the US of expressways with more than 14 lanes. And do you really want to make those comments about south siders? What did they ever do to you?

And for the record, there is intelligent life beyond 35th Street. The 95th Street red line station is the busiest station outside downtown Chicago. It serves a huge area.

[K 22]

Originally Posted by JBVirtuoso

You really need to get out more. There's no way the Dan Ryan is the largest expressway in the world. Come on. I'm pretty sure that Highway 401 in Toronto is bigger, and that's just off the top of my head. I'm sure there are plenty of examples in the US of expressways with more than 14 lanes. And do you really want to make those comments about south siders? What did they ever do to you?

And for the record, there is intelligent life beyond 35th Street. The 95th Street red line station is the busiest station outside downtown Chicago. It serves a huge area.

And after this rehab project is done, they have to get to work on extending it to 130th Street.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

As a North Sider of many years, I'm usually wary of arguments that the South Side gets screwed out various city services. But I'm still pretty shocked that they are shutting this all down. I don't think this would fly on the North Side, but of course there is more population and higher ridership on the northern leg of the Red Line.

I remember when they were fixing the decaying ties on the O'Hare branch of the Blue Line. The resultant slow zones added 15 to 20 minutes to my commute to school, and this went on for a year and a half. If I was going to have that much time added to my commute either by slow zones or by being forced to take alternate routes to downtown, I'd much rather they had just shut the damn thing down for a few months and gotten it over with.

[SonySegaTendo617]

Originally Posted by K 22

Also, among other more major inconveniences, I'm wondering how this will affect White Sox' attendance since people will have to walk another 3 blocks to get to the ballpark.

I don't think it'll change attendance whatsoever, as far as Sox attendance goes. People still walked the extra 11/2 blocks years ago(pre-93 or 94? can't remember the exact year the Red Line was rerouted from Jackson Park/Englewood to 95th, and vice versa for Green Line going to those 63rd St branches) to the 'L, so I don't see how people won't go those extra few blocks when the Red South reconstruction project begins. As it is too, people sometimes already do walk those extra few blocks to the 35th Green Line stop, to avoid overcrowding on the 35th Red Line platform. And I know I've done that occasionally over the years long after the permanent Red and Green Line reroutings occurred in the 1990s, as a Sox fan myself.

Also, one additional advantage that didn't exist till 2012(?, IIRC the correct year it opened), is that Rock Island Metra trains now stop at 35th St. So one also has the option of taking that to the game, and back. Also, of course one can get a $7 weekend pass and use it to hop aboard Metra, using that stop to go to a game.

Finally, the Green Line portion east of Cottage Grove(and now today the East 63rd branch) was actually supposed to be renovated, as part of that Green Line renovation. Unfortunately, the CTA caved in to a minister's campaign to tear down the 'L tracks east of there, and now that area lacks 'L service. Plus, the CTA had to forfeit at least some federal funds they were getting to help pay for that renovation project, as a result.

[Drover]

^^ Actually it wasn't merely supposed to be renovated, it was renovated -- and then they tore down a chunk of newly-renovated track. That made it all the more stupid.

[mjtinmemphis]

Originally Posted by emathias

Yeah, "screwed" that they're getting their younger, less-ridden trunk rail line completely rebuilt years ahead of the higher-ridership, older North Side trunk rail line ...

I think the CTA will run this far better than they did the 2-year Green Line shutdown, and it's only 5 months long, and many South Siders will ride at a reduced price for the inconvenience, and when it's over speeds will be much higher.

I think it's rationally a perfectly acceptable option given the alternatives they had.

It's easy for you to say since you aren't the one inconvenienced.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

It's easy for you to say since you aren't the one inconvenienced.

You don't think it's an inconvenience for northsiders to have to endure miles of slow zones with no relief in sight?

Would you rather just have it done and over with, or would you rather have slow zones continue for another 2 to 4 years? You're getting diminished service either way; at least this way you'll get full service restored much sooner than the alternative method.

[chirack]

Originally Posted by C. Maurio

The green line could be shut down for 20 years. Nobody would miss it. They already tore part of it down anyway on the south side (Jackson Park).

Nah the Green line on the west side would be missed. The Blue line/Congress is already packed, the Green line takes some of that load during rush.

The trouble with the Green line is that it is too close to other rail lines to draw a large crowd on it's own.

[mjtinmemphis]

Originally Posted by Drover

You don't think it's an inconvenience for northsiders to have to endure miles of slow zones with no relief in sight?

Would you rather just have it done and over with, or would you rather have slow zones continue for another 2 to 4 years? You're getting diminished service either way; at least this way you'll get full service restored much sooner than the alternative method.

Would Northside rather not have any red line service? Just asking?