Red line extension (Calumet Park: houses, costs, bus)

[pvande55]

The CTA and city plan to extend the Red line to 130th Street. Although it would cost billions, officials apparently have a financing plan. It would bring service to depressed areas and include parking lots, lacking at the present 95th Street terminal. But might it also bring gentrification reducing some of its benefits?

[Kmanshouse]

Had no idea.

There are parts of the city that are down so far, I'm not sure they'll ever come back up. But not sure that applies to this extension or not - not knowledgeable enough.

[Greencheese]

Complete and total waste of funds and money. There's many areas that could actually could support future growth with the CTA instead of this political boondoggle. The southside isn't growing and extending the red line further into such an area will do nothing but strap the CTA with additional fixed costs with no return. But as a bonus the red line should become even MORE exciting after dark!

[Chicago-guy]

Bring back the Humbold Park line.

[Hochita]

It's great that these underserved areas will finally have access to another transportation option. Gentrification is a stretch though, it hasn't gone that far down the existing red line.

[Master Jay]

With the voice of Bill Lumberg from Office Space:

"If you could go ahead and extend the Red Line to Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the same fare price, that would be

GREAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTT"

[IronWright]

Here's a rendering of 'Morgan Park Commons' that probably wouldn't ever see the light of day without the Red-Line extension south.






Here is the plans for the newly established Roseland Medical District that is not far from the Morgan Park Commons development.





Copy of presentation:
https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/...t_22-10-18.pdf

Both of these developments would never materialize without the Red-Line extension. The CTA extends past the city limits in every direction except south where it leaves miles of residents without mass transit access. I don't see why it is so controversial to serve communities that want the same convenience as other areas of the city and even suburbs. Just because there are other routes that "make more sense" or would maybe have greater economic impact doesn't mean we shouldn't make this investment and connect the far-south-side to the rest of the city and stimulate growth in those communities. There are other plans in the works as well that solely rely on the extension to 130th.

[CyclingChemist]

These are depopulating areas of the city with no major economic drivers. What is the point of spending billions of $$$$$$$$$ to extend red line service there? Have a bus route and call it a day.

[Manigault]

with the number of houses that must be torn down for the extension, I don't think it is worth it. Yes, it will make it faster for folks from Roseland and suburbs like Calumet Park to get downtown but do they want to get downtown?

[dtcbnd03]

Complete waste of money. As of September 2022 According to the CTA, the weekday ridership average has been breaking 900,000 trips, compared to about 1.6 million journeys in pre-pandemic times. A 44% decline and they're talking about extensions to the red line??? Wait until the federal covid relief runs out and see how bad a situation the CTA is in...