Circle Line is Gonna Cost How Much?

Yes, we're excited for the circle line. We strongly feel that it will benefit everyone in the region (and obviously the Sloop as well). The Daily Herald has some more information about our faithful senator Dick Durbin's earmarks. If you have some time, check out the list, it's pretty expansive. Specific to the Circle line it says:

CTA Circle Line, Chicago. $6,000,000 for new transit service extending from North Riverside Park Mall to Chicago central business district. The Circle Line's goal of connecting existing lines with commuter lines is particularly important to serving the entire region. The Circle Line is a key component of the City's transportation strategy for the 2016 Olympics. It provides improved access to venues throughout the entire Chicago region by greatly facilitating transfer connections between all Metra and CTA rail lines

Ok, before we get too excited, $6 million ain't gonna get the job done. Just for perspective, the new block 37 station is well over $2oo Million and it's not even close to being done.

So what does this mean? It means the circle line is back on the radar of our government officials. The other thing to note is the mention of the Olympics...like we've said, expect big things if Chicago gets the Olympics.

Also, if you have some time and are really interested in the Circle Line, check out this pdf from the city addressing some of the questions from residents. The CTA also has a webpage addressing some of the research and work that has been done on the Circle Line here.

Circle Line Well Thought Out but Needs Funding

This past week, the CTA hosted three public meetings to showcase 'Screen 3' of the Circle Line analysis. Coming out of these meetings, the strategic committee responsible for the analysis will recommend a 'locally preferred option' which is what hopefully will get built. Assuming funding is found the lines could be ready by 2016. Although the circle line wasn't tied directly to the Olympics, today's announcement doesn't help the cause. Funding is still possible, but many (including us) felt as if this would be a done deal if Chicago won the Olympics (sigh).

We went to the meeting in Bucktown on Tuesday and was thoroughly impressed with the entire event. The CTA gets thrown under the bus often, but in this instance the professionalism of the presenters and their work was truly refreshing.

In previous public Screens ('Screen 1' which happened in May of 2006 and 'Screen 2' which happened in Sept of 2006), the public asked for the CTA to analyse additional options that would extend the circle line further from the loop. Part of those findings are included within the presentation here.

Based on the CTA's analysis, the image below shows their long term plan for the Circle Line. This plan utilizes 'heavy rail transit' which is what our current El system consists of:

Phase 1
The yellow line in the image above is what the CTA calls their 'locally preferred option'. The good news for the Sloop is that this addresses the south portion of the concept and would service our neighborhood. The CTA estimates that the creation of this (with new stations & tracks) would be $1.1Billion (which is inflated for the date of expenditure).

The pale yellow circle at the northwest portion of the image above would not be funded in this option, but would hopefully be addressed at a later date when funds are available. The thinking is that it would be better to start the project instead of waiting for all the funds to be available at once.

During the meeting the CTA mentioned that the northwest side of the circle line concept is much more challenging in terms of engineering and costs. If they were to do the entire circle line project it would cost approximately $3-4.5 Billion.

2016 Goal?
Medill had an article earlier this week that the Circle Line is still shooting to be done by 2016 regardless of the Olympics. Would the Olympics have expedited the plan? Probably, but now we don't have that date as a driving force (another sigh). Regardless, if the CTA can gain approval from the federal government to help with funding, then it still is possible this could get done by 2016, however we're not holding our breath.

For more documents from the meeting click here for the presentation and here for the boards.

Also, you can submit questions/concerns to the CTA until October 30th. Here is the link to the pdf for those.

$6M Just a "Small Part" of Circle Line Budget

Last week we reported that $6 million was being earmarked for the Circle Line. As many suspected, this obviously wasn't for the actual creation of the new line. Yesterday, Chi-Town Daily news had a story confirming that this was just the first step. They also spoke with a couple CTA representatives:

Carole Brown, the CTA's chairwoman, says the $6 million included in the approved spending bill for the project "is but a small part of the capital budget for the Circle Line."

"The $6 million that were set aside for the Circle Line was to help with some of the alternative analysis that needed to be done, some of the initial engineering," Brown says. "Clearly if the Circle Line proceeds and is one of the new start projects, we'll need a full-funding grant agreement from the federal government to fund the construction costs."

Circle Line Concept

Thanks to John for bringing up one of my favorite Chicago topics, the CTA and its future developments. We know this is a double edged sword given the recent block 37 super station debacle, but it’s still fun to dream. This brings us to the “Circle Line” concept, which was presented in 2002:

Does anyone have any links to more recent talks about the “Circle Line”? This plan addresses some things I think are very important:

1. Linking the northwest to the near north neighborhoods
2. Providing a much needed public transportation option at the United Center (the bus system is pretty horrible)
   

But the main thing it misses is access to the lake. This is tough, mainly because it would cost a ton of money, but it is one of the main criticisms of the current Chicago 2016 Olympic plan (not a clear explanation of how the public transportation would be linked to the water front and sporting venues). I’m working on a post that talks about this, so stay tuned.

But in the meantime does anyone have ideas on how to improve the “circle line” concept? What about creating access to the lake?

CTA Circle Line Hearing

According to the CTA Tattler, there will be a meeting to discuss the Circle Line project in 2009:

"An Open House presentation on the proposed Circle Line is tentatively scheduled for early 2009. No definitive dates have been set. As soon as the dates are established, CTA will notify the public."

Here is an additional link to a Sloopin post about the circle line.

Central Area Action Plan: South West Loop Part 2

As we posted a couple of weeks ago, Chicago has recently unveiled a plan for many neighborhoods in the downtown area. Many of these plans affect various areas of the Sloop and as a result we are going to have some posts over the next couple of weeks looking into these changes. Some of the changes are already underway, but most are plans that could happen sometime before 2020. Will they happen? Who knows, but it's still good to consider.

South West Loop - Part 2
For more info on Part 1 of this area click here.

1) South Branch Bridges
In our opinion these projects are no brainers. By adding bridges at Polk, Taylor and 16th street (in order from north to south) it will better connect the "South West Loop" to the rest of the city grid. This in turn will help the area with traffic flow and make the greater Printers Row area easier to access.

2) Bicycle Lanes & Markings
This is a minor addition and probably relatively inexpensive. So, there is not much argument coming from us. If it happens great, if not no big deal.

3) Clinton Subway (Station at Roosevelt)
Although this is debatable, we're not sure a Clinton Subway line is the best use of public transportation funds. We realize that it would connect to the main proposed multi-billion dollar "West Loop Transportation Center" but won't the circle line also connect everything? In a perfect world the city could afford both the Circle Line and Clinton Subway line, but we truly hope that the Circle Line is the priority. It seems easier to implement and would be better for the greater region. We would love to hear your thoughts on this one...

4) South Branch Riverfront
As we stated in part 1 of this segment, we love this idea. However, it shouldn't be a priority. There are a ton of other projects and things the city needs to focus on (transportation, schools, etc.). Although it would be great to have additional riverfront paths for recreational purposes we don't think it's necessary.

What do you think about these proposed additions? Which ones do you think should get the green light?

Progress for the Cermack Green Line Station?

The Chicago Journal reported last week that steps for the design of a Green Line station at Cermack are progressing:

Jeffrey Busby, general manager for strategic planning at the Chicago Transit Authority, confirmed Tuesday that a contract will be let out for designing an infill CTA station on the Green Line at Cermak Road.

According to Busby they picked this site due to its:

...proximity to McCormick Place. Tax increment financing could pay for the project.

Although we think this would be good for the Sloop, we we're hoping the CTA would start with the 18th street stop first. However, according to the article in the CJ there could still be a stop at 18th eventually:

The choice “doesn’t preclude something at 18th,” Busby said.

The good news is that if the circle line progresses, there will be a stop at 18th eventually. Here is a link to our coverage about the circle line public meetings last week. The Chicago Journal also had an informative piece on the subject last week.

(Hat Tip to James C!)

Circle Line Hearings

Chicago Journal posted that the CTA is holding three circle line community meetings this week. The closest one to the Sloop will be tomorrow evening in the University of Illinois-Chicago's Molecular Biology Research Building, 900 S. Ashland. A presentation is scheduled to start at 6:15 p.m.

Here is a link to old Sloopin posts about Circle Line issues.

Circle Line Funding Included in Initial 2010 State Budget

In case you didn't know, our new trusty Governor Pat Quinn recently unveiled his 2010 budget. The document is jammed packed with information, but of particular interest was the $1.5 Billion set aside for state transportation improvements. Although we don't know how much is reserved for the Circle Line, the fact that it's called out is encouraging. Here is what the budget proposal stated:

Preliminary engineering on the Chicago Transit Authority’s planned Circle Line – adding a circumferential loop and connecting all CTA and Metra rail lines in Chicago. Modernizing and replacing Chicago Transit Authority railcars.

There is a ton of back and forth that still needs to go on, but like we said it seems like discussions are progressing...

Earmarks, Stimulus and the South Loop

In every walk of life it's almost impossible to escape buzzwords (if we hear twitter once more, we might scream)... and over the past year "earmarks" and "stimulus" have tended to be unavoidable. During the presidential campaign it seemed like every sentence included at least one of them.

Well today we're going to jump on the bandwagon, but only because both of these words are finally hitting home for us at Sloopin.

Today, Chicago Public Radio reported that the recently passed federal Omnibus spending proposal includes an $8 million earmark for the often dreamed about CTA "circle line". According to Dick Durbin's office:

The plan is a key component of the city's strategy for the 2016 Olympics.

However, this 'strategy' wasn't detailed in the 2016 Olympic Bid Book. This isn't a big surprise and we always had a hunch that the federal government would foot the bill for bigger infrastructure improvements if Chicago wins the right to host the Olympics.

Additionally, the CTA Tattler has a recent post talking about Chicago's plans to use their Federal Stimulus money. One of the major "shovel" ready projects looks to be a renovation of the Chinatown-Cermack Red Line station.

So for the Sloop, these two pieces of news are very encouraging. We realize that it's easy to be pessimistic and skeptical when the federal government is talking about hundreds of billions of dollars, but it's always good to see that money actually impact our neighborhood. Like we've suspected and argued before, the Olympic Bid and Obama's push for better public transit are two large public initiatives that could immensely benefit the Sloop!

Transportation and Parking Studies for the SLoop

Another article talking about the transportation and parking studies in the South Loop. I’m glad this is on the cities radar as it’s probably a good sign of future plans and improvements for the neighborhood.

For some other posts in regards to transportation in the south loop see the following:

• Sloopin’s Grand Plan
• New Green Line Stop in the South Loop?
• Circle Line Concept

IOC Officials Getting the VIP Treatment from Chicago 2016

It goes without saying that the small group of IOC officials that are set to arrive in Chicago this Thursday to review the city's Olympic plan are in for a treat. The AP (among other sources) has an article today talking about some of the steps the city is taking to wow the officials.

Whether it's getting a sneak preview of the new modern wing at the art institute or simply having Chicago's business world bow down to you, we imagine these officials will see the best that Chicago has to offer across the board.

Besides giving them the VIP treatment, the 2016 bid team will obviously be detailing Chicago's plans for the games as well. If we could be a fly on the wall for one portion of the visit it would be to hear what the bid team will say about transportation improvements. In the bid book that was released in February many observers and media outlets pointed out the lack of 'improvements' to the CTA and Metra systems.

However, more recently Governor Quinn and Senator Durbin have made mention of the cities often dreamed about 'circle line' that they both say would play a key role in the 2016 Olympic games. There seems to be a disconnect between what the bid team is saying and what our government officials are saying. With that said, we're curious what the IOC officials are going to hear about this issue this week. To be honest, our guess is that it won't be addressed publicly, but we're pretty sure there will be talk about improvements that are 'planned'.

First Take on the 'Final' Chicago Bid

Let's be honest, it's impossible to sort through the 500+ pages of bid information quickly. However, as I thumbed through the plan, the venue portion (volume 2) did impress me. The 'Olympic Waterfront' cluster, which is centered around Grant Park, Museum Campus, McCormick Place and the new proposed Olympic Village, would truly be spectacular and showcase some of the most beautiful areas of our city to the entire world.
However, the biggest disappointment has to be the Transportation plan. Our hope, as well as many other people judging by the comments on this article on chicagotribune.com, was that the Olympics could serve as a spring board for the City, State and Federal governments to invest and upgrade our decrepit CTA. Anyone living in Chicago knows upgrades are desperately needed!

We were hoping for some new lines (maybe the circle line project) or something connecting the Olympic Village to the rest of the CTA. Amazingly this doesn't exist. I think it goes without saying that the Olympics would bring funding for the CTA, but right now it looks like it would solely be used to upgrade the existing system; which is needed but not the scale we were hoping for.

However, 2016 is a lonnnnnnnng time away! If Chicago gets the Olympics it wouldn't surprise me if the transportation plan changes (remember Chicago and the US are all about CHANGE these days thanks to Obama). I know it would cost a lot to expand the CTA, but we see this as an opportunity Chicago can't pass up.

More Olympic thoughts to come as we continue to read, listen and digest all that is the 2016 Olympic bidding process...

Wha?!?!?! Construction on Jane Bryne Interchange - a Major Artery for the City and Sloop - Will Go On For Another 4 Years!

In case you missed this doozy last week...all we gotta say is damn (via Chicago Tribune):

Drivers, be patient, and find alternate routes if you can. Work on the Jane Byrne Interchange will go on for another four years.

That’s the word from the Illinois Department of Transportation, which has been rebuilding what used to be known as the Circle Interchange or, informally, the “spaghetti bowl,” since 2014. The finish date for the project had originally been projected at 2019. IDOT now expects it to be complete in 2022.

IDOT engineers warn that the biggest impact to traffic is coming in the summer of 2020, when a major ramp will need to be closed. This is the ramp from the inbound Eisenhower Expressway to the northbound Kennedy Expressway, which sees 26,000 cars a day.

Why is the project taking so long? It involves three different interstates, a constricted urban area, working around the CTA Blue Line, multiple bridges, a city water pumping station and the need to keep traffic flowing in a spot that sees 400,000 vehicles every day, said Steve Travia, engineer for project implementation at IDOT.

East Pathway of Northerly Island Closed Due to Erosion

Corrosion of Northerly Island east pathway (via Chicago Tribune)

Well this is a bummer (via Chicago Tribune):

Just eight months after Northerly Island Park opened, the foundation beneath a path on the east side of the park is crumbling.  

The Chicago Park District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Friday that surging waves off Lake Michigan have caused erosion under the eastern path, between a man-made lagoon and the lake, washing away the rock and soil that support the walkway popular with joggers and bird-watchers.

About 200 feet of the path has been closed and granite boulders line the edge that separates it from the lake.  Officials said a plan to rebuild the path is close to being finalized, and reconstruction should not take long.  

"People can still run, bike or walk the park … they just can't do a full circle," said Zvez Kubat, a spokeswoman for the park district.

As a reminder, the renovated park opened up in the fall of 2015.

Below is a great shot of the park when it opened.  Although the path is intact right in the pic, you can imagine the beating it probably took from the open waves of Lake Michigan:

Pic of Northerly Island from fall of 2015 (via Chicago Tribune)

The good news is that they think it won't take long to fix.