Comments on: Far South Side homeowners question Red Line extension’s impact on property values

By: mike621

mike621 — Sat, 24 Dec 2016 21:36:00 +0000

THANK YOU Harvey — for your fine description of the benefits of the CTA Gray Line Project: http://bit.ly/GrayLineInfo One of the most important being that it would require NO [repeat NO] taking of any property at all, as the proposal utilizes Metra Electric District rail infrastructure
already in operation on the South Side each and every day.

All of the Chicago transit agencies — CTA, Metra, RTA, CMAP, IDOT, and City Hall – are very
well aware of the Gray Line Project; but they suppress the idea (along with all the Chicago area major Media — TV and Newspapers) — as it wouldn’t put $2.3 Billion dollars in the pockets of the
big Connected Construction Company Campaign Contributors who would build the Red Line Extension!

Here is a Side-by-Side comparison of the relative costs, and resulting benefits of the $2.3 Billion Red Line Extension, versus the $500 Million Gray Line Project: http://www.grayline.20m.com/photo.html

And the Gray Line could be in full operation in approximately one year, versus starting construction (maybe) in 2022 — with Red Line trains finally beginning operation on the Extension in 2026 (ten years from now).

Please contact me with comments, questions, or for information: grayline15@yahoo.com

By: Adri

Adri — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 13:05:00 +0000

We should not care about property values.

https://fanaca.wordpress.com/2016/12/05/winter-reading-list/

By: La Risa Lynch

La Risa Lynch — Tue, 06 Dec 2016 16:40:54 +0000

In reply to Harvey Kahler.

Thanks for your comment. Metra has to get on board with better fare integration, starting with accepting the plastic ventra cards and secondly Metra needs to devise a transfer system where riders are not charged full fares twice to go from CTA to Metra or vice versa. See our article on efforts to revamp Metra Electric: http://chicagoreporter-newspack-3.newspackstaging.com/revamped-metra-electric-could-put-south-side-on-the-fast-track/

By: Harvey Kahler

Harvey Kahler — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 22:01:00 +0000

Thanks to the independence of service boards, lack of coordination, and a bit of turf mentality, the option of implementing CTA service on the nearby Metra Electric was never seriously explored as an option to extending the Red Line for $2b. This was first proposed over a decade ago as the Gray Line by means of a CTA purchase of Metra Electric service to South Chicago and Blue Island requiring money only for fare equipment for initial implementation. This proposal offered connectivity and integration with south suburban Metra and NICTD services as well as serving major lakefront destinations. The Gray Line would use existing infrastructure without need of residential displacement. Furthermore, the Rosemoor, Pullman, and Roseland neighbohoods developed around what is now the Mainline portion of the Blue Island Branch that also serves Stewart Ridge and West Pullman. Current Metra service has been reduced due to ridership diversion from less costly CTA bus and train fares; but that would change with CTA fares for Gray Line trains.