METRA Metra's Route and schedule information Metra Passenger Service Department: 312 322-6777. More contacts in Resources. Here: Learn about "Gold Line" aka SECRET or or Silver or Gray Line Lite- HPKCC's and others' idea for improving Metra service--support building fast. Visit Gray Line for another Metra upgrade plan with links to outside discussion. Doomsday is back on the table in Feb. 2009, with a deficit of over $200 m looming for CTA and big shortfalls for Metra and PACE. Service cuts made for CTA and Pace, FARES GOING UP IN FEB. FOR METRA. More pages on Metra topics: Gold Line Proposal as Olympic benefit gains traction Capital 5 year spending budget passed July 2009 Metra upgrades, history and background Metra stations and environs, service, route upgrades Metra viaducts, embankment upgrade, preservation, murals link Sen. Obama's letter re: Metra upgrades 2004 Southeast Corridor transit hearing 2004 See also Gold Line- including Olympic traction for conversion Metra trip planner: http://www.metrarail.com/googletransit. RTA trip planner: http://www.rtachicago.com. Starting Sept 9 '09, you can buy Metra tickets on line with credit cards. Metra Board meets 2nd or 3rd Fridays 9 am at 547 W. Jackson, 15th floor. September 15 there will be a presentation on the Gray Line. Link to emergency and diversion-from-route information at the website. Coming early next year sign up for CTA email alert. Learn about emergency evacuation porceures at chicagotribune.com/ctatraining, www.metrarail.com, www.pacebus/com. __________________ South Shore schedules are changing drastically, to accommodate passenger usage and increase esp. between Michigan City and Chicago. __________ It is believed that fare increases were precluded for the next two years by a deal by the Governor. Will there be an effect from 1) the early 2010 resolution introduced in the State Senate for Metra trains stopping at all stations and creating some competition and service increase by allowing the South Shore to pick up any passengers at their Illinois stops and 2) a lawsuit in early 2010 alleging funding and service bias against minority communities throughout the region, including by an alleged unfair share going to Metra. The latest revival of the Gray Line Lite concept (now Gold Line) is in Olympics context, by the 5th Ward Olympics Task Force and by a wider Southsiders Organizing for Unity and Liberation, becoming part of a newly launched umbrella Communities for Equitable Olympics. The plan includes 10 minute service, Visit http://alwaysintransit.typepad.com/hyde_park_urbanist/2008/08/gray-line-lite.html. Chamber, HPKCC sign on. Kudos to James Withrow and Linda Thisted. (Description of similar concepts started by Mike Payne are in our Gray Line1 page.) Withrow: it is extremely important to growing world interest and visits, doing business with the South Side including in light of Olympics and "Obama effect" that the Lakefront and its venues be seen to be on the CTA (El) Grid and accessible thereon. Note, it looks like the $300,000 for feasibility study will be appropriated and Danny Davis has put the proposal on the "eligible projects" list, and RTA/Moving Beyond Congestion 2040 has approve initial feasiblity study--still, there is resistance to doing any more than signal and track work should the Olympics be approved (expected to double daily ridership). The following is out for comment until October by Moving Beyond Congestion. So. Lakefront Corridor, a transit oriented dev. study along 63rd Green Line B, and a new call-in system for PACE paratransit. See whole list and hearings at which to comment: http://www.rtachicago.com/CMS400Min/.To send comments- FundingProgramsComments@rtachicago.com. Phone-in 312 913-3143. Gary Ossewaarde The Subregional Planning program provides funding for regional planning projects including corridor studies, countywide transit improvements, and other regional transit initiatives. The program is available to units of local government and the RTA Service Boards: The Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace. City of Chicago South Lakefront Corridor Transit Study: This project will study a range of transit service options in the South Lakefront Corridor, an area that extends from the Stevenson Expressway on the north to 95th Street on the south and from the Dan Ryan Expressway and Cottage Grove on the west to Lake Michigan on the east. The City will undertake this work as a first step in identifying alternatives that would improve public transportation services for better access to jobs and other activities, and would lead to enhanced economic vitality and quality of life for the communities served. The overall goal of the study is to recommend one or two candidate projects with the high net benefits for a more rigorous evaluation that would take place within the federal New Starts process. November 17, 2008: More information concerning the Gold Line transit proposal, (Metra So Chic. Electr. upgrade-CTA lease-el-like frequency-univ. card- added Bronzeville station) including an explanation of the name change, can be found here: http://alwaysintransit.typepad.com/hyde_park_urbanist/2008/11/gray-gold.html Additionally, SOUL, with HPKCC and CECD reps, met with staff from the offices of Ald. Hairston (who hosted the meeting), Sen. Durbin, Rep. Jackson, Majority Leader Currie, state Senator Raoul, Ald. Preckwinkle and the Chicago Dep't of Transportation. Like most of our meetings with politicians on this effort, this meeting was very positive and we got commitments to go forward from all involved. Holdup now is Metra. Scroll down for more incl. Weekly News article. While the propsal is not in the Olympic benefit resolution, the state is being asked to fund a feasibility study. Rep. Davis proposed $900 million for feasibility study-- whether it's in the reported? HPKCC Transit Task Force Chair writes: Here's an article about what's come to be known as the Gold Line Proposal: http://alwaysintransit.typepad.com/hyde_park_urbanist/2007/10/gray-line-lite.html There's also a Facebook group for the Gold Line here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=67705810632 The Gold Line idea has taken off with local aldermen and state legislators signing on, as well as organizations such as HPKCC and Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce, UC officers- The latest revival of the concept "Gray Line Lite," to be renamed) is in Olympics context, by the 5th Ward Olympics Task Force and by a wider Southsiders Organizing for Unity and Liberation, becoming part of a newly launched Coalition for Equitable Olympics. Visit http://alwaysintransit.typepad.com/hyde_park_urbanist/2008/08/gray-line-lite.html. SOUL, HPKCC, HP Chamber of Commerce and other groups have signed up. Officials near the Metra including Ald. Hairston and Preckwinkle, Rep. Currie, Sen. Raoul, UC, CMAP have shown enthusiasm or signed up and helped. At a meeting with Doug Arnot and others of Chicago 2016, strong support and sense of consistency with Olympic goals were expressed. It can't go into the bid book because it's not funded, but after the bid is awarded, planning could go forward, including gaining federal funds for the purchase of cars and other upgrades and the agency arrangements and card interchange needed. The regional planning agency CMAP has been very supportive, considering this as bringing much more ridership at lower cost ($160 m) than other expansion plans. The plan includes 10 minute service, fare transfer convertability, track and signal upgrade, new cars, and a new station between 47th and 27th. Continue discussion re older "SECRET" version. __________________________________________________ The Regional Transportation Agency (RTA) is seeking local partners including organizations to engage in assessing and planning for transit that is more efficient and gets people out of their cars. Community workshops are a part of the mix. Moving Beyond Congestion. Maybe a chance to look again at Metra Electric? Metra has contributed a substantial amount to the upgrades of the viaducts. Read about the project, phase I currently under way. But one wonders about upkeep with the two derailments due to track shifting at 71st Exchange in early October 2007. Information on stations Hyde Park and Kenwood currently have four stations, three upgraded- 47th, 51st-53rd, 55th-56th-57th, and 59th. Warning- you are charged $2 extra if you didn't buy a ticket before boarding. All stations have machines (55th's is up on the platform) and 51st and 57th have booth ticket-sellers during rush hours at least, and elevators. The University and Hospitals shuttle stops have moved also. The #170 was adjusted to serve both stops long ago. Metra says it has now completed renovation of all 8 South Chicago Branch stations. More are needed at 59th and south and at 39th. Off-peak Metra (mainline zoned and Blue Island) Metra, as well as NICTD South Shore trains, stop in Hyde Park at 57th Street including for inter train transfer, although some rush hour through trains continue to stop at 59th. Evening combined trains stop at all stations with transfer to waiting South Chicago branch trains at at either 57th or 63rd. The way to be sure your train (except evening starting at 8:20 pm) stops in any given station in Kenwood, Hyde Park, Woodlawn or South Shore and beyond is to take a South Chicago train, but some stops are flag--you must notify the conductor if on the train, if catching- be visible. New policy on bikes on train. Riders can bring bikes on trains that depart between 9:30 and 3 pm or after 7 pm weekdays, in addition to weekend policies. Top
Breaking news: IT'S 'NO DOOMSDAY' FOR CTA/RTA/Metra AND SENIORS WILL RIDE FOR FREE AS SOON AS aPRIL AS THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY PASSES THE GOV.-AMMENDED TRANSIT FUNDING BILL ON JANUARY 17.The law includes 530 million in property and sales tax increases. Details of the law's provisions on oversight and fiscal accountability were unavailable. There will nonetheless be a 10% Metra increase in February 2008. Transit home. Gold Line Enhanced Metra service with CTA fare linkup ("SECRET") Context The latest revival of the concept "Gray Line Lite," to be renamed) is in Olympics context, by the 5th Ward Olympics Task Force and by a wider Southsiders Organizing for Unity and Liberation, becoming part of a newly launched Coalition for Equitable Olympics. (1st meeting Aug. 14, ) Visit http://alwaysintransit.typepad.com/hyde_park_urbanist/2008/08/gray-line-lite.html. SOUL, HPKCC, HP Chamber of Commerce and other groups have signed up. Officials near the Metra including Ald. Hairston and Preckwinkle, Rep. Currie, Sen. Raoul, UC officials, CMAP have shown enthusiasm or signed up and helped. At a meeting with Doug Arnot and others of Chicago 2016, strong support and sense of consistency with Olympic goals were expressed. It can't go into the bid book because it's not funded, but after the bid is awarded, planning could go forward, including gaining federal funds for the purchase of cars and other upgrades and the agency arrangements and card interchange needed. Alderman Preckwinkle alos wants to build trolleys (or even light rail), mainly east -west from the north part of the 4th ward to meet Green and Red Line. Chicago Weekly News talks about the Gold Line, in an article on the next South Side CTA growth- including Orange Line extension, South Loop Green Line station, and Red Line extension. November 20, 2008. By Sam Feldman. The proposed sites for the major Olympic venues in 2016 stretch along the lakefront, from Soldier Fiedl and the Olympic Village south to Jackson Park. Unfortunately, none of these spots are particularly accessible by CTA trains. Hyde Park resident James Withrow has a solution: the Gold Line. Withrow's proposal would take the South Chicago Branch of the Metra Electric line, which runs from Millennium Station downtown past the waterfront venues to 93rd Street, and turn it into a line of the CTA. In practice this would mean running trains every ten minutes and providing integrated fares, so you could transfer to or from other CTA buses and trains for only twenty-five cents. Withrow hopes the trains would be branded as CTA and appear on CTA maps, but Metra would continue to operate them through an agreement with the CTA. "It's just important for people looking at Hyde Park to realize that operationally they'll be on the El grid," he explains. Although the name "Gold Line" is a nod to the Olympics, Withrow's idea was not originally built around the games. "I've been working on this for five or six years, or at least talking to people about it, promoting it as something we ought to do," he says. If Chicago beats out Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo, Withrow believes the Gold Line would be "vital" for transportation to run smoothly in 2016, but its utility will continue beyond then. "I think the best way to put it is that people see this as a good excuse to do the right thing," he says. Recently Withrow's proposal has been adopted by Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation (SOUL) and Communities for an Equitable Olympics (CEO) and endorsed by Aldermen Toni Preckwinkle (4th) and Leslie Hairston (5th) [and Sandy Jackson (7th)], as well as Hyde Park's state senator and representatives [and Sen. Durbin's office]. A few weeks ago Withrow got a favorable response from Doug Arnot at Chicago 2016, and he has high hopes that the Gold Line could be up and running as soon as two years from now. The CTA, which has not been known historically to oppose Mayor Daley, should go along with the plan, although Withrow is little less optimistic about Metra. "You always hope that they will cooperate and actually want to help out, and I look forward to the first piece of evidence that that's happening," he says diplomatically. Withrow has looked into the potential cost of the Gold Line, and it's not clear yet where the funding would come from. "I never for a minute thought they'd be cheap, but basically the price we were quoted were something like three and a half million dollars per [rail] car," he says. "I notice that when Governor Palin sold her jet, she only got 2.1 [million] for that, so we're talking about something that's more expensive than a jet." Still, he's optimistic that the federal government wil chip in half the cost. "This is definitely the most pro-public transportation administration we've ever had," he says. And given the clean electric technology and the lasting benefits, he hopes to get funding at the state level too. "This area, especially the area south of here, it was built for streetcar trolleys, it wasn't built to accommodate a lot of cars." he points out. "If you have a transit method that people enjoy using, I would certainly hope that both Hyde Park's retail district and the retail further south of here would be helped out quite a bit by this." Top Herald, August 13 2008. By Sam Cholke A forum will be held Aug. 4 to discuss improvements to the South Shore Metra line and other transportation options should Chicago win he bid for the 2016 Olympics. The meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. at Olivet Baptist Church, 3101 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The meeting will include discussions with Southsiders Organizing for Unity and Liberation (S.O.U.L.), a coalition of community organizers sponsored by Ald. Toni Preckwinkle (4th) and the Coalition for an Equitable Olympics on their decision to promote the Gray Line Lite proposal. The Gray Line Lite proposal would increase train frequency on the Metra south Shore line, which runs from the Loop to 91st Street along the lakefront, to 10-minute increments and allow for transfers to Chicago Transit Authority buses and trains It would in essence function as another "El" line, James Withrow, a member of S.O.U.L., told board members of the Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference (HP-KCC) at its aug. 7 board meeting. Withrow chairs the HP-KCC Transportation Committee. Withrow and Linda Thisted, another member of S.O.U.L, presented the Gray Line Lite proposal at a July 24 Olympics meeting with Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th). The group showed support for the idea and the alderman thought it worth pursuing, but [they] refrained from officially signing on as supporters of the proposal. Hairston said at the July 24 community meeting that Chicago doesn't have the money to build something like a monorail down the lakefront to transport people to and from the Olympic events. Using the existing Metra tracks would not be expensive, she said. If Chicago wins its bid for the Olympics, the inevitable federal infrastructure money coming into the city could be used to mitigate most of the initial costs, Hairston said. The Gray Line Lite proposal is taken heavily from Chatham resident Michael Payne's Gray Line proposal. HPKCC, Chamber sign on to Gray [Gold] Line Letter. Hyde Park Herald, by Sam Cholke The Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference (HP-K CC) voted Sept. 4 to join the Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce in support of a plan to increase the frequency of South line Metra trains to 10-minute intervals and allow $0.25 transfers to CTA transit. The proposal, commonly referred to as the Gray Line, is the top priority of South Siders [Organizing for Unity and Liberation], a member organization of Coalition for an Equitable Olympics 2016, while attempting to negotiate a community benefits agreement with the city concerning Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympics. James Withrow, who brought the proposal before the conference, said no one has expressed opposition to supporting the Gray Line. "The Olympics are a great excuse to get people working together on this," Withrow said. The proposal has received initial support from Ald. Leslie Hairston's (5th) Olympic committee. Withrow said the University of Chicago and Howard Males, chair of the 53rd Street Tax Increment Finance (TIF) District advisory council, have also shown interest in the proposal. "Other than tweaking bus lines, this seems like the most likely to succeed," said George Rumsey, president of the HP-k CC, before the conference voted to sign on to a letter of support with the Chamber. "I think it would be a major improvement."... [Note: Withrow said the plan would involve acquiring about 24 new rail cars, a goodly expense.] Please note that the HPKCC Transit Task Force still thinks that the Metra service we do have is generally outstanding and the stations (one with a cafe!) are a vast improvement. New cars are on the way--we hope, eventually and with bathrooms ), and that more infrastructure changes are funded. And it almost always comes reliably and on time! It could again become a leading and heavily used urban railroad (an overlooked and promising subset of transit service). Metra found it necessary to raise fares 10 percent in February 2006. Ridership is reported sometimes as flat, other times as increasing. It is possible that the South Lakefront CTA route reconfiguration drew some patrons from Metra in the southeast part of the city. State 5-year capital spending plan includes $18 b for transportation It is unclear how much of the 5-year 31 billion state capital budget passed in July 2009 will go the CTA and the other agencies- much will go to start up high speed rail. $18 billion is for transportation, leveraging about $4 billion in federal funds and are partially covered by transportation user fees. The ratio for transit is improved to 1 in 4 dollars. The downside according to Metropolitan Planning Council, is that money allocated by the new capital plan is not coupled with spending reforms to evaluate the merits of projects against state goals. HB2359 - now HB4590 - outlines a process by which transportation projects should be selected and evaluated. The bill should have been passed in tandem with the Illinois Jobs Now program. Because it was never called for a House vote, lawmakers did not have the opportunity to approve these critical reforms that would change the way we spend limited capital dollars. Another question is how much is "shovel-ready." __________________________________________________ Late in 2003, troubling suggestions came from Metra. South and southwest suburban residents and legislators have complained about limited service and poor facilities compared to the north and west service areas and about "profiling"- double-checking of tickets. Metra responded by taking out the turn styles but also talked of closing little-used stations as a way of paying for improvements. They also suggested there are not complaints from the city's south side. Legislators and aldermen cried "foul" and "backward-looking response." See letter from State Senator Barack Obama. In spring, 2004 Metra announced several enhancements to the trains and south suburban and Randolph Street Stations. Meanwhile, issues were complicated by 1) the Governor's proposal to combine the oversight and planning boards, and possibly service providers into one super agency under state bureaucratic control, since aborted, and 2) Delay and infighting in Congress over passage of a Transit Bill. (These are discussed in our (old) Regional and Beyond page.) Metra found that between IllinoisFIRST and federal fund lapses it could not follow through for now with purchase of the new cars. Metra is containing station upgrades-but not 59th, especially in South Shore, and embankment and viaduct upgrades in Hyde Park, but has not yet responded to requests for viaduct upgrades in Woodlawn. Metra has given a substantial sum for rebuilding the Lake Park embankments and viaducts, starting fall 2006. Top About Secret Goals of the plans are to use the underutilized Metra Electric South Chicago branch to reconnect riders, especially in South Chicago, Cheltenham, and east Woodlawn, among the most hurt by transit cutbacks and teardowns over the past decade through at least: A goal of 10 minute headway rush and midday, or enough so people wouldn't have to consult a schedule 30 cent transfers to CTA or a Universal Fare Card Upgrade to all Metra stations not recently repaired Envisioned in conjunction would be a major re-aquaintance and ridership-building campaign and provision of up to date, compliant, safe stations. Both require market and rider interest surveys. Nearly 400 surveys returned so far already show over 80 percent saying they would use Metra South Chicago more if there were the fare coordination and the increased midday service. Gray Line and SECRET both received a big boost from the 2030 CATS Regional Transportation Plan. Visit Regional and Beyond, Regional Transportation Plan. The Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference has a copy of the summary plan, including on CD-ROM in our office. 773 288-3843. South East Chicago Rail Enhancement Team. This is a joint project of the HPKCC Transit Task Force, Campaign for Better Transit and other southeast side community organizations (see list below). Contact: James Withrow, withrow@uchicago.edu of HPKCC Transit Task Force or Campaign for Better Transit. The Conference Board has endorsed the project and members of the Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce is participating. South East Chicago Commission, Rep. Currie, State Sen. Raoul, and US Senator Obama have been consulted. The Task Force and SECRET team wants, at the least, Metra-CTA fare coordination and we especially seek Metra Electric non-rush hour service frequent enough to spark a big increase in ridership. (See Hyde Park Herald letter, HPKCC Transit Task Force October and August Quarterly Meeting with CTA reports and Judy Chernick's memo on a possible "No. #6 X", in CTA/HPKCC Task Force meetings reports. ) The Transit Task Force worked with Campaign for Better Transit, WECAN and a coalition of organizations south along the entire South Chicago Branch to create political will for a "Gray Line Lite" (SECRET), to include South Chicago Branch 10 minute headways between 7 am and 10:20 pm and a 30-cent transfer linkup between Metra Electric (as a pilot) and CTA, as well as station improvements along the South Chicago Branch. A series of meetings of southeast side advocacy and business and social provider groups were held; those in Woodlawn, South Shore and South Chicago were very successful. We met with legislators having constituents living along the route. The legislators have been supportive and have facilitated private meetings but of course await completion of detailed surveys and demographic and cost studies. In August 2004 Rep. Constance Howard participated in a hearing on the matter at South Shore Cultural Center. To become involved in this increasingly popular and possible idea, contact Jim Withrow. The only major user concern we have heard is possible traffic interference from frequent trains along 71st and possibly Exchange, which we intend to address. Metra, frankly, has said any such project is of low priority to them compared to other demands. Do we have a problem in that Metra's money and a large part of its ridership are suburban? How could regional transit body organization and funding mechanism be adjusted to level any playing-field problems? Report on the public meeting on SECRET of August 21, 2004, South Shore Cultural Center WECAN director Arvis Averette led the meeting. James Withrow of the HPKCC Transit Task Force stated the case for public transportation. Cited were property value increase near transit, including Fannie Mae's transit efficient mortgage rates, health and safety, walkability, and business growth. He explained how the proposed Metra enhancements fit this an in effect makes it our "L". (See more in "Public Transportation Saves Lives." Michael Payne explained the Gray Line proposal and that it had a high eligibility and funding recommendation in the Regional Transportation Plan and the highest efficiency rating from the Air Quality Commission of Center for Neighborhood Technology. He explained various advances from revitalizing this underutilized resource. Payne's website is www.grayline.20m.com Sheila Tugume of Campaign for Better Transit talked about universal fare cards and reported on a survey of South Chicago Branch riders, in which c. 82 percent they would ride Metra more often if there were a universal fare card or more service. Representative Constance Howard and Annette Hurley, aide to Representative Currie expressed general support but said halls have to be filled and more done to convince legislators against powerful interests. They also encouraged speaking at the city budget hearing on th 26th. The CTA service changes were presented. The importance of federal transit legislation was stressed. (See handout, in Regional and Beyond from left bar.) Public Participation brought out many new facets. All were encouraged to come to a follow up meeting September 4 6-7:30 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 3208 E. 91st (Rodriquez Room.)   Organizations that have participated in the SECRET process at that time Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference (Board endorsement and Hyde Park Transit Task Force) Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce Woodlawn East Community and Neighbors Woodlawn Preservation and Investment Corporation University of Chicago Student Center East Side Chamber of Commerce Claretian Associates South Chicago Consortium Bush Homeowners Association Healthy South Chicago Commission South Shore Planning and Preservation Coalition South Chicago Development Coalition South Shore Chamber of Commerce The Circle Group, Inc. East Side United Methodist Church Centro Communitario Juan Diego Concerned Citizen's Coalition of Chicago Woodlawn Development Associates Villa Guadalupe Senior Services, Inc. 63rd Street WMCA Handout on SECRET SECRET (South East Chicago Rail Enhancement Team) is a grassroots coalition dedicated to improving public transportation in South and Southeast Chicago. Currently SECRET has begun a campaign focused on the following goals: 1) Increasing service on the South Chicago Branch of the Metra Electric. In the 1960's this train ran every10 minutes, day and night. 2) Working for a Universal Fare Card that would allow transit riders to transfer between Metra trains and CTA buses. SECRET participants belong to every community located along this line. The first SECRET meeting was held in February 2003 at the offices of woodlawn East Community and Neighbors (WECAN). Representatives from a half dozen community groups were present when James Withrow, of the Hyde Park [HPKCC] Transit Task Force, suggested groups form under the acronym SECRET in order to work for more Metra service, transferability between Metra and CTA trains and buses, and, in general, to promote public transportation. Meetings began to be held in the communities bordering the Metra Electric tracks. Planning and informational meetings were hosted by the South Shore Chamber of Commerce, Centro Communitario Juan Diego, the Healthy South Chicago Coalition, and villa Guadalupe in order to promote SECRET among local community based organizations. In June, participants felt the need to begin planning for a public meeting and to enlist the support of elected officials. In July members of SECRET met separately with State Representative Constance A Howard (34th), Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie (25th), and State Senator Barack Obama to gain their support for SECRET's goals. Representative ...Currie agreed to convene a meeting of her colleagues to address the need for a universal fare card. The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) is currently conducting a study on this issue and, in the past, Representative Julie Hamos (18th) of Hamos of Evanston has sponsored legislation toward this goal. Tonight's meeting is the first step in improving mass transit in Chicago and Southeast Chicago. SECRET is open to everyone concerned about improving bus and rail service [there]. SECRET is an initiative of the Campaign for Better Transit which is dedicated to working on public transportation issues at the grassroots level. Done next steps: 1) Representatives Howard and Currie request chairman Hamos to convene a meeting and a hearing on universal fare card. 2) Representative Howard facilitates a meeting with Metra. Metra holds already-demanded far south/suburban hearings in fall. 3) Howard and Hamos hold a public hearing (held January, 2004) on Southeast Corridor transit needs and complaints. (Emphasis was actually on terrible bus service in the 111th/Olive-Harvey College area.). Report on the Hearing 4) A placeholder for Metra Electric upgrade and linkage further south is sought in the Regional Transportation Plan "SharedPath 2030" (done). (See * side comment below on CTA rail/bus "improvements" for the southeast corridor.) 5) Continued outreach efforts- (done for Gray Line, not SECRET) 6) Push to get commitment by Metra for at least some upgrades (pushed and achieved by State Senator Barack Obama) 7) Getting a "local ask" for Universal Fare Card (RTA Board unanimously endorsed in April 2004) and interagency engineering meetings on the same (meetings started and some coordination was done, but full conversion is blocked by an apparent cost of $60 million--or so the legislature was told.) 8) Pilot projects toward universal fare card (CTA card said to be ready, other implemented trials called timid) Next Obama sets legislative sights on Metra neglect Hyde Park Herald, November 5, 2003 Hyde Park residents using Metra's Electric Line have suffered for years with dilapidated stations, no bathrooms on the trains and turnstiles and gates that force you to have your ticket punched six times on a round-trip ride. However, I am leading a group of South Side and South Suburban elected officials that are filing state legislation this week to require Metra to install bathrooms and eliminate payment gates on its South Suburban Electric Line by Jan. 1, 2005. It is discrimination that the Electric Line--one of 11 Metra Lines and the only predominantly African American one--is apparently the only line without bathrooms on the trains and the only one with gates that require passengers to pay before getting on trains. At all other Metra stations, passengers do not need to pass through pay gates. The South Suburban Electric Line is also apparently the only Metra line that won't accept tickets purchased at other District stations, forcing many riders to either wait for a ticket agent to unlock the turnstile or else jump it. The Electric Line is the only line with security cameras and too few and dilapidated benches. The longest commute ride on the Electric Line is approximately one hour and seventeen minutes. The longest commute on the Southwest line--which has bathrooms---is approximately one hour and eight minutes. A Metra Web site press release stated that, "approximately 13,000 Metra passengers originate in Riverdale and communities south of it." These predominately African American riders and commuters have no bathroom service on their 45-minute plus trip. When commuters complained about the STAR Line connecting a mostly affluent territory between O'Hare International Airport, the western suburbs and Joliet, Jeff Ladd, CEO of Metra, derisively said Metra was "not a social service welfare agency" concerned with unemployment issues and access to jobs. My office and those of South Suburban legislators have been flooded with calls from upset commuters who had called Metra to complain about the service. One woman was told that the reason there are no bathrooms is because Metra bought the Electric Line from the Illinois Central and that the problem will be fixed eventually. The other person who complained received no call back. Similar complaints were heard recently at a Metra town meeting in Homewood, where residents complained about years of Metra neglect. Metra riders will get one more chance to voice their concerns to Metra at a town meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 7:00 pm at the Village of Matteson's Village Board Room, 4900 Village Commons, Matteson. If you cannot attend that meeting, please call my office at 773-363-1996 about specific Metra concerns. For example, I know the renovation of the Hyde Park stations has been a mess with Metra years behind schedule. While Metra blames a bankrupt contractor, that is not a reasonable excuse for riders who must suffer through potentially dangerous stations. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, transportation facilities of a public entity must be accessible and usable or it is considered legal discrimination. Not surprisingly, the Metra Electric Line is also the only line with gates that have to be entered before riding the train. Metra is the direct service provider and is fully responsible for assuring satisfactory conditions for its customers. All New Jersey to New York commuter trains, for example, have bathrooms on them. Chicago commuter trains should be held to similar standards. Since the General Assembly has authority over parts of Metra's budget, we are going to hold their feet to the fire. Top
		A service of Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference Transit Task Force/ Transportation and Parking Committee and the HPKCC website, www.hydepark.org. (email) Help support our work: Join the Conference! Join and work with the Task Force- contact chairman James Withrow.
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