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Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
A plan I've made for the transit infrastructure of Chicago for the year 2050 enjoy
Click for larger
I'll elaborate on this, because social engagements have fallen through.
The plan can be split up into 5 major modal shifts.
1: Extensions for the Brown, Pink, Orange, Green, Red, Blue and Yellow lines+
2: Frequent stop city Metra Lines incorporated into CTA.*^
3: An entirely new far west side Cicero line
(Light Rail, Heavy Rail, Bus Rapid Transit, who knows, I've shown it as restrained as possible in order to leave that argument for others.)
4: Consolidation of routes and stations to increase capacity on the entire system#
5: A new Boulevard Streetcar/Tram system
(More information at the end of this post, because it's a doozy to explain)
+...yes, for those of you keeping track at home, that means every line except the Purple. Why, it goes out far enough and it operates purely as a shuttle during non peak hours. In honesty, I wouldn't extend the Blue if it weren't for the chance of a new Western Terminal at O'Hare
*In the case of the Electric, no track or hardware changes will be made, because it would preclude continued use of that right of way for South Shore commuter trains. However, if the RTA were to shift South Shore trains along the Union Pacific ROW beneath the proposed Red line extension flyover onto Rock Island main line, or SouthWest Districts into LaSalle Street or Union Stations, then there would be the possibility of constructing the Canal Street Subway, and double tracking the Lake and Congress Subways to create two subway loops. Justifying the expense of rebuilding the South Shore lines to match the third rail infrastructure of the rest of the system. The Electric District line has been referred to as the Grey and Gold lines, I made it Grey because differentiating between Gold, Orange and Yellow lines all within the same system sounds like a headache.
^In the case of the Rock Island line, a new Heavy Rail line would be built along and adjacent to CSX ROW parallel to Western avenue for five and a quarter miles between the 91st street stop and the flyover before the Western stop on the Orange line. This train could continue along Orange line tracking into the Loop, or along Circle line Tracking to the near north side. I show it as heading to the near north side to show that potential. As you will see a lot of representational decisions had to be made, because showing the possibilities of lines once this new track infrastructure would be complete, is absolutely mindboggling. I might do a post on it later.
#So, in regards to route and station consolidation there are infinite possibilities for how to do this, I have rendered one.
Turning the Skokie Swift into part of the Red line is a way of increasing capacity, if during non rush hour some of the trains don't run all the way out to Old Orchard, it keeps commute times down, make the Swift more attractive as a transportation option, and therefore might make the line more profitable.
Running the Purple line full length constantly is aimed at reducing the lenght of the Red line once the Swift and 130th extension are added. It eliminates the Red line from stopping at 3 (or more if you fancy) stops on the busy north side. It also allows a more convenient experience for those who need to get to downtown Chicago from Evanston during non-peak. Lastly, it allows for the Purple line to be consolidated with a West Side line (in my example, the current Pink) therefore providing more service to the loop without increasing congestion.
Splitting the Green line and combining it's two routes with other lines is about stopping the nonsensical half loop that it currently runs. Yes I understand that if you connected the Brown with the Orange and ran it in a similar way, you could reduce the load by reducing the trains doing full loops. My only gripe is that this leads to a line seeming inferior. Plus, if you have half loop service, but continue having at least two full loop lines (which is necessary when you have four lines entering from the northwest and only two from the southeast) if one of those two loops is running at a capacity higher than the other, or one of your half loops is running at a higher frequency, a delay on either line being forced to run close to maximum capacity. Would immediately cripple your entire above grade system. Making all lines full loop exits eliminates this, by allowing routing to be adjusted based on shifts of useage year by year (i.e. the pink line surges similarly to the Brown in the two decades, you can shift the pink and brown to run opposite each other for an equal load on each direction of the loop. Similar to how the loop is so lopsided right now with Brown line capacity maxed out.) This can be done in many ways, I did the one least confusing in terms of station names.
This also frees up colors for the Circle Line (Yellow), Rock Island Line (Orange) and the West Side Circulator (Pink). Once again all arbitrary, with the exception that I have yet to see a Circle line map without it marked in yellow. On that note, I show the Circle as completed, because by 2050 anything's possible.
Now onto the Streetcar/Tram.
Phasing? Scheduling? Lines? Implementation?
You name it, I'll try to address it. Like the Post Office, only hopefully more competantly.
The Boulevards have been puzzling me for years. Such grand streets, such majestic parks...such dilapidated buildings? I've studies planning, urban design, architecture. Each one tells us, if you build a park system great buildings will be built around them. And so they were along the Boulevards. After all they were a fast means of transport through an otherwise congested city, and they had amenities at their doorsteps. Many years later and the neighborhoods they served, are too close to be suburbs and too far to have been jumped to by the kind of gentrification that is drawn to busy retail districts, and quick transport. The highways supplanted the Boulevards as a means of getting through a congested city, and now we must think of how to reinvent them.
My Proposal
and my reasoning
I propose to construct a Tramway along the edges of the boulevard medians, providing for a safe staging area for loading of passengers and the ability to regulate when the trams do and do not interact with traffic. Allowing the system to be as reliable as possible. A tram was chosen, because; light rail would require possible utilities to be relocated, and separated ROW to be maintained; Bus Rapid Transit would have required either interfering with traffic at stops, on an otherwise smooth moving thoroughfare, or paving over large portions of the Boulevard system (something my conscience would not allow); and lastly a subway, because I envision this system as a means for attracting development to these corridors based on their otherwise under-utilized proximity to CTA transfers, jobs, and other neighborhood amenities.
Phasing of Construction
The most obvious portion of this system is to connect the portions of the southside that are experiencing improvement with each other. In order to create the impression of a consistent whole. An engine for improving the livability of the overlooked Chicago. The first phase would be a tram line from the Museum of Science and Industry to the Garfield stop on the Red line (3.5 mi. 2 trains). A year later a line from Logan Square to the Garfield Park Conservatory (4 mi. 2 trains) Every year after that, alternating extensions of the lines. Garfield Red to Gage Park (2.5 mi. 2 trains), Conservatory to Pulaski Blue (2 mi. 1 train), Gage Park to McKinley Park (2.5 mi 1 train), Pulaski to Douglas Park (2 mi. 1 train), Douglas to McKinley (2.5 mi. 2 trains), Logan Square to the Chicago river (1.5 mi. 1 train), Washington Park along Drexel Boulevard to Pershing (3 mi. 2 trains), & Chicago river to the Lake Michigan along Diversey (2.5 mi. 2 trains).
Services Provided and Scheduling
Lake Michigan to Logan Square (4mi.)
This line would be a heavily desired, but costly. Placing it last, allows for Diversey to be redesigned to be carless. Only Buses and the Tram. This would allow for Diversey to be landscaped as the Boulevard it was intended to be in the original planning of the Boulevard system. This pedestrian street would start at Clybourn, where express buses would be routed along in order to head down Diversey to get onto a bus dedicated lane on Lake Shore Drive. When completed this would be the scheduling of trams:
:00 Diversey Harbor to Science & Industry
:10 Diversey Harbor to Logan Square
:20 Diversey Harbor to Drexel Boulevard
:30 Diversey Harbor to Science & Industry
:40 Diversey Harbor to Logan Square
:50 Diversey Harbor to Drexel Boulevard
Logan Square to Pulaski Blue Line (5mi.)
This line would be the northwest side, a lot of really cool areas, great building stock, just nothing that really ties the neighborhood to it's amenities. I mean a bus provides the transport, but a bus is nameless. This provides transit from Blue line to Blue line in only 15 minutes, compared with 35 minutes (not including waiting for either). Connecting Garfield and Humboldt parks is a must. Scheduling of trams would be as follows:
:00 Diversey Harbor to Science & Industry
:10 Logan Square to Pulaski Blue Line
:20 Diversey Harbor to Drexel Boulevard
:30 Diversey Harbor to Science & Industry
:40 Logan Square to Pulaski Blue Line
:50 Diversey Harbor to Drexel Boulevard
Pulaski Blue Line to McKinley Park (4 mi.)
This section of the Boulevard system is especially disorganized, a myriad of train overpasses, crossing the river, under highways. It's a mess, but along it are 3 transit lines, 2 large parks, the County Jail, and a lot of really good houses. This area is in more dire of straits, being North Lawndale and all, but this section also doesn't necessarily have to be built. It serves mainly as the connector of the northern and southern trunk lines. Scheduling:
:00 Diversey Harbor to Science & Industry
:10 Pulaski Blue Line to McKinley Park
:20 Diversey Harbor to Drexel Boulevard
:30 Diversey Harbor to Science & Industry
:40 Pulaski Blue Line to McKinley Park
:50 Diversey Harbor to Drexel Boulevard
McKinley Park to Garfield Red Line (5mi.)
McKinley Park has transit, warehouses, an amazing park, quick transit to Midway and downtown. It's a wonder Pilsen has been taking off before it, really. Connect this with the neighborhoods to the south near Gage park, beautiful Sherman park and over to the Red line, then you might have a nice Back of the Yards revival opportunity. If so, the residents would see a schedule similar to this:
:00 Diversey Harbor to Science & Industry
:10 McKinley Park to Garfield Red Line
:20 Diversey Harbor to Drexel Boulevard
:30 Diversey Harbor to Science & Industry
:40 McKinley Park to Garfield Red Line
:50 Diversey Harbor to Drexel Boulevard
Garfield Red Line to both Drexel Boulevard(3.5mi.)
& the Museum of Science and Industry(3.5mi.)
This section would split into two spurs, both would start at the Garfield Red line stop, where the area between eastbound and westbound Garfield now open to the Dan Ryan would be covered, and turned into a station with generous low water plantings, except for where a skylight would allow for light to continue to pour into the red line stop, without the rain doing so. Both lines woud continue into Washington Park along Morgan Drive. At this point the Drexel spur would turn along Rainey, continue onto Payne, and then onto Bowen before coming to it's final alignment on Drexel Boulevard until it does a turnaround at Cottage Grove and Pershing. The Science and Industry line would continue along Morgan to Payne and then via the Midway Plaisance through the University of Chicago, up Cornell and around the Museum. Both lines would expand the area possible for Universtity professors and students to consider living while attending U of C as well as providing access from citizens of the city, to otherwise difficult attractions to access via public transit. They would also have a service connecting the two legs, this is possible given that a full circuit of the lines is 30 minutes, exactly the interval betweenThe two lines would have schedules as so:
Drexel
:00 Drexel Boulevard to Science & Industry
:10 Drexel Boulevard to Garfield Red Line
:20 Drexel Boulevard to Diversey Harbor
:30 Drexel Boulevard to Science & Industry
:40 Drexel Boulevard to Garfield Red Line
:50 Drexel Boulevard to Diversey Harbor
Midway Plaisance
:00 Science & Industry to Drexel Boulevard
:10 Science & Industry to Garfield Red Line
:20 Science & Industry to Diversey Harbor
:30 Science & Industry to Drexel Boulevard
:40 Science & Industry to Garfield Red Line
:50 Science & Industry to Diversey Harbor
Tell me your thoughts, I'll see if I can get some updated images to help make the explanations, a little more enjoyable and seemingly less verbose. Thank you for taking some time to read this bit of my view on Chicago, my home sweet home.
Click for larger
I'll elaborate on this, because social engagements have fallen through.
The plan can be split up into 5 major modal shifts.
1: Extensions for the Brown, Pink, Orange, Green, Red, Blue and Yellow lines+
2: Frequent stop city Metra Lines incorporated into CTA.*^
3: An entirely new far west side Cicero line
(Light Rail, Heavy Rail, Bus Rapid Transit, who knows, I've shown it as restrained as possible in order to leave that argument for others.)
4: Consolidation of routes and stations to increase capacity on the entire system#
5: A new Boulevard Streetcar/Tram system
(More information at the end of this post, because it's a doozy to explain)
+...yes, for those of you keeping track at home, that means every line except the Purple. Why, it goes out far enough and it operates purely as a shuttle during non peak hours. In honesty, I wouldn't extend the Blue if it weren't for the chance of a new Western Terminal at O'Hare
*In the case of the Electric, no track or hardware changes will be made, because it would preclude continued use of that right of way for South Shore commuter trains. However, if the RTA were to shift South Shore trains along the Union Pacific ROW beneath the proposed Red line extension flyover onto Rock Island main line, or SouthWest Districts into LaSalle Street or Union Stations, then there would be the possibility of constructing the Canal Street Subway, and double tracking the Lake and Congress Subways to create two subway loops. Justifying the expense of rebuilding the South Shore lines to match the third rail infrastructure of the rest of the system. The Electric District line has been referred to as the Grey and Gold lines, I made it Grey because differentiating between Gold, Orange and Yellow lines all within the same system sounds like a headache.
^In the case of the Rock Island line, a new Heavy Rail line would be built along and adjacent to CSX ROW parallel to Western avenue for five and a quarter miles between the 91st street stop and the flyover before the Western stop on the Orange line. This train could continue along Orange line tracking into the Loop, or along Circle line Tracking to the near north side. I show it as heading to the near north side to show that potential. As you will see a lot of representational decisions had to be made, because showing the possibilities of lines once this new track infrastructure would be complete, is absolutely mindboggling. I might do a post on it later.
#So, in regards to route and station consolidation there are infinite possibilities for how to do this, I have rendered one.
Turning the Skokie Swift into part of the Red line is a way of increasing capacity, if during non rush hour some of the trains don't run all the way out to Old Orchard, it keeps commute times down, make the Swift more attractive as a transportation option, and therefore might make the line more profitable.
Running the Purple line full length constantly is aimed at reducing the lenght of the Red line once the Swift and 130th extension are added. It eliminates the Red line from stopping at 3 (or more if you fancy) stops on the busy north side. It also allows a more convenient experience for those who need to get to downtown Chicago from Evanston during non-peak. Lastly, it allows for the Purple line to be consolidated with a West Side line (in my example, the current Pink) therefore providing more service to the loop without increasing congestion.
Splitting the Green line and combining it's two routes with other lines is about stopping the nonsensical half loop that it currently runs. Yes I understand that if you connected the Brown with the Orange and ran it in a similar way, you could reduce the load by reducing the trains doing full loops. My only gripe is that this leads to a line seeming inferior. Plus, if you have half loop service, but continue having at least two full loop lines (which is necessary when you have four lines entering from the northwest and only two from the southeast) if one of those two loops is running at a capacity higher than the other, or one of your half loops is running at a higher frequency, a delay on either line being forced to run close to maximum capacity. Would immediately cripple your entire above grade system. Making all lines full loop exits eliminates this, by allowing routing to be adjusted based on shifts of useage year by year (i.e. the pink line surges similarly to the Brown in the two decades, you can shift the pink and brown to run opposite each other for an equal load on each direction of the loop. Similar to how the loop is so lopsided right now with Brown line capacity maxed out.) This can be done in many ways, I did the one least confusing in terms of station names.
This also frees up colors for the Circle Line (Yellow), Rock Island Line (Orange) and the West Side Circulator (Pink). Once again all arbitrary, with the exception that I have yet to see a Circle line map without it marked in yellow. On that note, I show the Circle as completed, because by 2050 anything's possible.
Now onto the Streetcar/Tram.
Phasing? Scheduling? Lines? Implementation?
You name it, I'll try to address it. Like the Post Office, only hopefully more competantly.
The Boulevards have been puzzling me for years. Such grand streets, such majestic parks...such dilapidated buildings? I've studies planning, urban design, architecture. Each one tells us, if you build a park system great buildings will be built around them. And so they were along the Boulevards. After all they were a fast means of transport through an otherwise congested city, and they had amenities at their doorsteps. Many years later and the neighborhoods they served, are too close to be suburbs and too far to have been jumped to by the kind of gentrification that is drawn to busy retail districts, and quick transport. The highways supplanted the Boulevards as a means of getting through a congested city, and now we must think of how to reinvent them.
My Proposal
and my reasoning
I propose to construct a Tramway along the edges of the boulevard medians, providing for a safe staging area for loading of passengers and the ability to regulate when the trams do and do not interact with traffic. Allowing the system to be as reliable as possible. A tram was chosen, because; light rail would require possible utilities to be relocated, and separated ROW to be maintained; Bus Rapid Transit would have required either interfering with traffic at stops, on an otherwise smooth moving thoroughfare, or paving over large portions of the Boulevard system (something my conscience would not allow); and lastly a subway, because I envision this system as a means for attracting development to these corridors based on their otherwise under-utilized proximity to CTA transfers, jobs, and other neighborhood amenities.
Phasing of Construction
The most obvious portion of this system is to connect the portions of the southside that are experiencing improvement with each other. In order to create the impression of a consistent whole. An engine for improving the livability of the overlooked Chicago. The first phase would be a tram line from the Museum of Science and Industry to the Garfield stop on the Red line (3.5 mi. 2 trains). A year later a line from Logan Square to the Garfield Park Conservatory (4 mi. 2 trains) Every year after that, alternating extensions of the lines. Garfield Red to Gage Park (2.5 mi. 2 trains), Conservatory to Pulaski Blue (2 mi. 1 train), Gage Park to McKinley Park (2.5 mi 1 train), Pulaski to Douglas Park (2 mi. 1 train), Douglas to McKinley (2.5 mi. 2 trains), Logan Square to the Chicago river (1.5 mi. 1 train), Washington Park along Drexel Boulevard to Pershing (3 mi. 2 trains), & Chicago river to the Lake Michigan along Diversey (2.5 mi. 2 trains).
Services Provided and Scheduling
Lake Michigan to Logan Square (4mi.)
This line would be a heavily desired, but costly. Placing it last, allows for Diversey to be redesigned to be carless. Only Buses and the Tram. This would allow for Diversey to be landscaped as the Boulevard it was intended to be in the original planning of the Boulevard system. This pedestrian street would start at Clybourn, where express buses would be routed along in order to head down Diversey to get onto a bus dedicated lane on Lake Shore Drive. When completed this would be the scheduling of trams:
:00 Diversey Harbor to Science & Industry
:10 Diversey Harbor to Logan Square
:20 Diversey Harbor to Drexel Boulevard
:30 Diversey Harbor to Science & Industry
:40 Diversey Harbor to Logan Square
:50 Diversey Harbor to Drexel Boulevard
Logan Square to Pulaski Blue Line (5mi.)
This line would be the northwest side, a lot of really cool areas, great building stock, just nothing that really ties the neighborhood to it's amenities. I mean a bus provides the transport, but a bus is nameless. This provides transit from Blue line to Blue line in only 15 minutes, compared with 35 minutes (not including waiting for either). Connecting Garfield and Humboldt parks is a must. Scheduling of trams would be as follows:
:00 Diversey Harbor to Science & Industry
:10 Logan Square to Pulaski Blue Line
:20 Diversey Harbor to Drexel Boulevard
:30 Diversey Harbor to Science & Industry
:40 Logan Square to Pulaski Blue Line
:50 Diversey Harbor to Drexel Boulevard
Pulaski Blue Line to McKinley Park (4 mi.)
This section of the Boulevard system is especially disorganized, a myriad of train overpasses, crossing the river, under highways. It's a mess, but along it are 3 transit lines, 2 large parks, the County Jail, and a lot of really good houses. This area is in more dire of straits, being North Lawndale and all, but this section also doesn't necessarily have to be built. It serves mainly as the connector of the northern and southern trunk lines. Scheduling:
:00 Diversey Harbor to Science & Industry
:10 Pulaski Blue Line to McKinley Park
:20 Diversey Harbor to Drexel Boulevard
:30 Diversey Harbor to Science & Industry
:40 Pulaski Blue Line to McKinley Park
:50 Diversey Harbor to Drexel Boulevard
McKinley Park to Garfield Red Line (5mi.)
McKinley Park has transit, warehouses, an amazing park, quick transit to Midway and downtown. It's a wonder Pilsen has been taking off before it, really. Connect this with the neighborhoods to the south near Gage park, beautiful Sherman park and over to the Red line, then you might have a nice Back of the Yards revival opportunity. If so, the residents would see a schedule similar to this:
:00 Diversey Harbor to Science & Industry
:10 McKinley Park to Garfield Red Line
:20 Diversey Harbor to Drexel Boulevard
:30 Diversey Harbor to Science & Industry
:40 McKinley Park to Garfield Red Line
:50 Diversey Harbor to Drexel Boulevard
Garfield Red Line to both Drexel Boulevard(3.5mi.)
& the Museum of Science and Industry(3.5mi.)
This section would split into two spurs, both would start at the Garfield Red line stop, where the area between eastbound and westbound Garfield now open to the Dan Ryan would be covered, and turned into a station with generous low water plantings, except for where a skylight would allow for light to continue to pour into the red line stop, without the rain doing so. Both lines woud continue into Washington Park along Morgan Drive. At this point the Drexel spur would turn along Rainey, continue onto Payne, and then onto Bowen before coming to it's final alignment on Drexel Boulevard until it does a turnaround at Cottage Grove and Pershing. The Science and Industry line would continue along Morgan to Payne and then via the Midway Plaisance through the University of Chicago, up Cornell and around the Museum. Both lines would expand the area possible for Universtity professors and students to consider living while attending U of C as well as providing access from citizens of the city, to otherwise difficult attractions to access via public transit. They would also have a service connecting the two legs, this is possible given that a full circuit of the lines is 30 minutes, exactly the interval betweenThe two lines would have schedules as so:
Drexel
:00 Drexel Boulevard to Science & Industry
:10 Drexel Boulevard to Garfield Red Line
:20 Drexel Boulevard to Diversey Harbor
:30 Drexel Boulevard to Science & Industry
:40 Drexel Boulevard to Garfield Red Line
:50 Drexel Boulevard to Diversey Harbor
Midway Plaisance
:00 Science & Industry to Drexel Boulevard
:10 Science & Industry to Garfield Red Line
:20 Science & Industry to Diversey Harbor
:30 Science & Industry to Drexel Boulevard
:40 Science & Industry to Garfield Red Line
:50 Science & Industry to Diversey Harbor
Tell me your thoughts, I'll see if I can get some updated images to help make the explanations, a little more enjoyable and seemingly less verbose. Thank you for taking some time to read this bit of my view on Chicago, my home sweet home.
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