Be Careful What You Wish For

By Jocelyn Geboy in Miscellaneous on May 24, 2007 10:04PM

Nearly all of us agree that Frank Kruesi was a big DB that couldn't keep the CTA from being in a continuous state of CF always leaving everyone going WTF? And it was with great hope that Chicagoist saw Ron Huberman come on board with promises of administrative cuts and just not being Frank Kruesi. However, over at Time Out Chicago, our old pal, Scott Smith, posted that, yet again, the CTA is threatening fare hikes and service cuts if they don't get additional funding. From somewhere. Anywhere. We took a look and ... whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold the hell up.

We were already irritated sitting on the train on the way home to write this post. Thinking to ourselves, "How often are they going to raise prices and cut service? Or keep threatening it? Hey, Olympic boxing man, box that!" But when we got home to actually look at what was what, we couldn't believe our eyes. The peak fare thing we go back and forth on. On one hand, it makes sense to make people pay more if they use something more. On the other, are you going to punish people for using the system more — make the people who are really supporting your system feel like they're getting dicked? If we're going to go this route, we should make people pay to use Lake Shore Drive during rush hour or something. Force people to get into the public transit scene a little more.

Not to mention, the fare increases are so confusing. Cash? Bus? Rail? Peak hours? Cash peak hours? Peak rail Chicago Card? What? $122.00 for a 30-day pass? That's Metra-esque prices, and until we can buy a beer and take a pee in a bathroom on the train, that doesn't seem like a reasonable increase. Honestly, nothing seems like a reasonable increase right now. So, a peak full fare on the train with a transfer to a bus on a transit card (not one of the slick beeping Chicago Cards) would be $3.75? From $2.00 now? A near 100% increase? You've got to be fucking kidding. (We were trying not to swear, but that's un. believe. able.)

And check out the bus cut proposals. All the prerequisite already underserved neighborhoods always get proposed service cuts. And then, all those great lines they added to supplement service to help with all the three-track crap (see the 130s - 140s)? Bye. Oh, and they're just going to get rid of the LaSalle bus altogether? Gotcha. From "no action" Frank to "I'm getting crazy" Ron. So, it's time to get out to those public "comment" meetings again. We'll be there. As per usual. Sigh.

P.S. The Diversey stop on the Brown Line will close for renovation Mon., June 25, but we'll probably start seeing signs Fri., June 22. Just a heads up.

Where to go to speak your mind and a comprehensive list of proposed bus route cuts after the jump....

Public comment meetings are:

Wednesday, June 13, 9:00 a.m.
CTA Headquarters
567 W. Lake
Chicago, IL 60661

In addition, public comments may be submitted to the board by email at ctahelp@transitchicago.com or writing to the following address: Chicago Transit Authority, P.O. Box 7567, Chicago, IL 60680, Attention: Gregory Longhini, Assistant Secretary, Chicago Transit Board. All written comments are due by June 11, 2007.

Proposed bus route cuts:

1 INDIANA/HYDE PARK
2 HYDE PARK EXPRESS
X3 KING DR LIMITED
X4 COTTAGE GROVE EXPRESS
7 HARRISON
X9 ASHLAND EXPRESS
17 WESTCHESTER
X20 WASHINGTON/MADISON EXPRESS
24 WENTWORTH
26 SOUTH SHORE EXPRESS
X28 STONY ISLAND EXPRESS
33 MAGNIFICENT MILE EXPRESS
38 OGDEN/TAYLOR
39 PERSHING
48 SOUTH DAMEN
49A SOUTH WESTERN
X49 WESTERN EXPRESS
53AL SOUTH PULASKI LIMITED
54A NORTH CICERO/SKOKIE BLVD
X54 CICERO EXPRESS
X55 GARFIELD EXPRESS
55A 55TH/AUSTIN
55N 55TH/NARRAGANSETT
56A NORTH MILWAUKEE
59 59TH/61ST
62H ARCHER/HARLEM
64 FOSTER/CANFIELD
69 CUMBERLAND/EAST RIVER
85A NORTH CENTRAL
86 NARRAGANSETT/RIDGELAND
90N NORTH HARLEM
93 CALIFORNIA/DODGE
96 LUNT
X98 AVON EXPRESS
100 JEFFERY MANOR EXPRESS
108 HALSTED/95TH
120 NW/WACKER EXPRESS
121 UNION/WACKER EXPRESS
122 ILLINOIS CTR/NW EXPRESS
123 ILLINOIS CENTER/UNION EXPRESS
125 WATER TOWER EXPRESS
127 MADISON/ROOSEVELT CIRCULATOR
129 WEST LOOP/SOUTH LOOP
132 GOOSE ISLAND EXPRESS
134 STOCKTON/LASALLE EXPRESS
135 CLARENDON/LASALLE EXPRESS
136 SHERIDAN/LASALLE EXPRESS
143 STOCKTON/MICHIGAN EXPRESS
144 MARINE/MICHIGAN EXPRESS
148 CLARENDON/MICHIGAN EXPRESS
156 LASALLE
157 STREETERVILLE
165 WEST 65TH
168 UIC/PILSEN EXPRESS
169 69TH/UPS EXPRESS
170 U OF C - MIDWAY
173 U OF C - LAKE VIEW EXPRESS
174 U OF C - GARFIELD STATIONS
192 U OF CHICAGO HOSPITALS- EXPRESS
200 MAIN SHUTTLE
201* CENTRAL/RIDGE
205 CHICAGO/GOLF
206 EVANSTON CIRCULATOR

Sweet.