Detroit gets a light rail line

[VIDEO] If I were to pay a visit to the great American city of Detroit - a place I visited in 2009 - I would find a light rail line.

Detroit is a city that at it's peak had over a million people has fallen on hard times and now is somewhere around have a million people. That city had significantly depopulated over the last 40 or so years.

It's a city that needs some good news, perhaps this light rail line is it, however, is it viable. Investment in public transit is never a bad thing, but it can be if it receives little use by the community it serves. And if a public transit line such as this Q-Line isn't used by the community then there can be little growth from it.

Either way, I wish I could get up there to ride those rails for free. It's only free through July 1st. When the system starts collecting fares how much will people support it.

Reason: Sean Malone's "No Vans Land": How a Small Businessman Beat NYC's Public Transit Union

[VIDEO] Often on this blog, I have shared stories from Reason which is a libertarian magazine that often does stories such as this. The interview with Sean Malone is mostly talking about a project he's doing about an NYC entrepreneur who is taking on the NYC transit authority as his business of moving people with vans have run afoul of NYC transit unions and NY City Council. The entrepreneur himself is Hector Ricketts who is a Jamaican immigrant and ultimately saw a need caused by insufficient transit services to healthcare worked by the NYC transit.

Later in this story it was noted that removal of some regulations when it comes to cosmetology in Mississippi - that is you're testing on cosmetology however you're not tested on hair braiding - caused an increase of jobs as shops opened specifically for hair braiding. The lesson, regulations may be OK in some instances however more regulations may not be very good for business.

CBS Chicago: CTA Recovers More Than 150 ‘L’ Line Maps Stolen By DePaul Students

I hope that these students know that such maps are available at the CTA's online gift shop although probably at a price that's enough to put a dent in their pockets:

But more than 150 maps were recently found and recovered from DePaul student housing, after the DePaulia student newspaper ran a story back on April 20 about students using the maps as decorations.

The DePaulia article by Shannon Shreibak suggested that stealing CTA maps had become a trend at the school. The very headline of the article said the thefts “symbolize a rite of passage.”

“One man’s map is another man’s poster. At least that’s the sentiment among DePaul students. Dorm and apartment walls are often decorated with a collection of stolen maps,” Shreibak wrote. “It seems to be our take on last generation’s abstract portrait hanging over the fireplace.”

The article also named and quoted students who admitted to stealing the maps, and had come up with justifications for doing so.

Freshman Joe Lanzerotti told the DePaulia that students were stealing maps “for the sport of it. It’s like catching PokéMon in real life almost.”

BTW what should these students expect:

A subsequent DePaulia article said the university instituted a search following the April 23 story, and students in possession of stolen maps had their names forwarded to the dean of students.

It is not clear whether the students will be disciplined. But the Tribune reports the CTA will not seek any discipline or criminal prosecution against the map thieves.

Spokesman Brian Steele told the Tribune that the CTA appreciates the esteem in which the students hold the agency, but theft cannot be condoned.

How lower income citizens commute....

Via New Geography:

In the nation's 51 major metropolitan areas (more than 1,000,000 population), 76.3% of lower income employees use cars to get to work, three times that of all other modes combined (Figure 1).

Admittedly, this is less than the 83.3% of all employees who use cars for the work trip, but a lot more than would be expected, especially among those who believe that transit is the principal means of mobility for low income citizens. Overall, 8 times as many lower income citizens commuted by car as by transit. In this analysis, lower income citizens are defined as employees who earn less than $15,000 per year, which is approximately one-half of the median earnings per employee of $29,701. .

Perhaps most surprising is the fact that only 9.6% of lower income citizens used transit to get to work. This is not very much higher than the 7.9% of all workers in the metropolitan areas who use transit. (Table 1).  

Why doesn't transit rank that high amongst low income commuters:

Transit's small market share has to do with its inherent impracticality as a means of getting to most employment. According to ground-breaking research by the Brookings Institution, low-income citizens could reach only 35 percent of jobs in the major metropolitan areas by transit in 90 minutes. In other words, you cannot get from here to there, at least for most trips. It is no more reasonable for lower income citizens to spend three hours per day commuting than it is for anyone else. A theoretical 90 minute one-way standard is no indicator of usable mobility. It is likely that only about 8 percent of jobs are accessible by lower income citizens in 45 minutes (Note 2) and 4 percent in 30 minutes.

For many, I'm sure public transportation is a lot more inconvenient than driving to where you need to go. It's probably inconvenient if you have to walk a block or more to get to where you need to go than to drive there. Although when it comes to driving you have to consider parking, how far away do you have to park from your destination.

Hat-tip Newsalert!

Today was an interesting day

Two encounters that could go under "the mentally ill/homeless in Chicago or on the CTA".

Today the first encounter was on State/Adams, where as I was approaching that intersection a homeless man was about to grab the arm of a fine young thing as she was about to cross the street. She yelled at him not to touch her. I could wonder why he attempted to grab her and my only guess could be that he's not all there. He may not know why he's doing that he just did.

The second encounter was on a red line train leaving the north side. There was this woman, she seemed like a young woman and while we were in the subway she just starting giggling. The only thing about that was well it wasn't necessarily giggling it was more noise that got the attention of most of us in the car. At times she seemed to be talking, but it was more gibberish than coherent words.

I looked back at her at several points and wondered what she was giggling about and no one was talking to her. Perhaps she had a flash back and was still giggling about it. Unfortunately for me I was on the train the entire time she was on the train and she calmed down for a period of time only to fire up again on several occasions along the red line.

There were a couple of young boys who boarded the train at 47th Street and they got off the train at 79th Street. One of them was a little unsettled by the behavior of this woman, as I said she just started giggling at random. Just when he was about to take his seat again, she flared up again and he went ahead and sat with his friend on the train until they got off.

At one point she actually was able to say a word. Whatever she said, I could only guess may be a reason why she's in the condition she was. I mean I have no way of knowing that, but I heard killed in there in the words she was saying. Either way even I was thinking about escaping from this woman, I was no where near her, but even I was like I can't take this noise. It bothers me more when this person has some issues mentally as she was displaying by her strange bursts of "laughter" and her gibberish language.

BTW, I got off at 95th. Usually I assume that when on the L you have somewhere you need to go, but at the end of the line you're not going anywhere else. If you're on the train at 95th when everyone else is getting off you remain, that's an indication that you have no where you need to be. Who knows she may encounter more people on the train who may be disturbed somewhat by her behavior.

Recovery.org signs on CTA Blue Line

 

 

Marathon Pundit, I do think I have something for you. Those Obama-like Stimulus signs you talk about are seen on the Blue Line. I took the first pic at the stairway at Monroe across the street from Chase Tower, the other pic was at Clark/Lake.

Videographer Fail

Well this person isn't what you would consider your typical railfan. And this isn't to generalize, however, I'm not sure I would expect a tirade from a person who's hobby is to take video or photos of trains. Also the guy who got into his shot really does need to put his Ipod away!

I hate to see this

Well this is only an assumption, but I was on the #4 Cottage Grove bus heading north and there was someone using such foul language on the bus and I got the belief that it was used on children. It probably came to me because these little babies were crying. Not knowing what the language means but certainly by the actions of their mother who probably wasn't in a good mood.

When I got off the bus, I saw the mother and she had two children one in her lap another in a carriage. The messed up thing about this was that the mother was sucking her own thumb. I thought, heh, it's no wonder she's still a baby herself. She didn't look that much older she might have been a teenaged mother with two babies already.

I have a theory. She might grow out of it I would hope, but if you curse your children out and you did this consistently with utterly no respect for them then they may not know respect when they grow up. A teacher could tell them to sit down and be as polite as can be, but they wouldn't be able to hear that. You might literally have to scream or curse to keep their attention.

It could be more complicated than that, but I think it could explain perhaps some of my experiences in high school. Short of expelling students or suspending them sometimes polite suggestion isn't key to keeping control of the classroom. At the same time some kids you can talk to politely or without making sure that you use some words that they can relate to.

This should also go on the CTA Tattler! :P

Obnoxious talking people on the train!

I can't stand it when people are loud and on their phone. What makes it worse is that they're loud with their profane language. No one wants to hear their drama on the L!

Most of this woman's drama was about some dude and she claims he ain't nothing and will tell him so to his face. The way she was talking and the language she uses she may be oblivious to the fact that perhaps her own behavior is what drives people away. Especially the men who may not be the dead beat that she's really talking down on the phone.

A couple of people got as far away from her as possible as she was really loud on the phone. You know if someone dared to say something to her she'd have a fit, like who are you. But she's the one being inconsiderate of her surroundings!

DUMB!

Went downtown today

I was on the L sometime after 11AM and I encounter a couple of interesting characters on my way towards the Loop.

The first sat next to me even though there were plenty of seats to be had on the train. I thought it was unusual especially when you had your pic and the train wasn't particularly crowded. He was talking like he knew people on the train.

He moved to this other girl on the train and sat next to her. In doing so he chose to crouch down like he was hiding. From what? I had uttely no idea. He talked to this girl like he knew her and for real not like he knew everybody.

Now by 69th Street he got off the train and he did the same thing walking away from this girl. He crouched back down onto the floor like he was hiding. And then made it back to the doors he must have boarded the train thru. Then apparently he did some kind of dance and he had the other passengers talking about him like something was off. There probably was something off!

Anyway as the train pulled off from 69th Street he didn't go anywhere he was sitting on the platform as the train pulled off. He was still munching on his McDonald's fries and I must say he didn't look like he could've been homeless. If nothing else he may have had no where he needed to be on this day.

This next character after 69th Street I ran into him numerous times. You can see one such story here. In any case he was on the train begging as has been the general experience with this man, but there was a woman on board the train who decided to start talking about him loudly. That invited him to stick around on this car a little longer instead of moving on.

He was mumbling some stuff and then mentioned that he went to war college and he put himself thru that sh*t. And then he finally moved on but this woman was still talking about. She said that he smelled like death (I never smelled him thank goodness) and that she said he had two bookbags and he carried his life in them.

Then no other characters. I spend a brief period of time downtown. Basically I was supposed to pay my mother's water bill but City Hall was closed I had to get a shot of the signs that congratulated the President-elect (the signs apparently were paid for by Mayor Daley's campaign committee looking at the fine print in red though perhaps for some of you that's old news). I got a few mobile phone photos of the sign.

I had trouble walk thru Daley Plaza with the Christkindlmarkt going on and there was about to be an animal rights protest that started on Daley Plaza. I checked out the studios of CBS 2 with a photo of the CBS logo on Washington. Then I headed to State Street towards Macy's and it seemed oddly busy even if they've fired the original Christmas window dressers that were holdover's from the Marshall Field's era.

I decided to go shopping but basically for stuff I could buy at any store back on the south side. Either way I decided I wasn't going to stick around the loop this afternoon. I'll be back home for a much longer period in two weeks so I'll have plenty of time to lounge around. That was my brief time in the Loop this afternoon.

On the same trip at the beginning of this story read this blog from Chicago Carless about the new policy regarding continuos riding that Mike Doyle believed is directed towards the homeless on the L.

I visited the online CTA Gift Store

I must say I like some of their items but what I really wanted to see was a holder for any CTA Chicago Card or pass and they don't seem to sell anymore. They might want to consider developing that product unless of course from the times they did sell them, when the primary fare media was the Transit Card, they didn't make a lot of money off of that. Still it's great to see their gift shop back.

I could honest go for either their CTA messenger bag. The one that has one of the old CTA logos and perhaps any product that contains an old CTA token. It's also awesome to have a t-shirt with signage from your neighborhood L stop. Even a farecard shaped mouse pad.

I just wish there was a way to suggest items for this store to sell, but it's a good start.

Oh do what I did last night. Just copy and paste the CTA's website at transitchicago.com. Go to the "Wayback Machine" at archive.org. Then go back thru the years of old CTA website designs and look up Gift Express, and see what products they sold back in either the late 1990s or early 2000s.

The mentally ill on the Chicago 'L'

Case one was a guy who got on the train at Cermak. He wasn't dressed badly but he still had a homeless look. He didn't look clean and he sure didn't look like he should be wearing heavy boots during the summer.

In any case he started rapping on the train. I didn't totally comprehend what he was saying, but he was loud and vulgar. That much I was certain of.

Someone on the train was talking about him loudly and this guy moved on. I quickly figured out what he was rapping about. A white lady was on the train with us and after he got off the train I figured out that he was saying, "Get your ass up off this bitch!" He directed that at this white lady who got off the train at 35th.

On a whim he also got off the train at 35th. Thank goodness! Before the train pulled off he gave a nice solid kick to the train and we the passengers on board heard a nice little thump! As she moved away from him he was still yelling at her and she kept going although I'd be concerned that he'd try to make an assault.

You know maybe he didn't like her because she was white, but she didn't deserve that. Whatever did she do to him. If some white woman did a number to him many years ago, settling the score doesn't involve talking about some random white woman on the train.

Also I ran into a guy I thought I've seen on the train before. This guy was begging and unlike the last time I saw him during the past winter, at least he wasn't talking about hating people and that he "should kill you" and also spitting all over the place with little regard for where the phlegm landed. You could still tell he had some problems that should be apparent, but he knew enough to still beg for some change.

Another passenger on board the train was complaining under her breath. Today had to be the day for these crazy people on this train. I was thinking the same thing, when you think about it.

I wish I can say this doesn't happen, but it does. I wish I could tell you how long I've been riding the 'L' and I can't say that I've ever had a day like this. Of course there have been people with issues on board the train in the past. Whether they're homeless, mentally ill, or in one case an obvious drug addict.

Let's talk about the drug addict.

A few years ago I was on the train and it was almost rush hour and some silly kids where really humiliating this drug addict who got on this train begging. This man looked horrible there was a moment I saw that his skin was peeling off.

In any case to get more money the kids told him to go up and down the aisle singing. I don't remember the song, but I'm sure the song selection would have been humiliating to the drug addict although he was getting his he may not have cared. He got his money from the kids (or I should say teenagers who looked like they were high school aged) and even he realized he was being humiliated and indicated that he'd have enough.

The stories one can tell by being on the 'L' and the people out there who required help in their lives. Especially to get off the streets, mental health help, or even help with addiction. Of course they won't seek help if they refuse to acknowledge that they have a problem. Too bad that we'll know, hear, or even read stories like this.

I took a bus on Ashland yesterday

I was out early enough to take an Ashland express bus yesterday. I was sitting behind some seats with these stickers.

When I see these I was thinking what could these mean, then I just thought this was a reference to those who have recovered from addictions to drugs and alchohol. I also wonder if this was a plea for them to vote based upon issues of recovery.



BTW, before I sat here I noticed a beer can, Budweiser, sitting here. I moved it only because it was in the way, but I wonder if someone just couldn't wait to have a drink before they get on a CTA bus. The Ashland route is one of the longest in the city so who knows whether this can came from some who lives in the ghetto or from all the way on the city's north side. Whoever left that can on the bus certainly needs some recovery.



Anyway one of those stickers has a website, www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org. I should see what they represent.

The end of the Jackson Park L east of Cottage Grove

I found this video that showed the demolition of this L line we would today call the East 63rd Green Line. That part of town could have had that L line as a sort of asset but it was determined to be a part of the blight on that part of town and there was success in tearing it down.

Imagine this, once upon a time this line went into Jackson Park right past Stony Island. Don't believe me? Check out this page from Chicago-L.org.

This decision seems to have been controversial and I would like to point you in the direction of this article...

In a controversial decision that brought an angry reaction from community activists in the audience, the Chicago Transit Authority Board voted Wednesday to back a plan to tear down a three-quarter-mile section of the Green Line.

The board followed the lead of the city, which contends that demolition of the CTA's elevated structure between Cottage Grove and Dorchester Avenues is critical for residential redevelopment along 63rd Street in the economically depressed Woodlawn neighborhood.

The long-running battle over the rail segment now shifts to Washington, where federal officials have been asked by the city to provide funds for demolition and forgo repayment of grants used to make improvements on the line.

The debate over whether to retain or tear down the Cottage-to-Dorchester segment has stretched over the last two decades, said Joseph Boyle Jr., the city's commissioner of planning and development.

Disagreement on what to do has "prolonged the discussion and delayed the decision," and there has been little development along 63rd as a result, Boyle told the board. Taking down the elevated structure "will allow 63rd Street to become a focal point for community activity rather than a barrier," he asserted.

Demolition opponents charged that the tear-down plan is designed to permit continued purchase of city-owned parcels along 63rd by the Apostolic Church of God and its pastor, Bishop Arthur Brazier, a veteran Woodlawn community leader. But Boyle said the city's only interest is in neighborhood regeneration.

Citing the results of a March 12 hearing and other public comment, city officials have told the Federal Transit Administration that 56 percent of area residents favor demolition.

Activists who oppose razing the structure charged Wednesday that the numbers were "ginned," and they slammed the CTA's decision to support the city's position.

"I think it was an act of cannibalism," declared Jackie Leavy, project coordinator of the Neighborhood Capital Budget Group, a community-redevelopment umbrella group. "They are eating up their own rapid-transit infrastructure.

"In 10 years, when the Woodlawn community repopulates, those householders are going to be asking why they don't have clean, quiet rapid-transit service," Leavy said. "Clearly the facts show that redevelopment has been going at an increasing pace for several years."

The deed was done and if you go over to Hyde Park Progress and look at this post, people are still talking about this if you look in the comments. Here's an example:

This facility, however, was never opened and was actually torn down due to political pressure brought to bear on the CTA® by certain residents of Woodlawn and Reverend Arthur Brazier, who believed the structure over East 63rd Street would further blight Woodlawn and prevent redevelopment.

That is one of the more bizarre chapters of CTA history, right there. And, I must say, one of the more prominent cases of human folly in recent history.

Brought to you by the same guy who developed the 47th Street Co-Op location.

A mindset straight out of the early 60s -- Urban Renewal written all over it. Old timers with old ideas -- a problem in every neighborhood.

In a time where we want to get cars off the road for the sake of the environment and to ease congestion I hope that we never buy into this idea that we don't need an L or some form of rapid transit. Or indeed that an L contributes to blight when it could have just as easily been spruced up and been in regular service.

If Woodlawn is ever going to become the next hot neighborhood, especially if the University of Chicago is moving further south, I wonder if CTA could just simply do a re-extension? Perhaps there can be L service to the Museum of Science and Industry.

On the bus

I decided to take a trip to Hyde Park today before I continued thru downtown Chicago. If you didn't know Hyde Park is the home of the Democratic nominee for President, Sen. Barack Obama. Also it's a vibrant and diverse neighborhood right on the lakefront with parks on the west (Washington Park) another on the Lakefont (with Promontory Point) and of course one to the south (Jackson Park).

There's the Museum of Science and Industry in Jackson Park. There's also the wonderful campus of the Senator's former employer, the University of Chicago. In addition there is some nice housing stock abound as well. You might find mansions that I'm sure wouldn't look out of place in the suburbs, but it's right in the city. Of course if you were looking for housing in Hyde Park there's always apartments and probably some condominiums as well.

As for transit well there is no direct L access there. You do have Metra if you want a train to take downtown. Of course Hyde Park is easily served by CTA buses. If you're lucky you might catch an express bus to downtown. Or perhaps you can catch a bus to an L line such as either the Green Line or the Red Line.

I was on the bus when I took this pic today. I took the route 6 Jackson Park Express into downtown today. A nice view of the lakefront and it was cool riding thru the nice parts of Hyde Park.

BTW, this is the excuse to provide some advice.

If by any chance you're going to be taking the bus for any reason, I would suggest you get the Chicago Card. The reason being is that you get and extra 2% fare by adding $20 to your card. And when you board a bus especially some of the low-floor buses, all you have to do is turn to your left and scan that card.

While one can still use the transit card you won't have the economic advantage on those cards as you would with the Chicago Card. I've seen one too many black folks boarding a bus using a transit card though even with the transit card when it was the most common fare card in use there were those who insisted to pay their fare in cash. of course this was before it cost $2.00 in cash to ride the bus or train and these days there is no longer a transfer unless you use a transit card or Chicago Card.

I had the misfortune of losing mine. I didn't but mine back in my wallet and it did have the tendency to fall out of my pocket. I'm still in pain from that because I had just put $20 on it. Never fear though I went to CTA headquarters to get another one and thankfully it didn't cost me a dime.

Well thankfully with the new card I have a PIN number to use so that the next time my card gets lost, CTA will replace the card although they will subtract the amount as a replacement fee. You have to provide the PIN number however. I don't know if there's such an assurance for those with the transit card.

I remember one time I used a transit card and I had put a few dollars on it. Unfortunately it got bent and when I attempted to use it on a rail turnstyle, it didn't work. I never did get a reimbursement if there would have been one. Oh and yeah this includes defective or damaged Chicago Cards if you need to replace one.

Sorry for the distraction. There's one more thing.

Notice how crowded this bus was? It was only noon and there wasn't a seat on board the bus to be had! Hyde Parkers will use a bus for sure.

Links
Chicago Card website
Historical CTA fares

This L video takes me back!!!

I for the heck of it was looking for videos about Chicago-L and I found some very old ones. Some reminded me of rides I never took and those that I have often, such as this one. I remember many years ago the Dan Ryan line could take us to the west side on Lake Street. We would leave Cermak then go near 18th Street and then back down in an alley between State and Wabash.

My mother and I would often go downtown at least on the weekends. We didn't take the L much probably before the switch because she chose to drive downtown and pay for parking. As a result I don't recall taking an L before the Dan Ryan line was rerouted into the State Street Subway to become the current CTA Red Line.

However, what I do remember is being on some of the first runs after the rerouting. There were colorful balloons, pamphlets, and maps commemorating and informing us of the switch. I wish I knew what I did with some of those today. I know that the balloons probably wouldn't have lasted anyway.

In any case looking at this vid, I would have been oblivious to the opening of the Roosevelt station on what is now the CTA Green Line. The Green Line being a result of rerouting trains from Englewood and Jackson Park (or East 63rd) into the loop thru the west side. Previously Englewood/Jackson Park trains were on their way to the north side instead thru the State Street subway.

Indeed you should see a portal in this video that was where those trains would have entered the subway. Of course before you see the train pull off from Cermak-Chinatown you will see a switch where instead of going up to the elevated tracks along 18th Street, you would move to the right and that would take you into another portal that will send you into the State Street subway. Hmmm, I always thought it took us passengers a while before we arrived at Roosevelt Road, the first stop in the subway from the south side. I have always figured that if the train had gone in where they used to at 13th Street (for the old Englewood/Jackson Park-Howard alignment) it didn't take long to get to Roosevelt. Well that's my thinking anyway.

It was great to see these vids. It reminds me of the time where passengers were able to sit in what's referred to as a rail fan seat. They would be on the opposite side of the motorman and it gives them an eagle eye at the front of the train. It was exciting when I was younger but somewhat disappointed when CTA went to an OPTO system with one person operating the train. And these days the area near the motorman's position is cordoned off so as to not disrupt the motorman as now he not only has to drive the train, but also open and close the doors. That in addition to handling any problems aboard the train including disruptive passengers, criminal activity, or bum brakes.

Anyway I didn't intend to turn this post into a CTA historical gushfest. So if you want to know more Chicago-L.org is where you should go. Also check out the rest of the CTA vids here and be sure to search for appropriately enough "Chicago L".

For What It's Worth: CTA Blue Line makes unplanned stops

Some great pics to be had over that way from the blog of a lawyer Jack Leyhane about his day on the CTA Blue Line which found itself stuck yesterday morning in the subway. A story you might not see in any mainstream news source. His account certainly disputes what the CTA said. CTA says 25 minutes, Mr. Leyhane says 90 minutes.

Changes are coming to 35th Street

If there were still housing projects on 35th, I would wonder if this project would have ever been given a red light. Even if it was a good idea. From today's Sun-Times...

A year and a half after plans were announced, construction is set to begin this summer on a Metra station serving U.S. Cellular Field and the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Metra is about to begin seeking contractors for the new stop, and spokeswoman Meg Reile said, "We should start seeing some action there later this year."

The station is supposed to open next year, serving Metra's Joliet-to-Chicago Rock Island District Line, connecting the La Salle Street station in the Loop with Joliet. But Metra officials hope ultimately to reroute the SouthWest Service Line tracks north of 55th Street onto the Rock Island Line, so both lines stop at 35th Street.

IIT donated half of the land needed for the stop and agreed to maintain the landscaping.

The inbound station platform is on the IIT campus, so Sox fans will have to walk under a viaduct to reach the stadium.

You know I have to admit though while Metra is talking about building new stations, there are some such as this one that needs an upgrade.

Public Affairs: Rep Julie Hamos

State Rep. Julie Hamos was responsible for House Bill 565 that allowed for a sales tax increase of a quarter of a percent in the City of Chicago and the collar counties that would be used to fund public transportation in the region. Indeed this is the bill that the governor tacked on his free rides for senior citizens at the last minute. This bill is law now though and most of you in Chicago have no worries about how the system is going to work as a result of slashed services and fare increases.

Let's go backwards in time here. I just saw this watching some Illinois Channel on their streaming video feed (it's on the home page). Julie Hamos was on Public Affairs with Jeff Berkowitz on September 6, 2007. The two doomsday dates before January 20th hadn't come to pass yet. And the budget has just recently passed and I do believe the General Assembly was debate some of the governor's line item vetoes.

It's basically a good policy discussion, but I want to focus on the last part of the program. Berkowitz brought up the idea of auctioning off a garage and having a private company providing transit services. I don't particularly have a problem with this idea and who's to say that we won't find ourselves going in that direction in the future.