Chatham Southeast Citizen P. 18 | 8 / 22 / 02

Resident sees public transportation problems disappearing in a line of gray

Transportation advocacy group takes proposal under consideration

by Corey Hall Residents of the southeast Lakefront community would receive rapid transit service from the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) if a proposed Gray Line ever becomes reality. Chesterfield resident Michael Payne has authored a "Gray Line Conversion" proposal. When explaining the new necessity, he noted that the southeast Lakefront corridor is the only region from downtown Chicago into the city not serviced by the CTA. The CTA's existing set-up, he believes, causes too many problems.

"Because the Red Line is the only 'L' service south of 63rd Street, it must accommodate all the passengers from an area many miles to the east and west of the line itself", Payne said. "This results in severe overcrowding at times on both the Red Line trains, and the bus routes that feed it, especially the number 79 79th Street bus". Furthermore, Payne added, to avoid Metra's infrequent schedule or lengthy bus trips to 'L' stops located at the Dan Ryan, many southeast side residents choose to drive. The Gray Line, he said, would put Metra's in-city electric district lines to better use. Thereby reducing congestion caused by vehicular traffic.

Under Payne's proposal, the CTA would pay Metra a fee to operate its two-level high-liner electric trains that, he noted, run at a low passenger capacity during off-peak hours. The proposal also discusses how the new service would handle off-peak and rush hour periods.

"Off-peak service would see trains run every 20 minutes on the South Chicago and the 115th St. / Kensington Branches, providing 10 minute headways north of 63rd Street. This is comparable to the 20 minute off-peak service on the Cermak / Forest Park branches of the Blue Line," Payne said. "During rush hour, trains would operate every 10 to 14 minutes on the branches, and every five to seven minutes north of 63rd Street."

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