Chicago Maroon Pg. 1 | 10 / 11 / 02

Local man proposes new CTA "Gray Line"

Plan suggests to combine Metra Electric Line trains with CTA schedule and fare system

By Charlotte Van Den Hout

MAROON News Contributor

A plan is currently under review with the Chicago Area Transportation Study (CATS) to convert the Metra Elecric Line that runs along Chicago's south lakeshore into a CTA "Gray Line." The plan proposes to use Metra tracks and double-decker trains and apply to them a CTA schedule and fare systme, with trains running every 10 to 20 minutes. According to the plan's author, Mike Payne, a field technician from Chicago, the change would not require any heavy construction. "It would mainly involve sprucing up the stations and installing CTA fare equipment and Customer Assistants," he said. "By using already existing tracks and trains, the Gray Line could be installed for a cost of about $5 million per mile, whereas a regular CTA line would run up to $100 million per mile."

Payne believes that a CTA Gray Line would bring many benefits to the community. Besdies connecting Hyde Park and other south lakeshore communities withone another with locations such as Grant Park, the museum campus, and the south loop, Payne foresees the plan as having economic advantages for Hyde Park. "An 'L' line running through Hyde Park wold create an immense amount of economic opportunities," Payne said, adding that it would bring more people to local stores, reduce the use of cars, which in turn would enhance air quality, and relieve parking problems in the area.

Payne is convinced that both the Metra and CTA wouold also benefit from the suggested collaboration, although he commented that the two transit organizations have not yet been convinced of the merits. According to Payne, CTA's ridership would increase immensely, with an new set of travelers coming from the southeastern lakefront, and area that was insufficiently covered by previous CTA routes. Currently, the Metra's peak hours are mornings and late afternoons, and many trains go unused during the middle of the day. Payne argues that the change would increase Metra's profits by increasing the number of commuters throughout the day with the proposed frequent running schedule and CTA fare system.

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