Local urban-affairs blogger Aaron Renn says there’s a very good reason Chicago doesn’t have a world-class transit system: it doesn’t want one. Recently on his The Urbanophile blog, Renn began a multi-part series examining why Chicago never seems to be able to get its act together to plan, build, and maintain innovative public-transit infrastructure the likes of which other world cities have enjoyed for years. Even though Chicagoans love to complain at length about the CTA, could it be we actually think the agency is doing a good-enough job?
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Chicago Transit Authority president Richard Rodriguez canceled the free-car perq for dozens of high-ranking CTA managers. So why does the president of the nation’s second-largest public transit system continue to drive to work instead of riding his own agency’s buses and ‘L’ trains?
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
This week, the Chicago Transit Authority is surveying riders on the front page of its website. As you might expect (especially in the still-turbulent wake of Ron Huberman’s exit), the agency is doing a rotten job of it.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
A visit from an NYC friend yesterday reminded me how much I prefer the Chicago ‘L’–and Chicago, in general–over New York and its (apparently) increasingly dangerous subway. Click above to view my premiere video blog and I’ll tell you my reasons why.
Estimated reading time: 37 seconds
The Chicago Tribune’s John Hilkevitch reports today that due to the failing economy, the Chicago Transit Authority is now facing a budget crisis so huge that the agency my simply cease operating in 2010 without emergency state funding. So why isn’t this front-page news?
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Yesterday, the Chicago Transit Authority opened the long-heralded Polk Street entrance to the Harrison Street Red Line ‘L’ station months ahead of schedule. If you didn’t know that, you’re not alone. Most people probably still have no clue the entrance is open.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
As all of Boystown–and all of Chicago media, for that matter–already knows, former Chicago Transit Authority President Ron Huberman is a proud gay man. Today, however, for the first time, that fact was reported in citywide media.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
A world city rises and falls on the strength of its public transit, no matter what Mayor Daley says. World city leaders know this through and through. So why doesn’t Daley?
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
This week, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley made his most uninformed, misguided decision in recent memory by deciding to pull Chicago Transit Authority President Ron Huberman out of the post and install him as the CEO of Chicago Public Schools.
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
It may be the biggest heist in Chicago history, folks, and it’s right under our noses. Or our feet, anyway. One look at this year’s new Chicago Transit Authority map uncovers the dastardly deed: someone has stolen the Washington/State Red Line station.
Estimated reading time: 12 minutes