SAFETY FIRST

While it's true the CTA has had some issues with providing safety for passengers...it can't be overlooked the importance of paying attention to your surroundings and trying to avoid preventable mistakes.

CTA WEBSITE

The website for the CTA is quite extensive providing a host of services. I routinely check routes when I need to travel and are not sure of the way to get there.

PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS FOR CTA IN 2010-2011

The improvements set to take place in CTA service are impressive.

When the CTA's first new rail cars in 14 years arrive next year, they'll have wireless Internet connectivity, electronic diagnostic systems and live security feeds transmitting to first-response agencies citywide.

After looking at rail systems throughout Europe, Asia and other U.S. cities, Huberman said the agency began debating which rail car designs would work best for Chicago.New rail cars should be in use by the end of 2011, Huberman says. After a six to nine month design process, during which some test cars will be used on the city's rails, the new cars are scheduled to begin leaving the assembly line in 2010.

RATED #1 PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Tokyo, Japan was voted the top public transportation locale. The only city in the United States listed was New York.

Probably one of the most complex transit systems in the world, the public transportation system in Tokyo can only be describe as massive. The public transportation system in Tokyo is based on a combination of light rail, ferry, bus, and the famous, and privately owned, subway lines of Tokyo.

To put the sheer magnitude of the Tokyo public transportation lines in perspective, if you were to combine the entire number of trips done in the city (all 10.6 billion of them), you would get the same number of trips from all the transportation of the continental United States and Canada combined. Needless to say, if you want to get anywhere in Tokyo, you can do it via public transport. You might just have to shuffle from line to line, to do so.

Public Transportation is an important vehicle in maintaining upwardly mobile Urban environments. Daley needs to do a better job of perserving this vital Chicago resource.

SERVICE CUTS AND LAYOFFS

While Chicago was able to avoid fare hikes (so far), there is still a tremendous amount of service cuts that will take place in 2010.

No big fare hikes, but still service cuts remain for now, and with those cuts come 1,100 layoffs.The deal calls for the RTA to borrow $166 million over the next two years for CTA operating funds. The state would pay the interest of almost $16 million in 2010 and 2011. After that, the RTA is on the hook for the interest.

WOMANS CLAIMS ARE BELIEVABLE

November 11, 2009 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- The Chicago Transit Authority says a woman's claims that her child was thrown onto the El tracks after her stroller got stuck in the doors of a train may be plausible.

The CTA maintains the train's door was working properly. It's designed to open when something blocks it from closing. But after conducting a series of tests using the stroller, the CTA found there is a possibility the stroller did get stuck in the door.

The child, who was thrown onto the tracks at the Rogers Park Morse Red Line station Nov. 2, was not seriously hurt.
"It appears that what she's been reporting and testified to could have occurred at this time, again nothing faulty with the train," said Richard Rodriguez, CTA president. "They were operating as designed. We will now turn attention to the rail operator."

CONT'D HAZARDOUS ALTERCATIONS WITH CTA...

November 25, 2009 12:05

A man was struck by a westbound No. 76 Diversey bus at the intersection of Lincoln and Diversey avenues at about 5:15 p.m., police and CTA officials said.

While potential fares increase amid service disruptions, there are more incidents of accidents involving CTA buses and trains. More attention needs to be paid to training, customer service and care of passengers.

SERVICE CHANGES A THREAT TO STUDENTS WELL BEING.....

CTA Cuts Mean Dire Consequences for Students at local Chicago schools.We’ve had the CTA’s faults hammered into our heads for months now. The implications are staggering for work and for play. But what about school?

Those who attend Steinmetz High School on the Northwest Side are a good example of how Springfield’s lack of funding could have a deeper impact on our social fabric.Steinmetz students are complaining that changed routes expose them to possible gang activity.

Longer waits for fewer buses, and more kids from various schools taking the same bus, might also mean more opportunity for fights. Another concern is reduced transit for kids who stay late for after-school programs.

Talks have begun between CPD and CPS about increased police detail and added shuttles (and the city will get money for this where?).

In October 2009, Senate Democrats held the legislation that allows for impoverished senior citizens to recieve free CTA transportation. Gov. Blogojevich approved this last year, to which Mayor Daley is opposed. As he expressed, this is a great perk, but who is going to pay for it?

According to a CTA source, the agency believed it had a deal with Quinn and the four legislative leaders to freeze fares in 2010 and 2011 in exchange for letting the poorest seniors continue to ride free while charging more financially secure seniors as little as 85 cents. But Quinn backed down, the source said.

“Maintaining the status quo comes with a high price,” CTA spokeswoman Noelle Gaffney said in a prepared statement. “The CTA has to have a balanced budget. Fares will go up. Service will be reduced. And more than 1,000 employees will lose their jobs. That is not the outcome we wanted, but those with the power to avoid it chose not to act.”

FINAL PRESENTATION

I will be writing a letter to Mayor Daley concerning the CTA and its related problems. Specifically I will initially discuss the drama surrounding the woman who's baby was rolled onto a CTA platform after being trapped in the doors of the train. I will cover additional issues with the CTA as well, including the continued cut in service while costs for ridership escalates.

COMMUNITY BUILDING.......

Community Building is the concerted effort by residents of a particular area to aide / support the enhancement of their neighborhoods. As demonstrated in article 19 of the text, individuals taking an interest in the area they reside, is traditionally the way changes are implemented in a community.

In Chicago's Edgewater community.....there is The Edgewater Development Corporation (EDC) which is a local non-profit (501c3), community-based organization with the mission to redevelop the commercial resources of Edgewater to better serve the entire Edgewater Community.

Some of the efforts by EDC include the following:

EDC is pleased to present the community's vision for the Red Line Stations and the surrounding commercial districts in Edgewater. In the spring of 2007, over 150 community leaders and residents invested valuable time and effort to develop this vision through a series of community planning sessions, also known as “charrettes.” These charrettes focused on three major issues: the features and amenities desired in the stations; the urban design of the business districts adjacent to the stations; and retail offerings in these business districts.

EQUITY IN ACTION EVENT

Firstly, this was a great event!

In regards to taxi drivers concerns, I agree that changes need to be made. Having to deal with personal assault and racist remarks from customers is unacceptable and something needs to be done about it. I agree that implementing stricter penalties against perpetrators (as the case with road construction crews) would be appropriate. While it is true that they are working long hours for minimal pay, many americans are, so there won't be a lot of general sympathy about this.

It is also unfortunate for riders that more drivers do not portray themselves as professionals. Many times, drivers are on their cell phones while working, demonstrate little or no customer service, and frankly do not practice good hygiene.

The migrant workers plight is a bit more complex. As a resident of the area, I too would not want to have groups of men congregating in the area on a daily basis. To me, this constitutes general loitering and is routinely enforced in many areas of the city. While they are seeking work, more organization is needed, such as the work centers mentioned.

NOT winning the Olympic bid has its downside......

The Olympic bid was a devastating loss to Chicago in a variety of ways, but certainly the opportunity for city development tops the list. These efforts would have played a vital role not only in profiling what a great city Chicago is, but the ensueing development would have created jobs, and greatly contributed to the infrastructure of the city.

The Washington Park area in particular, which would have been home to Olympic Stadium (would have hosted track and field events, as well as opening and closing ceremonies) and the Olympic Aquatics Center, certainly could have used the revenue. This area is plagued by abandoned homes and lack of investment, despite being a stone's throw from Barrack Obama's Chicago residence.

The challenge now is to convince investors Washington Park and the surrounding area, has the same potential now that it did when seeking venues for the Olympic games, except now, you can do it for the city and it's people.

Interesting entry NOT text...

I thought I would explore the topic of art for this entry. Urban art in its rarest form is graffiti. Graffiti is associated with gang related tagging of territory but is also tied to people needing to express themselves.

The Artistic Bombing Crew (ABC) ABC is an old school Chicago Graffiti crew that has its roots in the early 80's Hip Hop movement in Chicago. ABC started from a few artists in the Logan Square neighborhood, to include over a dozen artists and writers from all over the city.

This is a piece of art from 1986: "Take & DC" On the Blue line near Montrose

BLOG 2 ASSIGNMENT CONT'D....SEE SEPT. 3RD
COMMENTS FOR PRIOR POSTINGS!!