Metra

•"CTA gets $74M from Metra, Pace to delay 40 percent service cuts next year" (Sun-Times)

•Maria Tampico, busker at CTA Blue Line Washington station, has died at 76 (Sun-Times)

Plus a discussion of why at many Metra stations, if you're not a daily commuter, it can be maddeningly non-obvious which platform you need to wait on.

As previously reported by the Daily Herald's Marni Pike, it's come to light that Metra hired a team of outside lawyers to conduct an internal investigation of its Police Department that cost almost $1.57 million. The investigation took place due to anonymous complaints made to the commuter railroad about "disparate treatment" of employees at the force. According to a follow-up article by the Chicago Tribune's Sarah Freishtat, these allegations included "workplace sexual relationships, harassment of female officers, racism, special treatment of some officers and inconsistency in police policies."

Changes to North Central Service, Milwaukee West schedules are coming.

In June, Metra and local elected leaders celebrated the opening of a new station on the Union Pacific North Line at Peterson and Ridge. It’s already a success, with up to 300 daily riders during rush hours on peak days. But as Streetsblog noted, the project took much longer than expected. At the ribbon-cutting, Metra officials cited budget holdups during the Rauner Administration, and challenges getting permits from the Water Department.

Attendees were asked about their interest in taking Metra to O’Hare International Airport, Midway Airport and the Fulton Market District.

The railroad recently launched a survey to get a better sense of how riders use the system post-pandemic.

In addition, Halsted Street station will get weekend service, and Downers Grove's Fairview stop will become an off-peak stop.