The city hopes to relieve route bottlenecks with short stretches of bus-only lanes and other upgrades. But bolder steps are needed if we really want to make the bus a more appealing travel option.
Streetsblog writer Courtney Cobbs discussed the topic at an event hosted by the Chicago Style Committee of the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics.
Lowering the tax on shared trips, the kind most South and West siders take, is a good idea. But more of the revenue should be used for CTA upgrades, including more robust bus lanes.
Lori Lightfoot’s platform showed she understands that our city needs a less auto-centric transportation system. Let’s make sure she follows through on her promises.
Living in a neighborhood with lots of bus service is of limited use if the buses get stuck in traffic generated by drivers. That's why we need bus-only lanes and other time-saving strategies.
The upgrades include a new wide boarding area at Chicago/Milwaukee, a mile of bus lanes on Chicago Avenue downtown, and improvements on Western and 79th.
Lightfoot's positions on bike/walk funding, the North LASD rehab, reduced CTA fares, and bus lane enforcement are arguably more progressive, but neither candidate is terrible on transportation.
By expanding the areas that are eligible for TOD to include zones around busy bus corridors, the city could help spur investment in low-income neighborhoods.