Recent Streetsblog CHICAGO posts about CTA

How pedestrian- and bike-friendly are various CTA stations, and why?

By John Greenfield | Jun 3, 2021 | No Comments

Unsurprisingly, he found that pedestrian- and bike-friendly stations tend to be located in denser parts of town, but they also correlate with wealthier and neighborhoods.

"Sunburst" installation at the Chicago/Austin bus turnaround. Photo: CTA

Burst of creativity: Chicago Avenue electric bus turnaround in Austin gets new artwork

By John Greenfield | May 24, 2021 | No Comments

Los Angeles-based artist Shinique Smith, who has also done works for New York's MTA and LA Metro.

A message promoting CTA's cleaning protocols, along with cleaning supplies, at the 95th Street Red Line platform. Photo: John Greenfield

CTA hopes to coax back riders with a new program to spruce up 125 stations this year

By John Greenfield | May 20, 2021 | No Comments

Today the agency announced Refresh & Renew, a program to deep-clean and upgrade 90 percent of the system's rail stations.

A 7000-series train pulls into the Logan Square station. Image: Kyle Lucs

Electric slide? CTA says ‘L’ braking system isn’t to blame for wheel flats, noise

By John Greenfield | May 7, 2021 | No Comments

The CTA says its most recent cars don't have electric disc brakes, air brakes weren't a viable option, and much of the reason its trains are noisy has nothing to do with the braking system.

One of the CTA’s new 7000-Series railcars. Photo: Chicago Transit Authority

7000-series railcars are an upgrade, but next time, the CTA needs to aim higher

By David Cole | May 4, 2021 | No Comments

Hollywood studios know when a franchise has become stale and in desperate need of a reboot, and the CTA should do likewise for whatever generation comes after the 7000-series.

The bus parked in the Middle Randolph bike lane Wednesday morning. Photo: Bike Lane Uprising

If the bus is rockin’, don’t bother knockin’: A risqué bikeway obstruction on Randolph St.

By John Greenfield | Apr 30, 2021 | No Comments

Setting aside the question of whether bike lane blockers should be publicly shamed, what is the CTA doing to keep buses out of bike lanes?

The old Racine Green Line station. Image: Google Maps

Reopening Racine stop would be an easy way to improve Englewood transit access

By John Greenfield | Apr 26, 2021 | No Comments

Advocates in Englewood are pushing for the CTA to grab some low-hanging fruit by reopening the long-shuttered Green Line station at 63rd Street and Racine Avenue.

Charging a bus a Navy Pier. Photo: Mia Park

Get your electric kicks on Route 66: Test-riding one of the Chicago Avenue e-buses

By Mia Park | Apr 20, 2021 | No Comments

Customers seem to love the smoother, quieter ride on the new buses, so much so that some of them said they'd be willing to pay a higher fare to help electrify the whole fleet.

A #73 Armitage bus with a "Masked Required" message on its display. Photo: John Greenfield

RTA survey: Most people who stopped commuting by transit during COVID plan to return

By John Greenfield | Apr 15, 2021 | No Comments

About 80 percent of respondents who weren't riding buses and trains on a frequent basis said they planned to to return to their pre-pandemic commuting habits once worries about the coronavirus ease.

Thanks to widespread mask use and decent ventilation, studies show transit use has been fairly safe during COVID. Photo: John Greenfield

Sun-Times’ Laura Washington is right: We all need to start riding transit again

By John Greenfield | Apr 7, 2021 | No Comments

If we want local public transportation to survive the COVID-19 pandemic intact, we've got to be the change we want to see.

One of the new electric buses recharging at Navy Pier. Photo: CTA

Electric Feel: CTA is piloting six e-buses on the #66 route with smoother, quieter ride

By John Greenfield | Apr 2, 2021 | No Comments

There was more good news about the CTA modernizing its rolling stock today, as the agency announced that six prototype electric buses have begun in-service testing with passengers.

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