Transportation

From Edgewater 2020

Main Page

Contents 1 Category Administration 2 Definition 2.1 Metrics 2.2 Assumptions 3 Current State 3.1 Available Data Review 3.2 Additional Data Needs 4 Future State 4.1 Ideal 4.2 Minimum / First Steps 5 Gaps 6 Resources 7 Priorities 8 Implementation Plan

Category Administration

(How are we defining this category/section? What is included and what is NOT included?)

John Acquilina, Carmen Vidal-Hallett: This category is now part of Planning & Developments umbrella which is involved in the development of a Comprehensive Neighborhood Master Plan (CMNP)

Thanks to former Co-Chairmen: Ingo Soeding <soeding@comcast.net> & Tony Giron <agiron@luc.edu>; for all their groundwork on researching and planning various transportation alternatives.

The committee will encourage and promote the development of an affordable transportation system which will feature

• energy conservation and
• access to the full resources and services of the community.

The committee will work with Loyola University to promote bicycle, pedestrian and mass transit accessibility throughout Edgewater and southeastern Rodgers Park communities.

Definition

(How are we defining this category/section? What is included and what is NOT included?)

• Improve the movement and connection of people within and outside of Edgewater in conducting their daily business. This includes planning for expanded Public Transit, preparing for Alternative vehicles, and encouraging bicycling as well as walking to local shopping and entertainment areas.
• By changing Edgewater transportation habits, we anticipate the local economy will be more robust, emissions within Edgewater will be reduced with improvement in air quality, the public's health will be enhanced.

Proposed Public Transit Planning

• Bus and Circular Line Connection Planning - CTA and Metra:
  • Explore Metra Station �Shuttle bus service.
  • Rogers Park to Loyola �(Consider Extending 96 Lunt Bus)
  • Ravenswood to Berwyn
  • Explore Peterson Metra Station & Park n’ Ride.
  • Explore Neighborhood Circular Bus Service. Connect east-west separated areas, e.g., Bryn Mawr, Andersonville, Target, Loyola.
  • Circular Vans or Busses Powered by Loyola Biodiesel Fuel?
  • Explore Berwyn Multi-Modal Transportation Center.
  • Promote & adapt BusTracker as a convenience tool for commuters. Idea: Local stores display monitors in windows to allow for an informed and efficient commuting public.

• CTA Red Line Enhancements Short Term:
  • Eliminate slow zones.
  • Renovate stations/entrances.
  • Enhanced maintenance,�lighting, safety.

• CTA Red Line Enhancements Long-term:
  • Quality of Life issues
  • Noise management
  • Extension of �Red/Purple lines

Improve Bicycle Lanes and Safety

• Public and Rider Education
• Explore Bike Sharing programs

Inform Public on Alternative Vehicle Options and Local Car Sharing Programs

• Alternative Fuel Vehicle including electric, hydrogen cell and other carbon emission friendly options as they become more availble, more easily serviced and less cost prohibitive
• I-Go and Zipcar sharing locations are plentiful in and around Edgewater and provide an alternative to buying and owning a vehicle (saves resident's money, reduction in parking problems, fewer autos to dispose of in future)

Metrics

(What are the key measures that are relevant to this category? What ‘needles’ are we trying to ‘move’?)

The GIS Map system as developed by Loyola University Chicago in the Fall of 2009 for the use of EESP, will be the base metric used to assess the CTA bus and elevated line, the Metra system, the network and layout of roads and the accessibility of bicycle pathways.

Proposed changes to the circulators or any of these systems can be identfied via GIS as pending.

Final developments and implementation of the proposals will be identified and tracked in the mapping system and improvements noted.

Assumptions

(What, if any, criteria are fixed/unchangeable or independent from this analysis?)

• The elevated tracks of the CTA Red Line will not be moved.
• The Metra tracks will remain in the same line
• Lake Shore Drive from Foster to Hollywood will remain in place

Current State

(Where do we currently stand in this category/section, in terms of the key defining metrics?)

• Edgewater is a Commuting Thoroughfare

– At the nexus of the North & Northwest feeder streets to Lake Shore Dr.

• Dominant North-South Orientation

– Most everything is oriented towards getting to/from downtown, even for residents of Edgewater

• Barriers to East-West connections:

- Red Line corridor, Broadway, Sheridan, Lake Shore Drive; Foster & Devon bottlenecks.

• Disconnected Shopping/Walking Districts

– Andersonville, Bryn Mawr, Loyola University, Broadway corridor, Parks – Local shops & restaurants, Shopping Centers (Target, Dominick’s, Jewel)

• In Dire Need of Red Line Renovation/Investment

– Track, Station, Underpass Infrastructure;

Available Data Review

(What baseline data do we have – or exists elsewhere that we can easily obtain – that can help us create a baseline assessment of where we currently stand?) Land Use Maps, Dept of Transportation Information, CTA Planning modules, GIS mapping information from Loyola University Chicago CUERP.

Additional Data Needs

(What additional data is needed and how will we be able to address them, e.g., through the Loyola student projects?)

At regular intervals both surveys and the GIS mapping system will be utilized to collect information. In addition other forms of information gathering, including statistics, route and transporation effectiveness evaluations will be accessed.

Future State

(What is our Vision for this category/section? What are our specific goals in terms of key metrics defined above? What implications & benefits will there be at an individual, business, and governmental level?)

Ideal

(What are the key measures that are relevant to this category? What ‘needles’ are we trying to ‘move’?)

Decrease Private Car use and Increase Transit and environmental preferred options for bicycle and pedestrian circulation use

Currently Edgewater enjoys a fairly robust system of transportation, comprised of bus, rail, automobile, share cars, and to a limited extent, bicycle routes. However, these systems have not been integrated into a multi-modal system that effectively serves the transportation needs of the community.

• New Metra Station - The plan would evaluate the land-use impact of the new Metra station at Peterson and Ravenswood and its potential for Transit Oriented Development (see below).

• East-West Connections - Edgewater is dominated by three north-south corridors, Sheridan, Broadway and Clark. While movement along these corridors is efficient, east-west movement connecting them at Foster, Devon, Ridge and other intermediate east-west points is inefficient. Alternatives to increase circulation and provide links between these corridors might include the selection of an appropriate east-west street to provide desired connections between principal commercial corridors.

• Transit Oriented Development Community Centers - Existing conditions at the Thorndale and Berwyn Elevated Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) stations are conducive to the introduction of TOD. Ample open spaces currently used for surface parking can be transformed into multi-modal transportation hubs. Other stations, such as Granville, can become destination stops (such as currently exists at Bryn Mawr) for dining, or other categories.

• Alternative Transportation - The development of a trolley loop with regular, reliable service around Edgewater, the addition of bicycle routes and rental kiosks, and the sitting of additional I-Go and Zipcar locations would greatly facilitate movement throughout the community as part of a comprehensive intermodal; transportation network. It would also promote energy efficient travel in the community.

• Exclusive Bus Lanes and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) - Cities such as Cleveland, Ohio and Curitiba, Brazil have successfully implemented attractive exclusive bus lanes and bus rapid transit systems, which have resulted in increased efficiency, convenience and ridership without compromising pedestrian safety and walk-ability

Minimum / First Steps

(What, if any, criteria are fixed/unchangeable or independent from this analysis?)

• Improve the movement and connection of people within and outside of Edgewater in conducting their daily business.

– Key to making Edgewater a more livable, environmentally sustainable and socio-economically vital community.

• Reduce congestion, noise, pollution and CO2 emissions.
• Provide a range of real (accessible, affordable, convenient) alternatives for single-rider conventional fuel cars.

– Find alternatives to encourage residents to avoid the trip in the first place – Improve Transit experience

• Expand neighborhood “walkability” and “bikeability”.
• Advocate for Transit Investment & Transformation, Alternative transportation utilization incentives
• Bicycle Planning
  • Expand bike lane availability & safety.
  • Rider & public education on safety, maintenance, CTA Bike & Ride programs.
  • Explore public bike sharing programs.
  • Inside bike stations at El stops
  • Bike Transfer Station (like Millennium Park)
• Electric Car Expansion
  • NEV City Ordinance – legal to drive on streets with speed limit of <30mph.
  • $2 Billion tax credits for plug-in vehicles included in 2009 stimulus bill; �$14B overall for plug-in technology & development

Gaps

(Given available data & analysis, how far apart are key the elements (metrics) of our Current & Future States?)

Changing the transportation habits in place for over 75 years is a daunting task. Much of the daily traffic comes from outside the Edgewater which has seen two of the community's key residential streets become high speed pass through corridors (north-south with Ashland and east-west with Ridge/Hollywood). Plans to reduce the volume and pace of the traffic (& reduce emissions) have been met with mixed response.

Circular bus or trolley transportation for residents and students within Edgewater have been piloted successfully in 2009 and neighborhood business activity improved, but is not a regular feature, since cost to implement is an issue.

Base funding from State allocated to add Peterson Metra stop (to reduce car traffic downtown). Additional buy-in from Metra and other sources will be required to complete the project and has not yet been pledged.

If Alternative fuel vehicle to succeed, an infrastructure for fueling and maintenance will be needed.

Safe bike routes and secure bike parking stations are needed throughout community.

Resources

(What kind of resources – time, money, people, agreements/support/relationships – are needed to address each of the gaps described above?)

Transportation and all aspects relating to the environment and sustainability will require input from the community and support of both residents and public officials. This will require funding for the project design of the master plan, then introduction of a phased series of changes to the transportation system being offered to the community.

Priorities

(Given the potential impact & benefit and the related costs (resources) required, in what order should we attempt to address/resolve the gaps?)

• Work with CTA, Loyola and businesses to implement circular trolley or bus routes to encourage local shopping

• Support and encourage the establishment of Metra station and related parking and bus routes

• Encourage bicycle use and establih well marked pathways that will funnel serious bicycle riders to corridors that support fast bike traffic to downtown or other long distance work/school destinations. (Safety and courtesy issues would need to be addressed)

• Alternative fuel vehicle grid should be included as part of Comprehensive Neighborhood Master Plan.

Implementation Plan

(What are the first/next steps required to address the priority gap areas, secure the required resources, etc.? How will the implementation of priorities in this area be balanced against those of others?)

The goals and implmentation plan for Transportation will be included in the Comprehensive Neighborhood Master Plan that is being designed by the Planning & Development committee. (See their section for timelines for the design. Their project will be proposed in a phased vision over the 2010-2020 timeframe.