CTA Gray Line

This is a short post focusing on Mike Payne's proposal for the CTA using the Metra Electric line to serve as part of its system. Currently, the line is underutilized with in city limits because it is direct competition to CTA buses and does not run with the regularity required of CTA service. Getting the CTA and Metra to agree on such a project is rather daunting but, in my opinion a necessary step toward a world class transportation network, particularly with the upcoming Olympic bid on the line. This proposal would create direct access via CTA rapid transit from, say Grant Park to Hyde Park. Such an arrangement would be more easily conducted in cities such as Boston and New York, where city and commuter rail are managed under one agency. Additionally, as Payne is not an insider the odds are stacked against this plan ever occurring. More info available at the CTA Gray Line site.