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Tuesday, October 14, 2008

A New Green Line Stop in the South Loop

Looks like the CTA and RTA are investigating a new green line stop in the South Loop. Here is the statement from the RTA:

Potential Green Line Station at 18th Street or Cermak: This study would identify potential uses and design in areas adjacent to the Green Line at 18th Street and Cermak Road and address development on these key east-west corridors in the south loop. Through the study we will chose to focus on one of the alternatives over the other and develop a more refined corridor plan for the appropriate corridor.


As of now, I think the 18th street stop would potentially be better for a couple reasons:
  1. It could be a station for the Green, Red and Orange line (access for more people to the South Loop)
  2. There is a bridge on 18th that connects the lake front to the South Loop Community
  3. There is already a red line stop at Cermak

However, the Cermak green line stop could be good because:
  1. Cermak would be very close and within walking distance to McCormick place. Obviously this has huge benefits for tourism, conventions and potentially the Chicago 2016 bid.
  2. It also seems like Cermak could be a big retail, bar, restaurant, shopping area in the future (again if the Olympics came to Chicago it would be great)
The big wild card in this evaluation is the 2016 Olympic Bid. Since plans currently call for the Olympic village to be just south of McCormick place, city and Olympic planners need to find a way to have a CTA stop within or very close to the Olympic Village (which would link the village to the rest of the city). I have some thoughts on this idea, but I will save them for another time.

What do you think would be better? An 18th or Cermak green line stop?

5 comments:

  1. Dad-to-beOctober 18, 2008 at 8:23 AM

    Hands-down, 18th Street!

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownOctober 18, 2008 at 11:32 AM

    Between the two I'd say 18th for sure, the area from 22nd to 25th along state st. is basically one giant open air drug market with the Harold Ickes housing projects serving as its epicenter. The area is a blight on the near south side and a testament to the failed public housing initiatives of the mid-20th century. http://www.thecha.org/housingdev/ickes_homes.html

    I think a stop along 18th would be great, if it were moved a few blocks east to be closer to the bridge to the lake, convention center, and further form the red line stop at china town. Also it should work well with a future circle line. http://www.chicago-l.org/plans/images/CircleLine/RoutingPlan.jpg

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousApril 15, 2009 at 8:52 PM

    Harold Ickes Housing Projects are in the process of being cleaned up. As a businessman for the past 26 years in this area, I have to say that the two aldermen have done a commendable job. This area is the best that I have seen as yet. The 1st District has done a great job too. A new stop on 22nd will be more suitable for the Olympic Village and it will add further benefit to the Convention visitors.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousApril 17, 2009 at 12:57 AM

    Not sure I agree on the Cermak helping the Olympic Village. The Olympic village is farther South East, and this will be nowhere near the village.

    The only thing that would help would be a take off from the greenline trunk, through McCormick Place, and down to the Village. This could all be done on the EJ&E St. Charles Airline.

    ReplyDelete
  5. SloopyApril 17, 2009 at 9:25 AM

    The cermack stop would be closer to the olympic village, which would be appealing. It's still wouldn't be the best place for the Olympic Village, but it probably would be the best stop for McCormick place.

    We had some posts about transit plans and the air rights:

    http://www.sloopin.com/2008/10/sloopins-grand-plan-cta-and-chicagos.html

    http://www.sloopin.com/2008/12/future-of-cta-on-south-side.html

    ReplyDelete

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