Doors open on the left...

A CTA bus crashed into the side of a house at 115th Street and Vincennes Avenue on the South Side this morning, injuring four people including a 7-year-old passenger, police said.

While I was searching around, I came across this review of an Android CTA Tracker App. Which leads to the question: if you use a cell phone application to help with your bus routes, which one(s) do you use? Or do you, as the review suggests, use the bus tracker website (http://www.ctabustracker.com/) on your phone or computer?

Good News: If you're a T-Mobile user, T-Mobile is to be added to the list of cell phone providers available in the CTA tunnels.

Bad News: You're a T-Mobile user.

When the Block 37 project was first announced, the millions of taxpayer dollars used by Mayor Daley's pet project was almost the same as the CTA budget shortfall which threatened Doomsday.

Two years later, the amount of taxpayer money has increased to nearly equal the current CTA budget shortfall threatening the current Doomsday. The station still isn't finished and it's main purpose (an impossible to build express train) is more of a white elephant than ever. Now we get this:

Bank of America and a group of lenders are moving to foreclose on the retail and transit portion of the mixed-use development, claiming Chicago developer Joseph Freed and Associates LLC has, in essence, run out of money, according to a lawsuit filed Monday in Cook County Circuit Court.

Freed issued a statement Tuesday calling the banks' lawsuit a "misguided action that could halt the project" and make it "near-impossible to restart."

The clash marks a significant setback for the revitalization of shopping along State Street. It also signals that the long-anticipated commercial real estate bubble is beginning to pop as banks are forced to revalue big commercial properties.

"It's probably the tip of the iceberg of banks taking properties back," said Ross Glickman, chairman and chief executive of Chicago-based Urban Retail Properties, who was involved in the Block 37 project in the 1990s.

The banks have been negotiating with Freed since March, when the developer technically defaulted, the lawsuit said. Since then, cost overruns had reached "at least" $34 million as of Aug. 25, court documents said. Freed owes $128.5 million on a $205 million construction loan, the filing stated.

Bank of America is asking the court to appoint a receiver to manage the property and get the construction completed. The office portion, developed by Golub & Co., already has opened.

Commercial real estate values have fallen, on average, 40 percent since the middle of 2007, leaving hundreds of billions of dollars of commercial real estate deals underwater, said Jim Sullivan, managing director of Green Street Advisors, a real estate research firm. New developments are particularly vulnerable because they aren't generating enough cash flow to cover payments on loans, he said.

"For banks, the issue is, 'How do we minimize the loss?' " Sullivan said. "Typically the way to do that is to get control of the property, re-price it, sell it and move on."

Imagine what could have been done if all the energy, resources and arm-twisting by City Hall had been devoted to keeping the current system viable instead of a big dream hole in the ground. Daley's defenders used to claim the loop was the lynchpin which anchored the whole city, now it seems more like they gravity well into which all money flows.

Hallo everyone!!!!

I am just a new girl in Chicago, one lonely visitor, who does not knows anything about this beautiful city!!! Could you please advice me where to go (restaurants, clubs and so on) and what should i see here!!!!

Thanx a lot a lot!

Here's a quick summary of the (awful) new CTA budget proposal:

• Basic train fares to $3 from $2.25.

• Basic bus fares to $2.50 from $2.25.

• Express bus fares to $3 from as little as $2.25 now.

• Full fare 30-day passes to $110 from $86.

• Seven-day passes to $30 from $23.

In addition, express bus service would no longer be available on nine routes: X3, X4, X9, X20, X49, X54, X55, X80 and 53 AL.

Hours of operation also would be reduced on 41 other bus routes, generally in the early morning and late night. Each would lose between 25 minutes and about three hours of service a day, with a few routes even more.

In addition, buses and trains would run less frequently. Effective Feb. 7, the CTA is proposing to eliminate 827,000 hours of bus service (or 13.7 percent), and 57,803 hours of rail service (or 9.8 percent) across all bus routes and rail lines.

I don't know about everyone else, but I do not plan to sit idly by while this shit sails through. There will be 3 budget meetings, all open to the public. All 3 are scheduled for 6 pm:

Thursday, October 29, 2009
Austin Town Hall
5610 West Lake Street
Chicago, IL 60644

Monday, November 2, 2009
Lane Technical High School
2501 West Addison Street
Chicago, IL 60618

Tuesday, November 3, 2009
South Shore Cultural Center
7059 South Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60649

In addition to the public meetings, written comments are being accepted as well.
"This input will be welcomed at the meetings or by correspondence addressed to Gregory P. Longhini, Assistant Secretary of the Board, Chicago Transit Authority, P.O. Box 7567, Chicago, Illinois 60680-7567. Input also can be sent via e-mail to: glonghini@transitchicago.com." The deadline for written comments is November 10.

The full article on the CTA budget proposal is here.

I will definitely be writing and plan to attend the meeting at Lane Tech as well. Let them know we won't stand for this!

For a work only commuter who takes the train 5 days a week, the CTA's proposed .50 to .75 fare increase will mean $5 to $7.50 more per week. That's not a small increase. If they get the national average of 2 weeks paid time off, that's $250 to $375 a year. That's more than half a months rent for a lot of people, and a real hit for far more.

This is work commute only. If one uses the CTA more, it can quickly add up. As those who rely most on public transit tend to be those who can least afford it, this is an indirect tax increase for the poor.

Assuming, of course, one still has service - rail would be cut by 9.8% and bus service by 13.7%. Given the frequency of delays and interruptions, it would likely work out to 10 to 14 percent. Imagine waiting an extra 9 minutes for a bus in January.

It effects all of us, since a crappier CTA will force more people into cars. At six bucks a day, the cost of driving and parking starts to be a reasonable option.

It's a lot of damn money and cuts to heap upon people after hundreds of millions of our tax dollars - including tens of millions taken directly from the CTA budget - was wasted on Block 37.

We blew a vast amount of money on a train station people didn't want or need. It only exists for the Mayor's pet airport project - useless for the majority of CTA riders and costing a billion dollars or more of money we don't have.

I think it's time for real change. Not a dime more for Block 37 or the airport express until fares come down. Instead of doing fundraising for some new high concept project, the city's movers, shakers and paid consultants could seek donations for the Fare Stabilization Intiative. If there was a nice enough logo, I'm sure they could sell it.

Some random ideas: The city can use TIF money, cut services at Millenium Park, sell off the hospital land we pre-emptively purchased for the Olympic Village, and Chicago 2016 can contribute their leftover funds.

More realistically, the state and RTA can revoke the policy giving free rides to all seniors regardless of means. Make it a poverty program.

It's time to for the city to make a unique effort on something which directly, deeply and consistently affects the quality of life in Chicago transit. It's not as impressive or easy to explain as a new park or international sporting event, but the benefits are far more real.

 Hey do you guys remember when a whole bunch of people (I don't know if it was livejournal-specific, or just people in general) decided to take pictures of their experiences on the el?  Just for one day, and all on the same day?

Was that a one-time thing, or does it happen regularly?

First of all, when the bus is relatively empty, why do people insist on standing up? Especially near the driver, discussing garbage. A lot of times forward of the yellow line on routes such as Kimball-Homan.
Secondly, why do some drivers think they're in a Nascar competition?
And again, I will repeat, remove your infant from the stroller, fold it up, and when your ride is done, insert said infant into unfolded stroller. Lather, rinse, repeat. It's not so hard. Also, maybe not have so many kids, huh? Like there's enough jobs and food for everybody. This is all along all economic classes, racial lines, etc.
Thanks.

Okay, seriously, we need Ban or Secret or even I dunno, Old Spice to give out free deodorant samples at El stations and on buses. Not just crazy homeless people either, well-dressed European types with natty pantsuits. Raise your hand if you're sure!! Whoooo! Stank!
I sat next to this old Polish lady with a suit that costs more than my monthly rent on, and when she raised her arm it was like a Whopper with Cheese, extra death.

Ok, enough is enough. We're wasting money on this now? How about some power-washing for the pee smell in the greenline elevators?

Is there something we can do about jerks hogging handicapped seats with those giant, SUV-style baby strollers? I just recently ditched my cane after being pretty gimpy (bad car accident) for 10 months, my leg can still be bad, and I either have to stand (hurts) or limp to the back of the bus and get knocked down quite a bit. The bus always lurches and makes me fall forward.
Seriously, those strollers are a menace.

A woman was reported killed last night when she struck by a CTA subway train in the Near North neighborhood. The victim was found on the southbound tracks near the Red Line's Grand station at about 8:55pm., police and fire officials said. First responders had said the victim was a man, but later corrected themselves. Power was cut to the southbound tracks and service moved to the Loop elevated tracks between Fullerton and Cermak-Chinatown stops.

Build in 1900 and rebuild in 1924.

Travelers react to an unusual advertisement for Lays potato chips Monday on the ceiling of the pedestrian walkway between the Red and Blue line CTA Jackson stations. (Terrence Antonio James / Tribune)


WALLS HAVE EYES AT CTA
Potatoes hit the ceiling between Red, Blue lines at Jackson

You might think you've seen mold growing on the walls of CTA subways. Or stalactites. Or unidentifiable cankers. But potatoes?

There is indeed a pile of potatoes sprouting through the ceiling in the pedestrian tunnel connecting the Red and Blue lines at Jackson.

You say "tater." I say "tuber." Any way you slice it, the fake spuds are planted in polystyrene soil on the roof of the underground walkway in a bid to sell more Lay's potato chips.

What more might a hungry commuter ask for, except some tangy chip dip and a train that isn't crammed with passengers like 10 pounds of potatoes stuffed into a 5-pound sack?

Lays teamed up with Titan Worldwide, the CTA's advertising contractor, and Atomic Props & Effects to create the hanging-potato collage. The ad, which will run through Sunday, was created to promote Lay's "Closer than you think" campaign to show consumers that Lay's potatoes are grown on American farms, including by local farmers.

To prove its point, Lays set up a "Chip Tracker" on its Web site, www.fritolay.com

Customers can click on the Chip Tracker and enter the first three digits shown under the expiration date on each bag of chips to see how close to home the potatoes were born and bagged.

What a wonderful excuse for a reporter to eat expense-account potato chips all afternoon.

Now that the slow zone has been lifted, the elevated section of the Blue Line from California to Damen seems to be a bit rougher than the rest. This section appears to be the oldest part of the O'Hare branch, so it may just be in contrast to the rest of the ride.

Still, when trains hit top speeds on this section, cars will pitch back and forth with degree and force which seems unusual. I've felt trains rock on every CTA line and this seems stronger than most.

This morning it tilted as if it was on a sharp turn, except it was straight track. At Clark and Lake I asked an official looking CTA person how much rocking was normal. To my surprise, they were concerned and asked for more details to follow up.

I'm betting it's nothing, but I'm glad the CTA is paying attention.

Has anyone experienced this?

A while ago I was riding the Red line, no one realized that the electrical lights weren't working in our car until we reached the subway.

Not only that, but a cubs game finished so the car was packed.

It was a creepy experience.   I boarded before Addison and I was packed in the dark behind 3 fat cubs fans and someone's kid.  The way the subway lights flickered the car looked like a horror film.  I'm amazed that I was able to leave on my stop without injury.  :(

It seems we've dodged the bullet yet again, at least for the time being, fellow transit-riders.

CTA won't cut service any more this year

Come and see a statue of Thomas Jefferson was added to the plaza in front of Jefferson Park Transit Center.

Sometimes when I'm riding the El, the volume of the announcements is many notches above the normal volume level it should be. Who should I report this to?