Thursday, January 25, 2007
Grade inflation in transit world
Posted by Harold Henderson on Thu, Jan 25, 2007 at 2:24 PM
Conscious Choice has graded the City of Chicago on 11 aspects of sustainability, one of which is whether we have a "world class transit system." The magazine didn't just pull their B- grade out of a hat, they asked some knowledgeable folks:
"Dr. Howard Ehrman from the University of Illinois-Chicago and the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization says that no other city in the U.S. 'comes anywhere close to the lack of funding for public transportation than the city of Chicago.' Ehrman says that for the last 32 years the city has spent $3 million per year, or $1 per person out of the city’s budget, on the CTA. The next city up the ladder, Pittsburgh, spends $33 million, and only has a population of 334,562: ten times as much as Chicago spends, for just one-tenth of the people. New York City spends $200 million, Los Angeles, $165 million. Clearly, here is one obvious opportunity for rather substantial change.'
"According to Jackie Leavy, of the Neighborhood Capital Budget Group, which looks out for the meaningful neighborhood use of tax money, Mayor Daley should use some of the money from the lease of the toll road and the underground parking garages to bolster the CTA. 'The city gives only three million dollars a year to the agency and goes begging to Springfield when fiscal crises loom. It is time for the mayor to use more city money to repair and improve the CTA. It is also time to get the universal fare card going to allow transfers between suburban and city transit.'"
There's more, but no discussion of the ghastly prospects on the Red Line, and no mention of the rampant corruption within the Daley administration. What were they thinking? For a realistic assessment, see Greg Hinz's piece at Crain's.
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A former coworker just told me it takes her an hour and a half to get to her new job in the Loop. She takes the Brown Line from circa Ravenswood Manor. Three hours a day on public transportation when you live IN THE CITY? Ridiculous.
So I'm guessing the grade you'd pass out is more in the D- category?
I find the statement from Kiki's co-worker hard to believe. I will criticize the CTA as loudly as anyone, but for two years I've taken the Brown Line from the same area to my job in the Loop, and even with assorted problems, the trip has rarely been more than an hour. Though I usually ride the train during the semi early rush (say, 740 am, and 430 pm), I've been on the line at various times. Is your friend also making one or two bus connections? Does she face a long walk from the El station to her office? Were that the case, I would find her view easier to believe.
I can get downtown from Rogers Park faster on a bike than on CTA these days. I'm a big advocate for public transit, but I can't pretend the CTA is good transit. And I think CTA should get more money, but onlhy when there's some real accountability and oversight and thought about making service better and faster.
I'm also in Ravenswood Manor but I work near the Mag Mile. I haven't been on a train since the Francisco stop closed, and doubt I'll be returning once it reopens. The two buses I use (Lawrence to the lake, then whatever express bus comes along) takes about an hour, hour 10 to make the trip each way. The train *used* to take under an hour, then at least an hour, and who knows what it will be once the three-tracking goes into effect. D-.
If the value of property in Chicago is dependent on mass transportation, then a property tax would be appropriate. I would suggest it only be on the land, however. This is economist's Henry George's idea. (George is the first noted American economist, for those who did not read "The Worldly Philosphers."
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