Chronology of the Transit Planning Process

1858 ’s first “horse subways” were transit extension and improvement authorized. program. 1892 The first elevated line, steam operated, In June, the rapid rail line extension in began service. the Eisenhower Expressway median opened. 1897 Construction of the Loop elevated was completed. 1962 The Chicago Area Transportation Study published its final report, including 1914 All street railway properties in Chicago Volume 111: Transportation Plan, which were unified under one management recommended a general plan of (Chicago Surface Lines, CSL). transportation for 1980. 1917 Chicago Motor Company (CMB), a 1964 The Skokie Swift, a 2-year demonstra- luxury bus line, began operations on the tion program funded by an UMTA boulevards. (CMB later became the demonstration grant, started 5 miles of Chicago Motor Coach Company.) service between the 1927 A Plan for a Unified Transportation System for village of Skokie and Chicago’s Howard The City of Chicago. The plan proposed a Street. Since 1966 CTA has operated the comprehensive system of transit sub- line as part of its regular service. It was way and contained the first proposal to popular beyond expectations and now remove the elevated transit main lines serves 12,OOO riders daily. and Union Loop within the central area. 1966 Voters approved a bond issue to provide 1939 In October, the Committee on Local the local share of funds for transit Transportation, Department of Sub- extensions in the Dan Ryan and ways and Traction, published A Com - Kennedy Expressway medians (10 and 5 prehensive Plan for the Exlension of Ihe Subway miles, respectively). System of ihe City of Chicago. It proposed 1968 In April, the city published the Chicago new and extended subways, suggested a Cenlral Area Transit Planning Study, propos- combination of rail and ing a new subway Loop distributor expressway facilities within common subway system and removal of the rights-of-way, and provided for new elevated Loop. (It is referred to as the subways to be utilized for long-haul Chicago Central Area Transit Project, or traffic, coordinated with surface street CCATP.) feeder and distributor routes within the central area. 1969 In May, extension of CTA’S North- South Rapid Transit Line to a new 1945 State legislation was passed creating the terminal in Englewood was completed Chicago Transit Authority (CTA); a with UMTA capital assistance. In local referendum endorsed its funding. September, also with UMTA money, 1947 CTA began operations and purchased extension of CTA’S west-south route in the Chicago Rapid Transit Company and the median of the Dan Ryan Expressway the Chicago Surface Lines. was completed.

1952 CTA bought the Chicago Motor Coach 1970 Service began on the extension of CTA’S Company. West-Northwest Rapid Transit Line in 1958 In April, CTA published New Horizons for the median of the Kennedy Expressway Chicago, recommending a 20-year rapid to Jefferson Park.

29 The Chicago Urban Transit District for Chicago to qualify for additional (CUTD) was formed as a separate capital grants. municipal corporation with tax levying 1973 In January, the Governor’s Transporta- powers, encompassing the Chicago tion Task Force published Crisis and CBD. Solution: Public Transportalion in Northeastern 1971 In January, CLJTD applied for a $500,4 , which was designed to provide a million UMTA capital grant to build the framework for legislative action to Loop and distributor subways. The establish a regional transportation application is still pending. authority. The Task Force Report ex- amined the public transportation In January, for the first time, CTA problems in northeastern Illinois and received grants from the City of Chicago recommended concepts related to the and Cook County ($3.5 million) for purpose, responsibility, legal form, operating losses and from the State organizational structure, and governing ($6.3 million) for debt service, structure of a Regional Transportation With a $53 million capital grant from Agency. UMTA, CTA began a major facility renewal program. An additional $4o Early in the year, CTA was threatened million was added to the project in 1972. with bankruptcy and its board approved a 50@ fare and a massive program of 1971 /72 Several bills to establish a regional service cuts. The State legislature ap- transportation authority were in- proved a $12.6 million subsidy, matched troduced into the State legislature but by a $6.3 million city-county subsidy to died in the committee. last through June 30, 1973. Operating subsidies also were provided for com- 1971 In July, the State established a transit muter rail and bus operators. capital grant program to be financed through a $2OO million statewide bond On June 30, CTA’S subsidy funding ran issue. out and a large program of service cuts was proposed. In early July, the city of 1972 O’Hare Express: An Employment Access Chicago raised $6.5 million, Cook Coun- Demons/ration Project was published by the ty approved a $2 million subsidy, and the Mayor’s Committee on Economic and State added $12 million to help keep the Cultural Development. The project system in operation at least until late provided express bus service from the 1973. Jefferson Park rapid transit terminal on the Kennedy Expressway to O’Hare [n September, the Chicago 21 Plan was International Airport. published by the Central Area Commit- tee. Recommendations for mass 1972 The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear transportation included construction of appeals from lower courts on the validity the Loop and distributor subways and of financing mechanisms proposed for initiation of a supplemental, grade- the Loop and distributor subway separated transit system utilizing a system. personal rapid transit type of technology. In August, CUTD received a $5.8 million grant to start the distributor subway In December, the legislature passed an portion of the CCATP. act creating the Regional Transporta- tion Authority (RTA), subject to a RTPB received a technical studies grant favorable vote in a referendum in the (amended in August 1973 to make a total region. of $3,259,000) for preparation of a regional 5-year transit development 1974 In March, the public approved creation plan. A priority ranking of the proposed of RTA and endowed it with authority to projects was to be undertaken in order issue up to $500 million in general

30 obligation bonds and to levy various Commission was created by joint action other taxes. of the two State legislatures and Gover- nors. In March, in response to gasoline shortages, CTA instituted a Sunday 25Q In September, televised public hearings fare (1OO for children and senior were conducted for the 1995 Transportation citizens). The special rates continued Syslem Plan through June 30, 1974. Later in the fall, NIPC adopted the 1995 The -Illinois Bi-State Planning Plan.

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