Mayor Emanuel’s Legacy On Chicago’s Transportation

By Daniel Tucker
Aldermen who worked with outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel, shown here 2018, are reflecting on the things that could shape his legacy — the biggest accomplishments, the biggest blunders and the relationships built with them.
Aldermen who worked with outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel, shown here 2018, are reflecting on the things that could shape his legacy — the biggest accomplishments, the biggest blunders and the relationships built with them. Manuel Martinez/WBEZ
Aldermen who worked with outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel, shown here 2018, are reflecting on the things that could shape his legacy — the biggest accomplishments, the biggest blunders and the relationships built with them.
Aldermen who worked with outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel, shown here 2018, are reflecting on the things that could shape his legacy — the biggest accomplishments, the biggest blunders and the relationships built with them. Manuel Martinez/WBEZ

Mayor Emanuel’s Legacy On Chicago’s Transportation

By Daniel Tucker
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Chicago’s transportation landscape in 2019 is vastly different than it was when Mayor Rahm Emanuel took office eight years ago.

There are new CTA train stations at Morgan, Cermak, Washington-Wabash, Belmont, Wilson and 95th Street.

Chicago now has a bike-share program, more bus rapid transit, the 606 elevated trail, a separated lakefront trail and a transit-oriented development ordinance.

Many of those projects were transportation wins for Mayor Emanuel, but there were problems on his watch as well: Declining bus ridership, racial inequities in bicycle ticketing and abandoned plans to improve transportation the Museum Campus to name a few.

Morning Shift talks to a panel of transportation journalists about the mayor’s legacy on transportation.

GUESTS: Mary Wisniewski, transportation reporter and columnist at the Chicago Tribune

LaRisa Lynch, reporter covering transportation, jobs and the economy for the Chicago Reporter

John Greenfield, editor at Streetsblog Chicago

Lynda Lopez, reporter at Streetsblog Chicago

LEARN MORE: What Rahm Got Right About Transportation, And What Still Needs To Change (Streetsblog 9/4/18)

Transportation Commissioner Rebecca Scheinfeld Resigns (Chicago Sun-Times 5/8/19)