Blue Line Extension Gets RTA Hearing

Blue Line Extension Gets RTA Hearing

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Transit officials want to spend more than five billion dollars on projects in Cook and DuPage counties. One idea’s to extend the Blue Line to Lombard. The proposal got a public hearing today.

Transit rider Harvey Kahler came to the meeting with plenty of questions for Regional Trasportation Authority officials, but he gave them an earful about the extension of the Blue Line. It would cost $2 billion to stretch it eleven miles west.

Kahler asked whether there’d be money left over for new bus service.

KAHLER: Most of the jobs are probably not going to be in walking distance, which means, you’re going to have to have a shuttle bus, you’re going to have to change your seat from one vehicle to another. Why not just do it right off a Metra train rather than building a blue line?

Representatives from the RTA say there will be bus service at new Blue Line stations, but could not provide details.

The RTA will take public comments on the extension and related projects until the end of March.

I’m Shawn Allee, Chicago Public Radio.

Scheduled public meetings on the Cook/DuPage Corridor Transit Plan:

  • Monday March 10, 2008: noon-1 p.m. at RTA Offices, 175 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 1550 Chicago Loop
  • Tuesday, March 11, 2008: 6-7 p.m. at Cicero Community Center, 2250 S. 49th Avenue, Cicero
  • Wednesday, March 12, 2008: 6-7 p.m. at Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison Oak Park
  • Thursday, March 13, 2008: 6-7 p.m. at Lombard Village Hall, 255 E. Wilson AvenueLombard
  • Tuesday, March 18, 2008: 6-7 p.m. at Addison Village Hall, 1 Friendship Plaza (Lake Street at Kennedy Drive), Addison