Nick Suydam
In the Loop is your Friday round-up of what's going on in the transportation world, posted in conjunction with Talking Transit.
@ MPC
The success of MPC's Commute Options pilot proves that commuters want alternatives to driving. (The upcoming Bike to Work Week is a great time to try bike commuting!) MPC urges the transportation bill conference committee to include MAP-21 provisions and eliminate the tolling prohibitions on interstates. Retooling the United Center could mean a new Green Line station.
Elsewhere
Not waiting for Washington, Chicago gets its trust. The CTA is touting its new Yellow Line station in Skokie as "perfect TOD," and a virtual grocery store at State/Lake allows commuters to shop from the platform. (The new Morgan station on the Green and Pink lines opens today, too!) CDOT released the City’s first comprehensive transportation plan, while Illinois DOT released its long range plan for the state, which some are calling an austerity plan for roads. Who are Rockford’s 14,000 supercommuters?
Also tired of waiting on the feds, Los Angeles and Baton Rouge taxpayers pony up to build transit. Dallas pours billions into roads, while Las Vegas and Utah use transit to reduce congestion and spur and economic development. Your name here: Washington State plans to sell bridge and highway naming rights to pay for infrastructure improvements. Don't laugh: New York City’s already doing it, and getting a $50 million bike share system without spending a penny of taxpayer money.
Mexico City opened a new BRT line by making some narrow, historic streets bus-only. The Cairo metro is the one thing Egyptians can count on. London’s congestion charge works! It's dramatically increased biking and walking. Copenhagen’s getting into the match making business – on its buses. Why do the world’s subway maps all look alike?
Check out the corresponding edition of Talking Transit, about sharing toll road revenues with transit.