Photo courtesy of Flickr user thirdrail
The CTA Holiday Train runs on select rail lines between the end of November and December 22nd.
In the Loop is your Friday round-up of what's going on in the transportation world, posted in conjunction with Talking Transit.
MPC Research Assistant Ariel Ranieri authored this post.
@ mpc
In an effort to improve service, Pace and CTA will better coordinate fare payment and bus routes, while a study by the RTA quantifies and qualifies the differences between bus and train riders. The Chicago Water Taxi: transit of the future? Plus, how to combat the "nabobs of negativism." And don't miss Santa on the CTA!
elsewhere
Put all your money on red – the red line, that is, as Chicago awards the contract for the Red Line South construction project. And get the latest on BRT Chicago. With bike lanes finally becoming “a thing,” Active Trans pushes for increased safe accessibility to parks. Plus, a little news from Springfield, as they seek public input on four high-profile planning projects. CTA fare pass increase necessary to continue to provide transit service, but you can do other things to get our transit system in the black (and even get a tax credit) - Steve Vance offers some suggestions. And this holiday season Amtrak gives Illinois a brand-new high-speed train set.
On the east coast, how cashless tolls in PA could open the door to congestion pricing, while the slump in highway and air travel means more trips on the train. Florida and California win awards for their infrastructure projects as Tampa and Monterey both gear up for new BRT systems. But that could all go by the wayside soon, if gondolas become the next big thing.
And public-private partnerships are storming the international arena, with the Phillipines set to roll out no less than eight transportation-oriented PPP projects over the next few years. The country is also in the planning phase for its first BRT system, as is Shah Alam, the capitol city of Selangor, Malaysia. New Zealand also wants in on the PPP action, while in Canada, Calgary pushes Ottawa for better – and more – federal funding for cities’ infrastructure projects. And Belgian transportation enterprise De Lijn illustrates the evolutionary benefits of taking the bus.