Water taxis: A relaxing alternative

First introduced to Chicago in 1962, water taxis are very small passenger-only ferries (about 50 feet long or less). Chicago’s water taxis are available on a fixed route, due to high demand, but on-demand service is offered in other locations. Traveling at an average speed of 8.4 mph, water taxis can load and unload very quickly and run frequently, making them ideal for commuters. They are often more reliable than surface transit options such as buses or taxis because they operate on water, where there is considerably less traffic. Water taxis alleviate traffic congestion by moving people from land to water, and can help reduce a region’s carbon footprint by eliminating idling surface transport.

At Chicago’s Madison Avenue Bridge dock, close to both Union Station and the Ogilvie Transportation Center (major transit centers for Metra and Amtrak), water taxis offer relief to commuters who would otherwise have to make the 1.5-mile hike to the North Loop. Unlike traditional cabs, local water taxis charge a flat rate as low as $2, regardless of how far you travel. In addition to low fares, passengers also can enjoy a peaceful, scenic tour of Chicago’s world renowned architecture.

Mayor Richard M. Daley’s newly appointed Riverwalk Development Committee works with members of the public and private sectors to utilize the waterfront better, and transform it into an inviting place that attracts shops, restaurants, and other development opportunities. Accessibility via water taxis help invigorate the Riverwalk by attracting both residents and tourists to the area. The Fox River in St. Charles or the DuPage River in Naperville both could benefit from a water taxi service. Whether exploring the city or making a daily commute, water taxis offer an eco-friendly, efficient and memorable transit experience.

Chicago Water Taxi, Photo: Carl Vizzone

For additional resources:

Chicago River Agenda – City of Chicago
Drive Less, Live More – Regional Transportation Authority
Friends’ Chicago River Matrix – Friends’ of the Chicago River

NEWS

Local News

DOT Nudges STB on Chicago Plan – Traffic World Online “DOT has found, Gribbin said, that CN's Chicago plan holds "substantial public benefits" of improving area rail efficiency and safety by getting some trains off congested center-city tracks, and expanding capacity on what is now an under-used EJ&E route.”

Rates on Pace to rise – The Courier News “But with legislators and the governor deadlocked over a capital funding bill, Pagano and Sullivan said their agencies remain unable to buy new buses and trains that would allow them to expand routes and cope with a crowd of new riders abandoning their cars to save gasoline.”

When it comes to driving, he’s learned it’s good to share – Chicago Tribune “I-GO and another Chicago-area service, Zipcar, are part of a growing network of car-sharing programs seeking to move people around more efficiently.”

RTA Required to Enhance and Expand – Newsradio 780 Reporting “But also included are express bus service along I-355; signs at 100 key CTA bus stops telling how far away the next bus is, and improvements and enhancements to seven CTA bus lines.”

AIG deals could cost investors, RTA officials warn – Chicago Tribune “The CTA and Metra could be on the hook to repay investors more than $100 million resulting from a controversial financing arrangement involving the troubled insurance giant American International Group Inc., Regional Transportation Authority officials warned Thursday.”

St. Paul, Chicago Mayors meet to discuss rail line – KAALtv.com “Departments of transportation from nine Midwestern states have been working together since 1996 to develop a 3,000-mile high-speed rail system that would put 90 percent of the Midwest’s population within a 1-hour car ride of a train station or 30 minutes within a feeder bus station.”

Some curb their enthusiasm about Green Lanes – Daily Herald “Randy Damrow, a TMA director who works at Underwriters Laboratories in Northbrook, wondered about the fairness of making tollway regulars suffer through construction on the Tri-State to widen it from four lanes to three, only to have one yanked away for carpooling.”

World News

Evaluating McCain and Obama on travel issues – USA Today “If there's one travel issue on which the two presidential candidates stand in stark opposition, it's support for the nation's rail lines and rail infrastructure.”

Peters Announces $679 million to Repair Damaged Roads, Bridges – Occupational Health & Safety “The federal government recently announced it is making $679 million available immediately to states across the nation to cover costs incurred to repair roads and bridges damaged by a variety of natural emergencies and catastrophic events.”

RTA’s Euclid Avenue corridor opens Friday afternoon – Cleveland.com “And it's green, from the 1,500 trees planted on Euclid Avenue to the bike lanes and the hybrid-electric vehicles powered by clean diesel engines and electric transmissions.”

Drivers still opting for public transit over highways – Market Watch “Gas prices may be falling fast from record highs, but travelers are avoiding the highways and jumping on buses and trains at a record pace, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Transportation on Friday.”

Bay Area gets funds for congestion pricing – San Francisco Chronicle “The Bay Area will receive $87 million in federal funds for the replacement of Doyle Drive and other regional transportation projects as part of a program to introduce congestion pricing - controlling traffic by raising and lowering tolls and parking rates - around the country.”

New way of life needed to run high-speed rail – San Francisco Chronicle “Transportation experts, including many high-speed rail supporters, say that denser land use - as in Europe and Asia - will be necessary for the system to succeed.”

Transit can lift growth – Monroe News Star “As the cost of owning and operating a vehicle continues to rise, the opportunities for the transit system to serve area citizens continue to grow.”

Get Public Transit Emergency Txt Alerts – LAist “The system is not set up for the city's local bus routes, but in 2009, they plan to launch a Next Bus type program where users can check where the bus is and when it will arrive via cell phone.”

Mexican pollution solution: Go green – Atlanta Journal-Constitution “Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard wants to install more than 500,000 square feet of green roofs by 2012, starting with government buildings.”

Resources

Jumpstarting the Transit Space Race – Reconnecting America
Closing America’s Infrastructure Gap: The Role of Public-Private Partnerships – Deloitte Research

Contact Information

For comments, suggestions or submissions, please contact Emily Tapia Lopez, Associate, at etapia@metroplanning.org or 312-863-6047.