An ambitious BRT plan for Chicago could be a great boon for inner-city folks greatly in need of better ways to get around, says Yonah Freemark.
Upon taking office, new Mayor Rahm Emmanuel announced that the BRT would be on his agenda. Yonah Freemark says that the MTA moved forward, but ended up with a watered-down plan that wouldn't have a substantial effect on the city. But...
"But a new proposal by the influential Chicago-area Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC), whose board is a collection of some of the city's top business leaders, goes a lot further, promoting a $1.23 billion project that would dramatically improve connections between the city's outlying neighborhoods and reinforce the core network of commuter rail and L lines. While Chicago, like all major cities, has a number of transportation priorities, an endorsement by Mr. Emanuel of this scheme as the city's long-term plan could go a long way towards making the city a place where it is easier than ever to get around without a private automobile."
FULL STORY: In Chicago, a Massive BRT Plan Could be the Best Bet for Inner City Mobility
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New York City School Construction Authority
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Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
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