Greg Hinz tours the unfinished 'superstation' under Block 37 in the central Loop, built by the Chicago Transit Authority at a cost of $218 million. It would cost an estimated $150 million to complete, a sum that's unlikely to be raised anytime soon.
"After a full year of asking, photographer Stephen Serio and I a few days ago finally got a chance to tour the hitherto unseen 'superstation' under Block 37 in the central Loop — a grand space that is an equally grand testimony to the hubris of the latter years of former Mayor Richard M. Daley's administration," says Hinz. The station was conceived as a hub for express train service to Chicago's airports and as "a track link between the Blue and Red lines — the CTA's busiest — which otherwise do not converge." However, funding for the express train service never materialized.
"We the taxpayers spent well over $200 million on what amounts to one of the world's biggest unfinished basements. And it will only take another $150 million or so to be able to use it," notes Hinz. "That won't happen anytime soon."
FULL STORY: CTA reveals its Block 37 superstation
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Chicago Announces First Five ‘Better Streets for Buses’ Corridors
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Study: Loss of Public Transit in Chicago Would Have ‘Severe’ Mobility, Economic Consequences
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
DARTSpace Platform Streamlines Dallas TOD Application Process
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Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
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Supreme Court Ruling in Pipeline Case Guts Federal Environmental Law
The decision limits the scope of a federal law that mandates extensive environmental impact reviews of energy, infrastructure, and transportation projects.
Texas State Bills to Defund Dallas Transit Die
DART would have seen a 30% service cut, $230M annual losses had the bills survived.
Bikeshare for the Win: Team Pedals to London Cricket Match, Beats Rivals Stuck in Traffic
While their opponents sat in gridlock, England's national cricket team hopped Lime bikes, riding to a 3-0 victory.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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