Talking more about Emanuel and the Red Line extension...

Since it appears that Rahm Emanuel will be on the ballot for now per a state Supreme Court ruling, we can further discuss his plans for extending the Red Line from 95th to 130th Street:

First on Emanuel's to-do list, which totals billions of dollars, is overhauling 10 miles of deteriorated Red Line track on the South Side from 18th to 95th streets, where slow zones cause long travel times.

Emanuel also seeks to extend the Red Line from its current south terminus at 95th Street by another 5½ miles, to 130th Street. Finally, he proposes to renovate Red Line stations and track north of Belmont Avenue. Some of the stations north of Belmont are in deplorable condition.

These aren't new ideas. Daley and CTA officials have wanted to get the job done for years. But with almost $7 billion in CTA capital needs that are not funded, talk is cheap.
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But Emanuel, who holds 44 percent in the latest Tribune poll, pledged he will have all three phases of the Red Line project under way in his first year as mayor.

He will rely mostly on federal funding, a commitment that typically takes years to line up by completing the applications and studies required by the Federal Transit Administration. State funding and public-private partnerships to support reconstruction of rail stations are also envisioned by the Emanuel campaign.

"It's a heads-up to Washington, D.C., and Springfield that this will be a priority if I'm elected mayor," Emanuel said last week.
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But Emanuel, who holds 44 percent in the latest Tribune poll, pledged he will have all three phases of the Red Line project under way in his first year as mayor.

He will rely mostly on federal funding, a commitment that typically takes years to line up by completing the applications and studies required by the Federal Transit Administration. State funding and public-private partnerships to support reconstruction of rail stations are also envisioned by the Emanuel campaign.

"It's a heads-up to Washington, D.C., and Springfield that this will be a priority if I'm elected mayor," Emanuel said last week.

Please note that this column from John Hilkevitch, the Tribune's transportation columnist was written on January 23rd a day before Emanuel was originally kicked off the ballot per a State Appellate Court ruling. We know that Emanuel is on board on transit issues, but what about the other Mayoral candidates? At that what about our Aldermanic candidates? Especially on the issue of the Red Line extension and how it might or might not benefit the residents of the 6th.

Via Edgewater Community Buzz!