Sunday, February 19, 2012

Progress IL: Red Line Extension Moving Forward, But Funding Uncertain

Ald. Sawyer was quoted in this piece by Progress Illinois from last week:
As for the Red Line extension, CTA begins their official environmental impact study of the project next month, which is necessary to qualify for federal funding. The study should take 18 months to 24 months and, at that point, Far South Side transit advocates are hopeful that the extension would begin.

“We are hoping to secure federal funding by the late part of 2013,” said John Paul Jones, an organizer for the Developing Communities Project, a faith-based group in Roseland.

Jones has worked to get the Red Line extended for years, and so has a healthy dose of skepticism. But he’s optimistic, noting that CTA is pursuing a private contractor to shape the project’s design and construction. “It’s a good sign that they are trying to line up a public-private partnership,” Jones says.

Ald. Roderick Sawyer, whose 6th ward lies just north of 95th St., is also hopeful. “It seems as if things are moving in a promising fashion,” Sawyer says. “I know people complain about the process taking so long, but it’s a pretty aggressive expansion.”

Insufficient funding, though, can render the whole process moot.
Noted here is a meeting hosting by Ald. Sawyer on Transit coming up on February 25th!

1 comment:

  1. NO NO Extension. People really need to think about this. Do you really want the ex-project people to have an easier time to get into the city? Do you really want to make it easier for the riff raff to come in and do more damage. This will hurt more than it helps. I wish the redline stopped at 85th to be honest.

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