South Halsted corridor enhancements

[VIDEO] The reason I'm sharing this is that any opportunities we have to improve transportation on the south side is worthwhile whether we have bus rapid transit on Halsted or we extend the CTA Red Line further south.

The video above is of a recent meeting about bus rapid transit by Pace Bus and CTA on South Halsted St. Block Club Chgo got more on this.

South Side commuters got their first glimpse at proposed changes coming to the South Halsted Bus Corridor during last week’s public meeting at Woodson Public Library.

Transit officials from the Chicago Transit Authority and PACE were on hand to field questions about the project and Pulse, PACE’s rapid transit network introduced last summer in an effort to modernize facilities and increase ridership.

They also received input from customers, who will have the biggest say on all potential improvements planned for the 11-mile corridor, one of the busiest in the city.

The total cost of the project is $52-$72 million, with Pulse station upgrades costing $500,000 each and buses costing $400,000 each, according to PACE Chief Communications Officer Maggie Daly Skogsbakken.

The two agencies unveiled several possible changes for the South Halsted Bus Corridor, each of which would ease the flow of traffic and reduce travel time between 5 and 10 percent.

The first option would call for parking spaces to only be repurposed at intersections, shaving travel time by 5 percent. The second option would replace a travel lane for bus lanes between 129th and 154th Streets. The third includes Option Two, with bus lanes between 98th and 129th Street replacing on-street parking, reducing travel time by 10 percent.

Potential Pulse station enhancements include heated shelters, customizable shelter panels, landscaping and trash receptacles and an 11- to 12-inch raised platform with heated pavement that would allow for level boarding. Buses would also get a Wi-Fi upgrade.