The Chainlink

For those of us who live in Lakeview or end up there pretty often, the amount of car traffic there can be pretty awful. This was sent to me, and it seems like it's a pretty crappy deal by an alderman that I thought would be more in favor of reducing traffic in his turf:

Alderman Tom Tunney is negotiating with the Cubs, and he wants more parking -- as much as 20 percent of Wrigley Field's capacity.*  Many of us feel Lakeview has enough cars on our streets already, and we would rather see investments in bicycling, transit, shuttles and sidewalks instead to serve residents and visitors.  Do you agree?
Please sign the petition TODAY and send this message to Alderman Tunney and the Cubs.  The Cubs have set a deadline of Monday, April 1 for an agreement around renovations, parking, and more.  They need to hear our voice.

Thanks!

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I blasted it to close to 1000 people last night via CCM etc. e-mail lists before this thread appeared.  But I'm sure thechainlink played some sort of role.

Michelle Stenzel said:

Thank you to everyone who has signed, and to Carl for posting this. When I signed a few days ago, there were only 20ish signatures, and now it's up to 94. Only 6 more to go to hit the goal of 100, so keep it going, ChainLinkers!

Some people just think that a solution to every urban problem is a streetcar…

h' 1.0 said:

Well, you're taken this from a rsignificant but conceivable expense for the developer to something a thriving metropolis can barely fund.

David crZven 10.6 said:

A direct link to the Red Line is not realistic for either the hotel or the park.  They are both more than a block away.  Its certainly a complex question and there are few good answers.   However, one of the "best" answers is to install a street car/light rail on Addison running from the lakefront to the Blue Line.   This would link the Lakefront, red, brown and blue lines.   It would provide a "fast" connection for folks riding the CTA that don't want to go downtown to make a transfer (for example O'Hare to Evanston).  And it would provide good access to Wrigley Field AND access to the already established parking at DeVry.

And you clearly live in a dream world.  The Hotel is proposed for Clark and Addison.  The Red Line Station is several blocks down Addison from the Hotel.   Its not only not a conceivable expense, it is physically impossible.   It crosses at least two streets and they City would certainly not allow a skybridge to be built across the front of Wrigley.

As for the Steetcar, its something that they city cannot afford NOT to do.   This is a 4 mile line which connects all of the major El Lines, the Lakefront and a major civic site (Wrigley Field).   Its a 280 million dollar project if mismanaged and a 160 million dollar project if properly managed.   That's less than the proposed repairs to the ball park.  If you want to reduce cars and give bikes a better chance, you need to make sure that you make it convenient for people to use something other than the car.   O'Hare to Evanston by CTA?   That's an el ride all the way into the City and back out again (2+ hours) or an El ride to Irving, schlepping onto an overcrowded Irving Park Bus, a 40 minute trip with waiting time, to the Red Line.   A little faster, but a lot more troublesome.   The Street car option STARTS at the end of the blue line. 

But hey, everyone knows that the best way to promote bicycles is to act like a car nazi and insist that it is the ONLY viable option.   Let's not repeat the mistakes that led to the prolongation of the Viet Nam war and realize that they way to win is to work within the system and provide options for all... yes even the cars.



h' 1.0 said:

Well, you're taken this from a rsignificant but conceivable expense for the developer to something a thriving metropolis can barely fund.

David crZven 10.6 said:

A direct link to the Red Line is not realistic for either the hotel or the park.  They are both more than a block away.  Its certainly a complex question and there are few good answers.   However, one of the "best" answers is to install a street car/light rail on Addison running from the lakefront to the Blue Line.   This would link the Lakefront, red, brown and blue lines.   It would provide a "fast" connection for folks riding the CTA that don't want to go downtown to make a transfer (for example O'Hare to Evanston).  And it would provide good access to Wrigley Field AND access to the already established parking at DeVry.

Remote parking also gives people some time to sober-up on the way to their vehicles after the game. Rather than driving intoxicated through the already-bottlenecked streets of Lakeview.

That's one big advantage to remote parking.

Nançois 8.5 said:

Remote parking also gives people some time to sober-up on the way to their vehicles after the game. Rather than driving intoxicated through the already-bottlenecked streets of Lakeview.

Not defending drunk driving, but it's tough to really do any damage if you are stuck in traffic for hours, not moving.

Nançois 8.5 said:

Remote parking also gives people some time to sober-up on the way to their vehicles after the game. Rather than driving intoxicated through the already-bottlenecked streets of Lakeview.

Who is this addressed to? I ride buses and trains all the time and I'd love to have more transit options.  Viet Nam war? Really?

David crZven 10.6 said:

But hey, everyone knows that the best way to promote bicycles is to act like a car nazi and insist that it is the ONLY viable option.   Let's not repeat the mistakes that led to the prolongation of the Viet Nam war and realize that they way to win is to work within the system and provide options for all... yes even the cars.

I used to live at Addison and Lincoln. There is free parking there that hardly gets used because a 10 min walk from there is way to far for most people driving there. Instead they would rather circle round cramped streets with "easy out" lots. I've never understood that. 

All of the major 'L' lines? I only count three out of a total eight lines.

David crZven 10.6 said:

As for the Steetcar, its something that they city cannot afford NOT to do.   This is a 4 mile line which connects all of the major El Lines, the Lakefront and a major civic site (Wrigley Field).   Its a 280 million dollar project if mismanaged and a 160 million dollar project if properly managed.   That's less than the proposed repairs to the ball park.  If you want to reduce cars and give bikes a better chance, you need to make sure that you make it convenient for people to use something other than the car.   O'Hare to Evanston by CTA?   That's an el ride all the way into the City and back out again (2+ hours) or an El ride to Irving, schlepping onto an overcrowded Irving Park Bus, a 40 minute trip with waiting time, to the Red Line.   A little faster, but a lot more troublesome.   The Street car option STARTS at the end of the blue line. 

Monorail!

David,

I'll give it a try.  1.  Transportation choices are cheap, compared to parking.  Let's try investing in, and clearly marketing, these choices to get to Wrigley Field first.  If that takes care of the demand, the neighborhood and environment is better off, without a permanent, expensive concrete structure.

2.  Alderman Tunney's request for up to 8,000 new parking spaces is not for the hotel, it is for the 100-year old ball field.  He has requested stand-alone, multi-level parking for 20% of Wrigley Field current (not new) capacity, in response to neighbors' concerns that people park on our streets:

"...as a condition of allowing renovations at Wrigley Field, a strong majority of residents support requiring Wrigley Field to use neighboring land owned by the Cubs to provide parking for at least twenty percent of their capacity, such as building a multi-story parking garage.  The positions I have taken in my discussions with the Cubs closely mirror those of my constituents."  Alderman Tom Tunney, March 8, 2013 http://www.44thward.org/site/epage/142019_1026.htm  

A new parking garage will cost about $7 million, so the Cubs will charge to recover costs.  People who now park cheaply (sometimes illegally) on streets or in neighbors' spots will continue to do so.  Meanwhile, there's a new $10 million TIF-funded parking garage at Truman College that is underutilized.  It will not go away, so let's use this and existing lots first.  Internet apps can connect drivers to parking.

3.  Agreed, some people need wheelchair and special needs access.  Let's accommodate them, and not block their way with 8,000 cars trying to park next door.

4. Neighbors' parallel concern is traffic.  Transportation choices are a better solution to traffic.

David Barish said:

Seating capcity for Madison Square Garden is just under 20,000. http://www.thegarden.com/faq.html

Seating capacity for Wrigley Field is just over 41,000. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrigley_Field

I see apple and oranges here.

New York City can be viewed as a cyclists utopia as its simply crazy to own or operate a car.  Nowhere to drive, nowhere to park.  The cost of vehicle ownership is prohibitive. The millions of people who live there in a much more dense area have no choice but to cope. Chicago is not the same city, even at its most congested. 

We are on the same page in terms of wanting less motor vehicle traffic.  We differ insofar as my eyes are open and I see that vehicles will be there and feel that something has to be done about them. I am not on the side of either the Cubs or the alderman.  As a citizen, I think they ought to increase parking of all kinds if they are doing any significant renovation and expansion of the park.

I am willing to sign the petition if somebody can explain why this proposal is flawed outside of a general rant about why cars are bad and why nobody should ever drive. 

No way! Have you even seen what the monorail did to North Haverbook?!


h' 1.0 said:

Monorail!

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