Apr 29, 2008 6:25 pm US/Central
City Gets $153M Grant To Improve Buses, Traffic
Plan Calls For 'Green' CTA Buses And Increase In Parking Meter Fees During Rush Hours
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
The city unveiled Tuesday an ambitious new plan to get traffic moving faster. It involves speeding up buses, in part by making sure they don't have to wait so long at stop lights.
And if you park at meters in the city, get ready to carry more quarters. The mayor is telling motorists to pay up.
CBS 2's Mike Parker reports the idea is to make taking Chicago Transit Authority buses more attractive and to make downtown parking more expensive.
Currently, CTA buses creeping along through heavy car and truck traffic pour pollution into the city air. Mayor Richard M. Daley thinks there's a way to make this reality a thing of the past.
"Moving people from cars to a rapid transit system and basically working with the environment, making it safe, clean and of course, on time," the mayor said of the new plan's goals.
Daley and the federal transportation secretary took step one of a $153 million plan to revolutionize CTA bus service. Within a year, a 10-mile pilot project bus route, still to be chosen, will see new hybrid gasoline/electric engine buses carrying passengers, along traffic lanes reserved only for those buses.
The buses will make fewer stops, four to five blocks apart, and riders will pay their fares at separate kiosks so they can board quickly.
On board the buses there are plans for technology that allows the driver to extend green traffic lights or shorten red lights as they approach.
To pressure car owners to take the bus, prices at downtown area parking meters will go up during rush hours and there will be a surcharge at parking garages.
"We don't have to make it that high. How high? Not as high as you think. How high does it need to be? Not as high as high," Daley said.
"We know that by varying the price just a little bit at various times of day, you can control traffic significantly better," said Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters.
If the 10-mile pilot project goes well and more federal money becomes available, nine more so-called green routes will be added, for a total of 100 miles across the city.
How do commuters feel about the latest plan to make the CTA more efficient?
CBS 2's Kristyn Hartman reports, commuters see terrible gridlock all the time, so a program that promises to put buses in their own fast lane gets high praise from transportation experts.
"This gives Chicago's bus system a shot in the arm," said DePaul University transportation expert Joe Schwieterman.
And passengers like any idea to speed up the bus commute.
"It'll be convenient -- that's good to hear. I'm excited about it," said bus commuter Antonio Padua.
But other city fixes to ease downtown traffic mean not everyone will have something to smile about. Those who park in garages will have to pay more under the new "congestion pricing," in effect in the undefined central business district.
"I think Chicago is getting more like New York -- aggressive action to discourage driving, fairly massive toll increases," Schwieterman said.
"They're increasing everything right now, so it's just another tax or toll you have to pay" said motorist Brian Morris.
He added that it would not discourage him from driving.
But it sure has other motorists discouraged.
"I'm already paying $80 a week to park and with gas prices -- it's taking a toll," said driver Matt Igelman.
Schwieterman says city leaders have to proceed with caution if they want people to come into the city.
"Increases in parking need to be tactical," he said, not so punishing they keep folks away.
Other cities in the U.S. and overseas have long used tolls and fees to encourage people to use mass transit.
CBS 2's Mike Parker and Kristyn Hartman contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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