Progress Illinois

In 2007, rides on the Regional Transportation Authority system — which includes the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace — made up just 5.6 percent of all trips taken in the six-county Chicago region, according to a study by Chicago Metropolis 2020. Some advocates say the figure needs to be more than twice that in order to sustain the region long-term.

Lowenstein's analysis of the amount of resources lost because of our reliance on auto-transit is perhaps the most stunning section of the piece. Using numbers from the Texas Transportation Institute, which for the past 25 years has calculated the cost of traffic in terms of labor hours and excess fuel consumed, Lowenstein estimates that the region could lose more than $750 billion if congestion costs were to increase at the same rate during the next 30 years as they have since the 1980s.

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The Chicago Tribune editorial board echoes Lowenstein's point today in an editorial criticizing a recent plan to create bus-only lanes on four major city corridors within the next year while simultaneously raising the rates of downtown street meter parking:

To hear [CTA President Ron] Huberman describe the CTA of the future is to alternate between awe of his vision and energy and astonishment at the no-brainer stuff that could have been done years ago. Huberman's making progress. But Chicago would be foolish to make life miserable for motorists before it can assure them a more attractive alternative. When the CTA is on track, drivers will be more inclined to park their cars and climb aboard.

While the bus plan is much more encouraging than the Tribune lets on, their central thesis is correct. When transit infrastructure is available, people use it, and the results are invaluable. It's time state and local legislators prioritized it.

Image used under a Creative Commons license by Flickr user TheeErin.