Public Infrastructure Management Public Transit

What is public transit? Modes

What Is Public Transit? Group shared riding Open to everyone Pay a fare Usually fixed-route, fixed-schedule Important for people who don’t have car or don’t want to drive Good for environment

Question When you have to make a trip, how do you decide whether to drive, rideshare, or take public transit?

Commuter Rail Long trips & distances between stations Diesel or electric Typically goes downtown Example: Metra

Commuter Rail Descended from steam railroads which connected many cities & towns Defined pattern of older regions Service being added in many places

Metra

Metra Operations Push-pull Diesel-electric Bi-level cars Exception: Metra Electric

How to Ride Metra Get schedule & map Or call RTA at If possible, go to station ahead of time Find parking lots, bus stop Look for platforms Find waiting & boarding areas On day of ride, get there in plenty of time Buy ticket Go to platform, wait patiently, stay away from yellow edge When train arrives, board quickly, but don’t rush

How to Ride Metra Find a seat Hint: Accessible cars have better bathrooms Give ticket to conductor when asked Listen for station where you’re going Get to door in plenty of time Get off quickly, but don’t rush Orient yourself Find connecting bus or train Or walk to where you’re going

Rapid Transit – “Heavy Rail” Electric power – 3 rd rail Platforms & stations Long distances between stations Example: CTA “El” & subway

CTA Rapid Transit

Question: “El’s” vs. Subways What’s better? - Elevated rapid transit lines or subways?

How to Ride CTA Get map Or call RTA at If possible, go to station ahead of time Find parking lots, bus stop Look for platforms Find waiting & boarding areas On day of ride, get there in plenty of time Buy ticket from fare machine Put ticket into turnstile Look for arrow on ticket Go up or down to platform Wait patiently & stay away from platform edge

How to Ride CTA When train arrives, board quickly, but don’t rush Find a seat If you have to stand, hold on tight Listen for station where you’re going Get to door in plenty of time Get off quickly, but don’t rush Orient yourself Find connecting bus or train Or walk to where you’re going

Buses Rubber tire – diesel, electric trolley, methane, fuel cell Mixed traffic, bus lanes, busways Fixed-route, fixed- schedule vs. demand-responsive, paratransit

Pace

How to Ride Pace Get map Or call RTA at If possible, go to bus stop ahead of time Find parking lots Look waiting area On day of ride, get there in plenty of time Have exact change, ticket, or pass When bus arrives, board quickly, but don’t rush Pay fare on entry

How to Ride Pace Find a seat Listen for stop where you’re going Signal for stop Get to door in plenty of time Get off quickly, but don’t rush Orient yourself Find connecting bus or train Or walk to where you’re going

Interurban Once connected many US cities North Shore served Lake County South Shore only surviving

South Shore

Light Rail Used to be called “streetcar” Not in Chicago any more Electric – power from overhead Shorter distances between stops

Other Modes People- Movers Trams Ferries Inclined Planes

Intercity Passenger Rail - Amtrak

Amtrak in NE Illinois About 76 trains daily to & from Chicago

Midwest Regional Rail System

Very high speed 300 mph Grade-separated The Future? – Maglev?