South Side residents say prices, routes would hit them hard
By Mary Owen
Chicago Tribune
June 6, 2007
CTA riders expressed anger and frustration Tuesday night during a public hearing on Chicago's South Side about possible fare increases and service cuts that officials said they might need to eliminate a $110 million deficit.
The proposed changes, which CTA officials said would go into effect if the agency does not get more money from the state, include boosting fares to as much as $3.25 on trains during peak travel hours and suspending service on 63 bus routes and on the Yellow and Purple Line/Evanston Express rail lines.
Theresa Simpson told the Chicago Transit Authority board that her mother would have to walk 35 blocks to her job at a nursing home on the North Side if the No. 93 California/Dodge bus route is eliminated.
"My mother will not be able to go to work," said Simpson, who was one of about 300 people packed into Sherman Park Fieldhouse in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. "There is no other option."
CTA officials said the changes could come as early as mid-September. Public hearings on fare and service changes must be held before the CTA can implement them. Tuesday's hearing was the first of four meetings.
CTA President Ron Huberman, who took office May 1, opened the hearing by saying that he hopes state lawmakers come through with extra funding so the changes won't have to be made.
"We don't want to raise fares by a penny," he told the group. "We don't want to cut one single bus route."
Simpson was emotional when she echoed the sentiments of many at the meeting that the fare increases would especially hurt the working poor. The proposed fare increases for individual rides would range from 25 cents to $1.25, and the cost of a transfer would double to 50 cents.
January 2006 was the last time the CTA raised fares. Cash fares jumped to $2 from $1.75, and 25-cent cash transfers were eliminated, which meant each cash fare cost $2. Users of the Chicago Card and Chicago Card Plus were not hit with a fare increase.
"I would like them to not increase the fares," Simpson said. "It's a struggle to pay for it as it is."
Several speakers used the forum to make general complaints about service such as dirty trains and late buses. They added that they shouldn't have to pay more for the same shoddy service.
Some people challenged the board to pressure state lawmakers.
"We need to go to Springfield and tell these people about it," said Jerry Thurman, who is unemployed and will have to limit his job prospects if the changes are made. "It's not the CTA. This is a political thing."
Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd) told the CTA board that she would help rally her community around efforts to sway state lawmakers to increase CTA funding.
"We need to do more to get money from the state so we don't have to deal with these service cuts and fare increases," she said.
Several people said it appeared that a disproportionate number of the proposed route eliminations would affect the South Side, despite Huberman's comments during the hearing that the cuts would affect the city equally.
"Most of these cuts are in minority communities," said Adrian Wright, who lives in Washington Park, where she said six routes are targeted.
Linda Lamb, a real estate agent who lives in Englewood, said reduced public transportation in the neighborhood would hinder property values.
"That's really a selling point in selling a house," she said.
Under the CTA contingency plan, ridership would plummet by an estimated 260,000 rides a day. The proposed plan includes $20 million in fare increases, $15 million in service cuts, deferring $56.9 million in bus and train renovations and cutting $18.1 million in administration and other areas to address a $110 million budget gap.
The CTA cut service by 10 percent in 1997 to save $25 million a year, prompting a public outcry. Since then, some service, including express bus routes, has been added, resulting in more riders but no permanent state funding to support the expenditure.
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Public hearings
The CTA Board will hear public comment on the service-reduction plan at the following hearings:
*Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Michelle's Ballroom, 2800 W. Belmont Ave.
*Monday, 6:30 p.m.,
University of Illinois-Chicago Student Center East, 750 S. Halsted St., Room 302
*June 13, 9 a.m., CTA headquarters, 567 W. Lake St.
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD: Public comment also may be submitted to the board at
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, or by writing to:
Chicago Transit Authority
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