Chicago Transit Authority 
YELLOW LINE EXTENSION ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS STUDY
SCREEN 2 BOARDS


BOARD:  FTA’S Required New Start Process

Flow chart of the New Start Process: Concept Development, Alternatives Analysis Study (present stage), Preliminary Engineering and Environmental Impact Statement, Final Design, Construction, then Operation.


BOARD: Purpose and Need

-- Transportation Needs
* Enhance access to the concentration of institutional, employment and retail activity in the Old Orchard Road area
* Leverage existing transit infrastructure to provide locally oriented rapid transit service
* Support local land use and development goals
* Alleviate traffic congestion due to expected growth in Skokie population and employment

-- Opportunity for Improvement
* Extend rapid transit service north from Yellow Line terminal at Dempster Street:
* Improve access to, within, and beyond study area
* Support economic development and job opportunities
* Shorten transit travel times through faster and more direct routing


BOARD:  Study Area

Map: Yellow Line Extension Alternatives Analysis Study Area with the boundaries of Dempster Street to the south, Old Orchard Road to the north, Skokie Boulevard to the east and Central Avenue/Harms Road to the west.  At the southern boundary of the map is the Skokie / Dempster Street Yellow Line terminus.

BOARD:  Community Participation 

Community participation is one of the key components of the alternative analysis

-- Community Outreach
* General Public
* Elected and Appointed Officials
* Community and Civic Organizations
* Faith-based organizations
* Local and state Agencies

-- Ongoing Public Involvement / Input
* Meetings announced through public notices and advertisements
* Project updates on the CTA web site: www.transitchicago.com.  Accessible at local libraries


BOARD: Universe of Corridors and Profiles Considered

List of corridors Identified: Edens Expressway, Union Pacific Railroad, Gross Point Road / Skokie Boulevard, Skokie Boulevard

List of Profiles:  At-grade, Elevated, Trench, Underground

List of technologies:   Automated Guideway/Monorail, Bus Rapid Transit, Commuter Bus, Commuter Rail, Heavy Rail Transit, High Speed Rail, Light Rail Transit, Local Bus, MagLev,
Personal Rapid Transit, Streetcar


BOARD:  Screen 1 Findings

-- Heavy Rail Transit, UPRR Corridor, at-grade, elevated, trench
-- Bus Rapid Transit,  UPRR Corridor, at-grade
-- Bus Rapid Transit,  Gross Point Road / Skokie Boulevard Corridor, at-grade


BOARD:  Screen 2 – Step 1:  Alternatives Definition 

-- Transportation System Management (incorporate BRT), Dempster / Skokie /  Old Orchard Corridor, at grade, no exclusive lanes, 2 stations and 2.6 route miles
-- Bus Rapid Transit,  UPRR Corridor, at-grade, 2 stations and 2.0 route miles
-- Heavy Rail Transit, UPRR Corridor,  elevated and trench, 1 station and  1.6 route miles


BOARD:  Screen 2 – Step 2:  Evaluation Findings 

Table illustrating the Step 2 Detailed Evaluation

-- The TSM alternative offers relative benefits in capital costs, but is less advantageous under the transportation criteria 
-- The BRT alternative offers relative benefits in capital costs and operations and maintenance (O&M) cost factors, but is less advantageous under the transportation criteria 
-- The HRT UPRR West Elevated option rates positive for transportation and ridership factors, but negative for capital costs and environmental factors
-- The HRT UPRR West Trench option rates positive for transportation and ridership factors, but negative for capital costs, physical factors, and environmental factors
-- The HRT UPRR East Trench option rates positive for transportation, economic, and ridership factors, but negative for capital costs, physical factors, and environmental factors
-- The HRT UPRR East Elevated option rates positive for transportation, economic, and ridership factors, but negative for environmental factors

The HRT UPRR East Elevated option is the Locally Preferred Alternative


BOARD:  Screen 2 recommendation:  Locally Preferred Alternative 

-- The HRT UPRR East Elevated option is the Locally Preferred Alternative
-- Map illustrates the aforementioned corridor.  



BOARD:  Aerial Map Board – Bus Alternative

The BRT alternative begins on the north side of Dempster Street, across the street from the current terminus of the Yellow Line Dempster Street Station.  The corridor continues on the UP Railroad right-of-way northwest.  At the intersection of Gross Point Road, the BRT corridor has an at-grade crossing with signal priority.  At the intersection of Church Street, the BRT corridor has an at-grade crossing with signal priority.   At Golf Road, the BRT corridor has an at-grade crossing with signal priority. The BRT corridor crosses under the Edens Expressway on the UPRR right-of-way to Old Orchard Road, where there is a BRT station.  The BRT bus would turn right on Old Orchard Road using a shared traffic lane, cross over the Edens Expressway, and enter the Old Orchard Mall area where there is a second BRT station at the end terminal at Macy’s.


BOARD:  Aerial Map Board – Rail (HRT) Preliminary Locally Preferred Alternative 


The improvements begin near Niles Center Road where an elevated HRT structure begins.  A new, relocated  elevated rail station over Dempster Street would replace the existing station.  The corridor continues northwest along the UP railroad right-of-way.  There are grade-separated crossings of Gross Point Road, Church Street, and Golf Road.  Before the Edens Expressway, the corridor leaves the UP railroad right-of-way and joins the western side of the Edens Expressway right-of-way adjacent to Niles North High School.  South of Old Orchard Road, there is a new station location which would be the new northern terminus of the Yellow Line.