Chicago Transit Authority 
CIRCLE LINE ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS STUDY
SCREEN 3
DISPLAY BOARDS
September/October 2009



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: FTA’s Evaluation Process, Screens 1, 2, and 3

-- The Purpose and Need is first defined, the evaluation criteria are applied, and options within the Universe of Alternatives are eliminated until, at the end of the process, there is a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA).

-- Flow chart illustrates process of examining a universe of alternatives, application of evaluation criteria, and narrowing options during each screen of the Alternatives Analysis Process to arrive at a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA)

-- Screen 1: Reviewed universe of alternatives
* Eliminated alternatives that were not suitable
* Conducted three public involvement meetings in May 2006

-- Screen 2: Detailed definition and comparative evaluation
* Specific alignments
* Transit ridership and capital costs
* Evaluate and identify the strongest alternatives
* Conducted three public involvement meetings in September 2006

-- Screen 3: Final definition and evaluation
* Refine strongest alternatives to best serve the Purpose and Need 
* Present recommended LPA and supporting data to the public in September / October 2009.



BOARD: Purpose and Need

-- Transportation Needs
* Growth in population and employment
* Access to activity and employment centers
* Changing travel patterns (non-Loop destinations)
* Connecting among transit modes
* Increasing transit travel options for residents
* Congestion and lengthening travel times

-- Purpose of Transit Investments
* Increase transit access between neighborhoods
* Improve access to major regional activity centers
* Improve CTA and Metra transfer connections
* Increase regional transit system efficiency
* Leverage existing regional transit infrastructure investments


BOARD: Screen 1 Findings 

-- Map displaying four corridors to be studies
* Ashland Corridor:  Corridor begins to the north on the Brown/Red/Purple Lines between Fullerton and Clyburn, follows Ashland Avenue south to the Orange Line Station at Ashland, then uses the Orange Line to return north to the loop.
* Ashland Ogden Corridor: Corridor begins to the north on the Brown/Red/Purple Lines between Fullerton and Clyburn, heads south on Halsted to Ogden, follows Ogden heading southwest to Ashland Avenue, follows Ashland Avenue South to the Orange Line Station at Ashland, then uses the Orange Line to return north to the loop.
* Western Corridor:  Corridor begins to the north on the Brown/Red/Purple Lines between Fullerton and Clyburn, moves west on an unspecified alignment to Western Avenue, then heads south on Western Avenue to the Orange Line Station at 35th / Archer, then uses the Orange Line to return north to the loop.
* Western-35th Corridor:  Corridor begins to the north on the Brown/Red/Purple Lines between Fullerton and Clyburn, moves west on an unspecified alignment to Western Avenue, then heads south on Western Avenue to the Orange Line Station at 35th / Archer, then uses the Orange Line to return north to the loop.

-- Pictures of the four transportation technologies considered
* Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
* Light Rail Transit (LRT)
* Heavy Rail Transit (HRT) Mostly Elevated
* Heavy Rail Transit (HRT) Limited Elevated

 

BOARD: Screen 2 Findings 

-- Bus Rapid Transit Alternatives Advancing to Screen 3
* Map depicting the Ashland Avenue Alignment. The corridor begins at Brown Line North & Clyburn, connects with the O’Hare Blue Line Station at Division & Milwaukee, the Pink/Green Line Station at Lake/Ashland, Congress Blue Line Station at Ogden, Pink Line Station at Roosevelt/Paulina, and the Orange Line Station at Ashland, and uses the Orange Line to connect to the Red Line at a new Chinatown Station.
* Map depicting the Ashland-Ogden Alignment. The corridor begins at Red/Brown Line Division Station, uses Ogden Avenue to connect O’Hare Blue Line Station at Chicago & Milwaukee, continues on Ogden to Ashland and the Pink/Green Line Station at Lake/Ashland, and then follows the same alignment as the above corridor.   

-- Heavy Rail Transit Alternatives Advancing to Screen 3
* Map depicting an Ashland Alignment. The corridor begins at Red Line North & Clyburn Station, Heads northwest to a new station at North and Ashland, follows Ashland Avenue south, connects the Pink/Green Line Station at Lake/Ashland and utilizes a segment of the Pink line to continue south, continues south along Ashland along a new track alignment to connect with the Orange Line, heads northeast on the Orange Line to a new station at Chinatown, and continues north on a new track alignment to connect with Red Line.
* Map depicting an Ashland-Ogden Alignment.  The corridor begins at the Brown/Red Line near Division and Orleans, uses a new rail corridor along Ogden Avenue and connects with the O’Hare Blue Line at Chicago Avenue.  Continuing on a new rail alignment, the corridor continues southwest along Ogden and Grand to connect with the Pink/Green Line at lake/Ashland.  The corridor then follows the same alignment as the corridor described above.



BOARD:  Community Participation

-- More than 500 people attended Screen 1 and 2 public meetings
-- Met with stakeholders and elected officials
-- Approximately 550 comments submitted and answered
-- Significant media coverage



BOARD: Screen 3 Expanded Study Area 

-- Seeking cost-effective solution to Purpose and Need
-- Cicero Bus Rapid Transit & Heavy Rail Transit
-- Modified system routes
-- Expanded study area
* Extended north to Lawrence
* Extended south to 79th Street
* Extended west to Cicero

Map of Expanded Study area displaying above-mentioned new study area.  Old study area is highlighted:  Fullerton Avenue to the north, California Avenue to the west, and 39th Street to the south.



BOARD: Screen 3 Alternatives maps

--New Cicero Alternatives
* Map 1 illustrating a BRT route beginning at the northern terminus of the Brown Line, heading west on Lawrence Avenue to Jefferson Park, south on Cicero Avenue to 79th Street, 79th Street east to the Red Line.
 * Map 2 illustrating a Heavy Rail Transit route beginning at the northern terminus of the Brown Line, heading west on Lawrence Avenue to Jefferson Park, south on Cicero Avenue to approximately 71st Street, east to connect with the Red Line at 87th Street

-- New Route Alternatives using Ashland / Ogden
* Map 1 illustrating a Heavy Rail Transit Route to Midway.   The route begins at North / Clyburn, follows Ogden Avenue, roughly, to Ashland Avenue, continues on Ashland Avenue to connect with the Orange Line to Midway Airport.
* Map 2 illustrating a Heavy Rail Transit Route to Ashland / Archer.  The route is similar to the above route, except it terminates and the Orange Line, where it turns northeast to create a loop in the EL system.

-- Refined Screen 2 Alternatives (Lower Cost Alternatives)
* Map 1 illustrating a BRT route beginning at the North / Clyburn Red Line Station, heading west on North Avenue to Cicero Avenue, turning south onto Cicero Avenue to the Orange Line, turning northeast on Archer Avenue to Cermak Avenue, terminating at the Cermak - Chinatown   Red Line Station.   
 * Map 2 illustrating a Heavy Rail Transit route beginning at the beginning at the North / Clyburn Red Line Station, heading west on North Avenue to Ashland Avenue, turning south onto Ashland Avenue to the Orange Line, connecting to the Orange Line at Ashland Avenue.   



BOARD: Alternatives Considered

-- Flow chart illustrating the Alternatives Analysis process with the screening of alternatives and public involvement input process.  At each step, the number of alternatives considered increased before arriving at a Locally Preferred Alternative.



BOARD: Evaluation matrix

-- Matrix of alternatives and rating criteria.  
* Alternatives considered are:  New Cicero Alternatives (Bus Rapid Transit and Heavy Rail Transit), New route alternatives utilizing Ashland & Ogden (Heavy Rail Transit to Midway and Heavy Rail Transit to Ashland / Archer), and Refined Screen 2 Alternatives,  Lower Cost Alternatives (Bus Rapid Transit, Heavy Rail Transit Ashland and North Avenue, and Heavy Rail Transit Ashland / and Ogden Avenues)
* Criteria used to compare are Order of magnitude capital costs, annual operating costs, annual project ridership for 2030, annual user benefits in millions of hours, and annual project cost per hour of user benefits compared to the no-build.

-- CTA recommendations are for 
Refined Screen 2 Alternatives, Lower Cost Alternatives (Bus Rapid Transit, Heavy Rail Transit Ashland and North Avenue, and Heavy Rail Transit Ashland / and Ogden Avenues) is recommended for the long term vision and the premise of a Locally Preferred Alternative.
This provides for future connections as identified in the purpose and need.



BOARD: Long Term Vision 

-- Map illustrating the Long Term Vision that includes:
* Various potential alignments between the Brown/Red/Purple Line to the Green Line at Ashland Avenue.  
* Connection at the Green / Pink Line station at Ashland Avenue
* Using the Pink Line between lake and approximately 21st Street
* A new station where the Pink and Blue Lines intersect
* A new station at Roosevelt Road
* A new track alignment between the Pink Line and Orange Line at Ashland Avenue
* A new Orange Line station at Chinatown.

-- Provides future connections identified in Purpose and Need
-- Potential Green, Red, Brown and Purple connections
-- Future connections require additional environmental impact analysis




BOARD: Recommended Locally Preferred Alternative 

-- Map illustrating the Locally Preferred Alternative that shows:
* Route beginning on the North Red Line
* Proposed Circle Line to utilize existing underground Red Line tracks
* Potential future station at 18th / Clark to connect with a potential future Metra station at Archer
Proposed Circle Line to utilize the existing Orange Line tracks
* A new track alignment that is an Orange and Pink Line connection
* A new station at Cermak – Blue Island
* A potential future station at Ashland to connect with the Metra BNSF
* A new station at Roosevelt Road
* A new station connecting the Pink and Blue Lines and Congress / Paulina.
* Proposed Circle Line to utilize existing elevated Pink Line tracks
* A proposed turn back at existing Pink / Green Line Ashland Station.
 
-- Capital Cost (inflated to estimate the year of expenditure: $1.1 Billion
-- Capital Cost: $1.0 Billion
-- Operating Cost: $22 Million
-- Projected 2030 Ridership:  10 million