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CTA IGNORES 31^ST STREET

Bus riders experience 13 year wait for bus to arrive.
WHAT/WHEN: Wed, Aug 10th, 2011

• 10:00 am public comment at CTA Board Meeting, 2nd Floor
• Press conference immediately following Board Meeting, outside on sidewalk.

WHERE: CTA, 567 W Lake Street.

WHO: Little Village Environmental Justice Organization and partners

Chicago – It can be a long wait to catch a CTA bus. But bus riders on 31^st Street have been waiting 13 years for their bus to arrive. That’s because 31^st Street has been without service since 1997. This has made it harder for residents to find safe, affordable ways to get to jobs, school and other destinations.

Money to bring back buses exists. But time to use it is running out. The Little Village Environmental Justice Organization and aldermen have been urging CTA to begin the New 31^st Street Bus Route. CTA currently has $5.6 million for 31^st Street and 5 other routes, but has repeatedly refused to comment or reply on the project.

LVEJO sees bus investment as a way to create jobs and get people to work. “Studies show that investing $10 million in transit operations should create $30 to 60 million of economic returns”, says Mike Pitula, LVEJO transit organizer, “so this is obviously a job creator.”

But in the face of a federal deadline, CTA has stonewalled activists and local officials. Aldermen George Cardenas and Ricardo Munoz have requested meetings to discuss the project. CTA has not replied. More than 2 years after receiving Job Access Reverse Commute funds for 6 bus routes from Washington, the CTA has done nothing. It is the only transit agency in Northeast Illinois that has failed to match its money. LVEJO is concerned that CTA will lose this funding if it does not find matching funds in its $1.34 Billion budget by September 30^th, 2011.

“The matching funds are less than half a percent of CTA’s budget for the year.” said Joe Trutin, a business owner along the proposed new route.

“The cost of the 31^st St bus and 5 other bus routes is a great investment for Chicago’s taxpayers,” said Kim Wasserman, executive director of LVEJO. She added, “It could generate up to $67 million for jobs and sales taxes (which help fund CTA), while providing safe routes to school and a cleaner environment.”

The 31^st Bus would directly connect riders from Bridgeport, Brighton Park, Bronzeville, Chinatown, Cicero, Douglas, Little Village and McKinley Park to jobs in hundreds of businesses, colleges, schools, parks, beaches, McCormick Place, the Lakefront Museums, Soldier Field, the White Sox U.S. Cellular Field and the Illinois Institute of Technology.  East 83^rd St. would also receive a new bus route under this program, while service hours and/or distance would be added on 4 additional routes across the city.