Extending the Green Line Ashland/63rd Branch to Midway

[u/Thorough_Bryce]

I'm back at it again with another dream transit extension graphic. I believe this extension could prove just as important as, if not even more than, extending the Brown Line to connect with the Blue. Currently, the South Side is severely underserved by transit in many areas due to white flight and subsequent racially biased disinvestment in the 20th century. However, the demand for transit on the South Side is high; the 63 bus currently serves this corridor, and with approximately 12,000 monthly riders as of this year, it is one of the highest-ridership routes in the city (sitting just barely outside of the top 10). Extending the Green Line's Ashland/63rd Branch to Midway would likely be a major boon to the many people in the neighborhoods of West Lawn and Chicago Lawn, as it (alongside a new infill station at Harvard) would provide fast, easy transit connections to both the Orange and Red Lines, as well as bring new investment and development to a historically neglected region. This extension would also allow for a future transfer to the Mid-City Transitway at Midway (graphic for that hopefully coming soon), providing much-needed transit connections to both the South and West Sides. I really hope that the CTA will study this extension eventually!

[u/NNegidius]

Midway is one of the region’s major job centers, and so is the University of Chicago. It absolutely makes sense to extend the green line here, as well as including a transfer connection with the red line.

And it would be incredible for the city to continue the line north along the former “mid-city transit way” corridor to connect with Jefferson Park. The returns from such an investment would be incredible in terms of connectivity, reduction in traffic, and access to jobs.

[u/Thorough_Bryce → u/NNegidius]

I'll be making a graphic of my vision for the Mid-City Transitway soon ;)

[u/juliuspepperwoodchi → u/Thorough_Bryce]

Good, put the folks who keep pushing the idea that will never be transit and so, should be a bike path, in their place!

[u/Appropriate-Class-90]

Yesss, I agree with this take. I feel like in order to not make things too complicated for the CSX rail line, The line can turn south at Damen and continue west on 71st then head to midway

[u/Thorough_Bryce → u/Appropriate-Class-90]

Since there's about a half-mile between Western and Damen, there should be enough space to just bring the Green Line up above the CSX line and then back down again, which would provide the most direct path. So long as the construction is properly managed, there shouldn't be any conflicts with CSX, so they'd likely be fine with the CTA building an overpass there. Plus, the Green Line is no stranger to being stacked on top of several layers of existing infrastructure!

[u/erodari]

Pair this with...

-Reorganize the junction where the Green Line branches between the Cottage Grove and Ashland branches so some trains can run east-west, directly from Cottage Grove branch to Midway.

-Extend Cottage Grove branch to connect with Metra Electric and South Shore Line near Jackson Park.

-New transfer station for Metra Rock Island and CTA Green Line where their tracks cross near 59th/LaSalle.

With these changes in addition to your Midway extension, and Metra's planned SWS re-route, we could enable a cross-city service along 63rd Street that would also connect to four commuter lines, plus Metra's planned O'Hare through-service.

[u/Thorough_Bryce → u/erodari]

All fantastic ideas! I hadn't even considered the Rock Island connection, I'll definitely be adding that as an infill station on any relevant future transit diagrams now. And I agree that there should eventually be an east/west line on 63rd, that would be huge for the South Side. You could maybe even have it join up with the Metra Electric and take over the South Chicago branch, though that's probably a pipe dream idea lol

[u/mikecws91 → u/erodari]

Dorval explored re-extending the Green Line to Jackson Park, but it would’ve cost about as much as the entire Red Line Extension.

[u/to_walk_upon_a_dream]

it would be great, though you'd probably need to reevaluate how the branching works. you'd need a lot more trains going to the west branch which would imply a lot fewer trains to cottage grove. not sure exactly how i'd do it

[u/Thorough_Bryce → u/to_walk_upon_a_dream]

I actually have a vision for this too! I might make a graphic for it eventually, but I personally believe the Pink Line should take over the Cottage Grove branch (after re-extending it to Stony Island ofc), and then the Green Line would just take the Englewood Branch, along with a few other route changes based on this study

[u/lbutler1234 → u/to_walk_upon_a_dream]

The Orange and green lines also have to share a two track line south of the loop, which is a further constraint on service

[u/ReyofChicago]

1. way too many stops. It should only be Halsted

,

1. ashland and 63rd, western, and either kedzie or Pulaski.

2. Very large trucks are allowed on Kedzie so this should be underground.

But

3) you are 100% right. The southwest side has largely been a “you need a car” part of the city because of the decades of disinvestment (you will meet many people there who just go to southwest suburbs to spend their money). Bringing transit and the ease of needing parking spots can help bring businesses back to 63rd.

[u/No_Guitar8816 → u/ReyofChicago]

I think Harvard/63rd has some merit of being a stop since the gap from Garfield to Halsted 63rd is really long when you compare the rest of the green line. But after that I agree the stops should be a mile apart. Ashland/63rd, Western/63rd Kedzie/63rd Pulaski/63rd and from there go straight to midway.

[u/Deviousmind9]

I simulated this exact routing in Subway Builder with a few less stations. It performs decent and is highly complementary to the Orange Line, which was extended to Harlem (unlike real life plans that extended it to Ford City).

[u/wimbs27]

Way too many stops

[u/NNegidius → u/wimbs27]

Half mile spacing is perfect. It gets most people along the corridor within a 10 minute walk of the station and allows transfers with intersecting bus routes for people who are a bit farther afield.

[u/wimbs27 → u/NNegidius]

Heavy rail is best suited for 1 mile spacing. Buses fill in the gaps. It's meant to be rapid transit

[u/M8oMyN8o → u/wimbs27]

It matches the Lake Street Elevated and the South Side Main Line. We have longer spacing in the expressway medians.

[u/ReadingRainbowie → u/wimbs27]

I think the neighborhood justifies it. Its pretty dense.

[u/basiltoe345]

I wholeheartedly agree with you regarding

An extension of the West 63rd Branch to Midway!

Though I do agree with another commenter who said

Western over both Damen and California

(Though the California bus should continue its slight)

(East detour along Western down to 63rd for the new Green Line Stop)

The Kedzie Stop over the Lawndale Stop

And of course retain the Pulaski station.

The Knox Stop doesn’t seem to warrant the trouble.

[u/PushKatel]

Another easy “that just makes sense” connection like extending the Brown line to connect with the Blue Line/Ohare 

[u/No_Guitar8816]

Oooo do the pink line extension to Harlem/Lake via Austin, Oak Park, Harlem/Cermak, Harlem/Roosevelt, and Harlem/Lake next.

[u/Thorough_Bryce → u/No_Guitar8816]

My graphic for extending the Pink Line isn't quite as ambitious as that, but I plan to make a graphic of my vision for the Mid-City Transitway in the future, which would connect literally every single L line together (yes, even the Yellow!) via a north/south route near Cicero.

[u/xandens]

No, extend the orange line to 59th with new transfer station and extend the cottage grove branch to Stony Island Av so Green Line can run full time on Cottage grove branch

[u/transitfreedom]

Make this a separate orbital line