Igor Studenkov

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An inbound Union Pacific North train at the Rogers Park Metra station. If this line had been shut down, the CTA Purple and Red lines would have been a fall-back for some riders. Photo: Igor Studenkov

Yay, Metra service is spared! What were options for riders in the event of a strike shutdown?

By Igor Studenkov | Sep 15, 2022 | No Comments

There was good news today as the potential shutdown of four Metra lines due to a threatened freight rail worker strike was averted. But what would have happened if it wasn't?

South Shore Line staff at the Gary Metro Center station on August 20, trying to figure out which train passengers should go on what shuttle buses. Customers going to different stations east of there were eventually directed to different buses. Photo: John Greenfield

The South Shore Line’s shuttle bus service is a bit of a mess

By Igor Studenkov | Sep 7, 2022 | No Comments

If you need to get to Beverly Shores or Michigan City's Uptown district, your transit trip may be completely screwed up.

A Chicago-bound Amtrak Lincoln Service train arrives at the Joliet Gateway Center station, the north end of the stretch of tracks between St. Louis and Chicago that is being improved for higher speeds. Photo: Igor Studenkov

IDOT’s multiyear plan supports intercity rail, bus-on-shoulder… and lots of driving projects

By Igor Studenkov | Aug 29, 2022 | No Comments

On August 12, Governor JB Pritzker announced the Illinois Department of Transportation's new multiyear plan, a blueprint for spending $34.6 billion on transportation infrastructure over the next six years.

The city of Chicago is proposing to fund the Red Line Extension on the Far South Side with TIF funds from downtown and the Near South Side. Image: City of Chicago

Should we fund the $3.6B Red Line Extension with TIF money from other parts of town?

By Igor Studenkov | Aug 16, 2022 | No Comments

Detractors say its unfair to make residents of wealthier areas pay for a project that won't directly serve their neighborhoods. Proponents say the initiative will help all Chicagoans and advance equity.

Koloni bikes at the Palatine Metra station. Photo: Igor Studenkov

Harper College pilots bike-share for northwest suburbs as bus service returns to campus

By Igor Studenkov | Jul 24, 2022 | No Comments

Harper College, a community college based in Palatine, has teamed up with Koloni bike-share platform to launch a bike-share pilot. Meanwhile, Pace is launching a new bus route to serve the community college.

Looking west down Highland Park's Central Avenue from a UP-N train yesterday afternoon in the wake of the shooting. The shooter was standing on the roof of the Ross Cosmetics Building at Central and 2nd Avenue, about a block west of the tracks. Photo: Igor Studenkov

What it was like riding Metra the day the U.S. gun violence epidemic reached Highland Park

By Igor Studenkov | Jul 5, 2022 | No Comments

Even amid death and trauma, people still have places to get, and public transit will, hopefully, still be there to serve them.

A giant check representing the $200,000 grant from Pace to Lake County create a county-wide Dail-A-Ride system. Photo: Igor Studenkov

Pace, Lake County launch county-wide Dial-a-Ride service

By Igor Studenkov | Jun 29, 2022 | No Comments

Ride Lake County, a county-wide dial dial-a-ride bus service for seniors and people with disabilities, got off to a modest start after it debuted in May.

Bus lanes at the Halsted bridge over I-57 at 98th Street, which are still in the plan.

Unfortunately, most bus lanes have been removed from Pace South Halsted Pulse plan

By Igor Studenkov | May 26, 2022 | No Comments

While it's unfortunate that the Pulse Halsted plan no longer includes significant stretches of bus lanes, hopefully the other time-saving features will help shorten trips for South Side and Southland commuters.

A Pace bus approaches the Harvey Transportation Center, as seen from the Harvey Metra Electric station. Photo: Igor Studenkov

Report: Fair Transit South Cook pilot helped ridership recover from pandemic lows

By Igor Studenkov | May 17, 2022 | No Comments

Cook County’s review of the first full year of the Fair Transit South Cook confirmed some of what Streetsblog Chicago’s earlier dive into Metra ridership numbers suggested.

The Des Plaines Metra Station and Pace bus terminal. Photo: Igor Studenkov

Pace field-tests leased e-bus, will probably cancel redundant Pace/Metra PlusBus Pass

By Igor Studenkov | May 15, 2022 | No Comments

The suburban bus system is already using a leased electric bus to do some field-testing. It also plans to eliminate the now-superfluous PlusBus Pass, which allows Metra monthly pass holders to ride Pace buses for an extra $30 a month.

Brenda Barrie, who led the charge to demand a town hall format, and other residents at last week's meeting. Photo: Igor Studenkov

Mutiny at the meeting: Lakeview neighbors hijack Metra hearing to voice UP-N concerns

By Igor Studenkov | May 2, 2022 | No Comments

“We’ve been growing, gentrifying, changing the North Side, and you’re endangering everything we have done,” said one neighbor.

Rendering of the rehabbed Homewood multimodal station.

Pace piggybacks on Georgia e-bus order, approves Homewood facility upgrade funding

By Igor Studenkov | Apr 14, 2022 | No Comments

The Pace board agreed to piggyback on Georgia’s electric bus purchasing contract with Proterra, and approved an intergovernmental agreement with Metra to fund improvements to the Homewood multimodal station.

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