Monday, September 10, 2012

How To Contact The CTA About The Route Eliminations

Below is a suggested letter to send to the CTA.  Make any changes you see fit.


Dear [Board Members / President Claypool / Secretary Longhini / any board member of your choice] :

As a resident of Uptown, I object to the CTA's cutting service between Wilson Avenue and Downtown Chicago with the proposed elimination of the #144 and #145 lines.

This plan, along with the planned reroute of the #148 bus, would eliminate all bus service between Wilson Avenue and the Loop.

Uptown was built as a densely populated community which relies heavily on public transportation.  We have many elderly and handicapped residents who are unable to access the Red Line because it is non-ADA-compliant, as is every Red Line station in Uptown.  For many, the only way to get downtown is via the buses that run along Wilson Avenue.

The CTA says it is eliminating buses with low ridership, but the CTA's own figures show that the #145 bus is in the top 30% of all routes in number of riders.  In fact, it has more riders than the other seven lines you proposed cutting, combined.

Eliminating the Wilson bus routes go against almost a hundred years of history of Wilson being a transportation corridor, and it goes against any kind of planning for Sheridan Park with its numerous apartment hotels that depend on public transportation.  This is an odd way to coordinate with the millions of dollars committed to improving the Wilson-Broadway L station.

I strongly urge you to reconsider cutting service to Uptown and the #144 and #145 bus routes.

Sincerely,

Name
Address



The deadline for comments is Tuesday, September 11. We urge you to contact the CTA about the Wilson Avenue/Downtown routes. 

Email address to which comments may be sent: glonghini1@transitchicago.com. That's Greg Longhini, Secretary of the CTA Board.

The President of the CTA is Forrest Claypool, and the Chairman of the Board is (Mr) Terry Peterson. You can reach the CTA general mailbox here: http://www.transitchicago.com/feedback/.

[Update:  A commenter adds that the general mailbox is feedback@transitchicago.com.]

If you want to speak at the hearing on Wednesday, September 12, http://www.transitchicago.com/about/transit_board_meetings/default.aspx has a link to a two-page MS Word doc about how you can sign up to testify (or in hopes of being allowed to testify).

Here is the board list:
  • Bouman, John M. - 312-681-5034 / Board Member 
  • Brown, Adrienne D. - 312-681-5019 / CTA Board Administrator, Executive Office 
  • Coogan, Joan E. - 312-681-5030 / Chief of Staff 
  • Grimshaw, Jacquelyne D. - 312-681-5038 / Board Member
  • Irving, Janice - 312-681-5029 / Project Specialist II - CTA Board 
  • Longhini, Gregory P. - 312-681-5022 / Assistant Secretary to the Board 
  • Peterson, Terry - 312-681-5020 / Chairman-Board Member 
  • Robinson, Charles E. - 312-681-5036 / Board Member 
  • Silva, Alejandro - 312-681-5039 / Board Member 
  • Williams, Coraneita A. - 312-681-5026 / First Assistant Secretary 
We urge you to reach out, whether it's sending an email, making a phone call, or showing up at the hearing.

5 comments:

  1. The general mail box is feedback@transitchicago.com

    Also, Greg is out of the office until tomorrow.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Here is the pertinent part requesting to speak the meeting:

    2. SPEAKER SELECTION

    Individuals who wish to speak at Board meetings must contact the Office of the Secretary of the Board no more than seven days in advance of each Board meeting. Individuals will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis; they will be allowed to address the Board only once every 12 months. Speakers may contact Gregory Longhini, Assistant Secretary to the Board, in any one of the following ways:

    a. Phone: 312-681-5022
    b. Fax: 312-681-5035
    c. E-mail: glonghini@transitchicago.com
    d. Mail: Gregory Longhini, CTA–Office of the Secretary, P. O. Box 7567,
    Chicago, Illinois 60680-7567

    Potential speakers must include some form of contact information in order to receive confirmation as to whether or not they may address the Board.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Does anyone know how to write directly to Claypool and the others isnetad of going through the "general inquiry" on the CTA website? My guess is it's "first initial last name @transitchicago.com", based on some of the addresses here:

    http://www.transitchicago.com/contact/full.aspx

    So, one might expect Claypool's to be "fclaypool@transitchicago.com". (how appropriate)

    Can anyone confirm?

    ReplyDelete


  4. Mr. Forrest Claypool (President)
    (312)681-5000 Ext:5000
    feclaypool@transitchicago.com
    567 West Lake Street
    Chicago, IL 60661
    www.transitchicago.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Tried "glonghini@transitchicago.com" and my message bounced back.

    "glonghini1@transitchicago.com" appears to be the correct address to reach Greg Longhini. At the very least, it didn't bounce back with an unknown recipient message.

    ReplyDelete