Ashland-Western Coalition Calls for 'Sensible Bus Improvements' in Lieu of BRT

By Dani Chung and Carrie Frillman

Roger Romanelli doesn't think the No. 9 Ashland bus route needs to become a rapid transit route. Rather, he'd just like to see it get some general improvements.

A member of the Ashland-Western Coalition, he was among critics to the Chicago Transit Authority's Bus Rapid Transit plan at a Wicker Park Committee Membership Meeting on Wednesday night.

In the history of Chicago's transit system, the No. 9 Ashland bus route—it runs for 21 miles—has not been improved once, he says. 

But rather than the proposed project, Romanelli wants to keep things simple.

He and two other members of the coalition presented their opposition Wednesday to the BRT on Ashland Avenue, entitled, "Sensible Bus Improvements on Ashland, Western & Beyond/Say No to BRT."

"We're not 'anti-BRT,'" Romanelli said. "We simply want CTA to provide critical missing information, such as traffic impact studies. But they have not supplied us with this data."

CTA and Chicago Department of Transportation representatives were on hand during three forums in March to answer questions in an effort to collect public feedback on the project.

The bus rapid transit or "BRT" pilot project will run between Howard and 95th streets, officials have said, and finalized routes will likely mirror the existing ones for the corridors—Ashland bus No. 9 and Western bus No. 49.

Designs will continue for the rest of 2013, with the initial phase of the project running from Cortland Avenue to 31st Street. Officials estimate completion by 2016.

A proposed Ashland route would run directly through areas including Lincoln Park, Lake View, Bucktown and Wicker Park, and slightly southeast of Lincoln Square. The Western route would cruise directly through Lincoln Square, North Center and along the western Bucktown-Wicker Park border.

Mike, of Mike's Furniture Store, at 1259 N. Ashland Ave., is a member of the coalition and presented his reasons Wedensday for opposing the BRT. When large trucks deliver furniture to his store, they do so from the curb on Ashland Avenue.

BRT could significantly decrease his space for deliveries, he says.

Romanelli says those Ashland Avenue business owners he's talked to are against the project. Wicker Park resident Gerry Baginski, 70, leans in that direction, too.

"There should be more investigation done on the impact and cost," he said. "How much more can we citizens absorb for projects like this? I want more info, and more specific info. Where is the long term range plan?"

The configuration of the Ashland BRT involves center bus lanes in each direction to keep the buses out of general traffic, especially while boarding passengers. 

The bus will stop every half-mile, and the buses will have transit signal priority at intersections to keep the transit moving. The buses will feature wide doors on the side of the bus, similar to train doors.

CTA officials said BRT would increase speeds by more than 80 percent during rush hour and save 8 minutes every 2.5 miles.

• READ: CTA Bus Rapid Transit to Cruise Through North Side Neighborhoods AND Ashland Avenue Chosen for 'Rail-Like' Bus Route

The Ashland and Western routes make up the second-largest north-south corridors in the entire CTA network, CTA Spokeswoman Limbrini Lukidis told Patch at a Humboldt Park open house earlier this year. That's precisely why it was chosen for rapid transit.

Another reason is that the width of the streets—70 feet from curb to curb—can accommodate bus-only lanes with a minimal effect on traffic or pedestrians, experts said.

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