Sidestreets
@sidestreets.bsky.social
Radically pedestrian urban planning.
Chicago-centric. ✶✶✶✶
Chicago-centric. ✶✶✶✶
Ald. Dowell, who voted for the parking meter deal in 2009, has implied she is retiring at the end of this term. Why would she care about a long play?
January 17, 2026 at 5:32 AM
Ald. Dowell, who voted for the parking meter deal in 2009, has implied she is retiring at the end of this term. Why would she care about a long play?
Ashland also doesn't have much metered parking, it wasn't a deciding factor.
Both Western and Ashland were in consideration, with Ashland further ahead, when Chuy Garcia made canceling them a campaign issue and Rahm shut it down in 2015.
Both Western and Ashland were in consideration, with Ashland further ahead, when Chuy Garcia made canceling them a campaign issue and Rahm shut it down in 2015.
January 17, 2026 at 5:28 AM
Ashland also doesn't have much metered parking, it wasn't a deciding factor.
Both Western and Ashland were in consideration, with Ashland further ahead, when Chuy Garcia made canceling them a campaign issue and Rahm shut it down in 2015.
Both Western and Ashland were in consideration, with Ashland further ahead, when Chuy Garcia made canceling them a campaign issue and Rahm shut it down in 2015.
Holy jazz! It’s Father John Moulder!
January 17, 2026 at 4:09 AM
Holy jazz! It’s Father John Moulder!
Western doesn’t have much metered parking, it’s not a big obstacle for our current BRT plans.
Western actually has a lot of free parking!
Western actually has a lot of free parking!
Some of the stickering of the corridors involved these bus speeds and traffic safety issues, as well as parking availability.
The blue sections of the route are stretches of free parking. That was over half of each of these arterials!
3/9
The blue sections of the route are stretches of free parking. That was over half of each of these arterials!
3/9
January 17, 2026 at 2:13 AM
Western doesn’t have much metered parking, it’s not a big obstacle for our current BRT plans.
Western actually has a lot of free parking!
Western actually has a lot of free parking!
Also, I'd love to see @tonipreckwinkle.bsky.social, who voted against the deal, to bring this up with challenger @brendanreilly42.bsky.social, who voted in favor of the deal.
January 17, 2026 at 1:30 AM
Also, I'd love to see @tonipreckwinkle.bsky.social, who voted against the deal, to bring this up with challenger @brendanreilly42.bsky.social, who voted in favor of the deal.
@mclean.bsky.social this is probably your favorite thing Waguespack ever did.
January 17, 2026 at 1:30 AM
@mclean.bsky.social this is probably your favorite thing Waguespack ever did.
I've just remembered that Ald. Pat Dowell was a city councilor in 2008. She voted in favor of the deal to sell of the meters.
The only five “no” votes came from Toni Preckwinkle, Leslie Hairston, Billy Ocasio, Scott Waguespack, and Rey Colon.
The only five “no” votes came from Toni Preckwinkle, Leslie Hairston, Billy Ocasio, Scott Waguespack, and Rey Colon.
January 17, 2026 at 1:11 AM
I've just remembered that Ald. Pat Dowell was a city councilor in 2008. She voted in favor of the deal to sell of the meters.
The only five “no” votes came from Toni Preckwinkle, Leslie Hairston, Billy Ocasio, Scott Waguespack, and Rey Colon.
The only five “no” votes came from Toni Preckwinkle, Leslie Hairston, Billy Ocasio, Scott Waguespack, and Rey Colon.
She's not been known to make wise financial decisions about streets.
i enjoy the pressure folks are placing on Ald Dowell for the short sighted expensive decision to remove part of the protected intersection because drivers are having a normal one. we need political will to see these designs through and ask drivers to give them time.
January 17, 2026 at 1:05 AM
She's not been known to make wise financial decisions about streets.
2023's audit had Chicago service at 87.45% within 20 minute of scheduled pickup, 94.56% within the required 30 minutes by ADA.
Their minimum contractual benchmarks are 95% at 30 minutes.
Their minimum contractual benchmarks are 95% at 30 minutes.
www.rtachicago.org
January 17, 2026 at 12:08 AM
2023's audit had Chicago service at 87.45% within 20 minute of scheduled pickup, 94.56% within the required 30 minutes by ADA.
Their minimum contractual benchmarks are 95% at 30 minutes.
Their minimum contractual benchmarks are 95% at 30 minutes.
Pace’s own data showed that just 23.7% of buses arrived within 10 minutes of their scheduled pickup times.
But Pace paratransit can still boast a 95.4% record of on-time arrivals. ADA says a paratransit bus is considered on time as long as it arrives within 30 minutes of its scheduled pickup time.
But Pace paratransit can still boast a 95.4% record of on-time arrivals. ADA says a paratransit bus is considered on time as long as it arrives within 30 minutes of its scheduled pickup time.
When 30 Minutes Late Is ‘On Time': NBC 5 Investigates PACE Paratransit's Late Pickups
When is late – really late? Less than a quarter of pickups by Pace paratransit occur within 10 minutes of their scheduled time, an analysis of Pace’s own data shows. But under the standards set by fed...
www.nbcchicago.com
January 17, 2026 at 12:08 AM
Pace’s own data showed that just 23.7% of buses arrived within 10 minutes of their scheduled pickup times.
But Pace paratransit can still boast a 95.4% record of on-time arrivals. ADA says a paratransit bus is considered on time as long as it arrives within 30 minutes of its scheduled pickup time.
But Pace paratransit can still boast a 95.4% record of on-time arrivals. ADA says a paratransit bus is considered on time as long as it arrives within 30 minutes of its scheduled pickup time.
I enjoy writing alt text sometimes. I think more people should read it.
January 16, 2026 at 11:57 PM
I enjoy writing alt text sometimes. I think more people should read it.
What a pointed comparison
January 16, 2026 at 11:21 PM
What a pointed comparison
Yes, according to the ITDP guide: "splitting the demand into more than one service, a local and a limited-stop service",
"Empirical evidence indicates that 22 vehicles an hour is optimal from the perspective of improving service regularity."
ie. don't send a bus every 3 minutes, they'll bunch
"Empirical evidence indicates that 22 vehicles an hour is optimal from the perspective of improving service regularity."
ie. don't send a bus every 3 minutes, they'll bunch
6.7 Deciding on Stop Elimination and Express Services
brtguide.itdp.org
January 16, 2026 at 10:54 PM
Yes, according to the ITDP guide: "splitting the demand into more than one service, a local and a limited-stop service",
"Empirical evidence indicates that 22 vehicles an hour is optimal from the perspective of improving service regularity."
ie. don't send a bus every 3 minutes, they'll bunch
"Empirical evidence indicates that 22 vehicles an hour is optimal from the perspective of improving service regularity."
ie. don't send a bus every 3 minutes, they'll bunch
It's a pretty comprehensive look at the complex problem, and I recommend reviewing it.
@abundanthousingil.bsky.social
@abundanthousingil.bsky.social
January 16, 2026 at 10:48 PM
It's a pretty comprehensive look at the complex problem, and I recommend reviewing it.
@abundanthousingil.bsky.social
@abundanthousingil.bsky.social
The point-in-time count has been going up since 2023, mostly in the sheltered category.
January 16, 2026 at 10:48 PM
The point-in-time count has been going up since 2023, mostly in the sheltered category.
It might be likened to the defining:
- heavy rail / light metro / light rail / tram-train / tram
- expressway / highway / arterial / collector / street
We ask different modes for to handle different needs, and expect them to have qualities within the standard range.
- heavy rail / light metro / light rail / tram-train / tram
- expressway / highway / arterial / collector / street
We ask different modes for to handle different needs, and expect them to have qualities within the standard range.
January 16, 2026 at 10:20 PM
It might be likened to the defining:
- heavy rail / light metro / light rail / tram-train / tram
- expressway / highway / arterial / collector / street
We ask different modes for to handle different needs, and expect them to have qualities within the standard range.
- heavy rail / light metro / light rail / tram-train / tram
- expressway / highway / arterial / collector / street
We ask different modes for to handle different needs, and expect them to have qualities within the standard range.
There is a section on this to answer that question in great detail: brtguide.itdp.org/branch/maste...
This is to distinguish Bus Rapid Transit from standard bus service through defined qualities, so as to compare systems at a standard without 'BRT creep'.
This is to distinguish Bus Rapid Transit from standard bus service through defined qualities, so as to compare systems at a standard without 'BRT creep'.
6.7 Deciding on Stop Elimination and Express Services
brtguide.itdp.org
January 16, 2026 at 10:20 PM
There is a section on this to answer that question in great detail: brtguide.itdp.org/branch/maste...
This is to distinguish Bus Rapid Transit from standard bus service through defined qualities, so as to compare systems at a standard without 'BRT creep'.
This is to distinguish Bus Rapid Transit from standard bus service through defined qualities, so as to compare systems at a standard without 'BRT creep'.
The standard design guide for BRT internationally, from @itdp-hq.bsky.social, suggests 450m (1/4 mile) as the ideal spacing for BRT, with a range of 300m-800m.
Arguably, 1/8 mile stops do not meet the standard definition of BRT.
Arguably, 1/8 mile stops do not meet the standard definition of BRT.
25.5 Station Location
brtguide.itdp.org
January 16, 2026 at 10:11 PM
The standard design guide for BRT internationally, from @itdp-hq.bsky.social, suggests 450m (1/4 mile) as the ideal spacing for BRT, with a range of 300m-800m.
Arguably, 1/8 mile stops do not meet the standard definition of BRT.
Arguably, 1/8 mile stops do not meet the standard definition of BRT.
I want to point out that some bus stops are close enough to impact service accessibility negatively.
This stop at 17th/Damen makes it impossible to signal to a driver in time for 18th/Damen, which is a transfer stop.
You can see both stops in this picture.
This stop at 17th/Damen makes it impossible to signal to a driver in time for 18th/Damen, which is a transfer stop.
You can see both stops in this picture.
January 16, 2026 at 9:13 PM
I want to point out that some bus stops are close enough to impact service accessibility negatively.
This stop at 17th/Damen makes it impossible to signal to a driver in time for 18th/Damen, which is a transfer stop.
You can see both stops in this picture.
This stop at 17th/Damen makes it impossible to signal to a driver in time for 18th/Damen, which is a transfer stop.
You can see both stops in this picture.