Star:Line Chicago
@starlinechicago.bsky.social
Suburbanite. Sustainable transportation advocacy, for Chicago and Chicagoland. #BuildTheTunnel “The smart, transit-oriented [social media] account” -Chicago Tribune Planning, building, breaking, rebuilding.
Spent some time on Reddit today, which as always was a mistake
Chicago's rapid transit in 2026 -> 2100 NITA begins today, and with it, we should ask what the future of regional connectivity could look like. Some call this a moonshot, but we've been to the moon & can't have extensive transit? Why is transit essential for the future here? 🧵
It's NITA Day and I'm stuck in an airport but at least it's happy hour, so let's open the thread up for another #BuildTheTunnel AMA. We're celebrating today, so let's talk about what's possible and the bright future ahead for Chicagoland transit.
In many, many places the difference between "Chicago" and "not Chicago" comes down to whenever the annexation machine ran out of gas at one point in our political history, but for over a century decisionmakers have allowed that imaginary line to define the region. This is a NITA post, by the way.
Lake. Big Lake.@lakebiglake.bsky.social · 6h agoWhat if urban development for the Chicago area was (and always had been) bounded by 147th Street on the South, the Cook-DuPage County border on the west, and Lake Avenue on the north? Places beyond that would have their own local development, but it wouldn’t be massive suburbia.
@nitachicago.bsky.social is officially live, what a day! If you wanna learn more about what NITA is and what it could do, watch this video I made back in June: youtu.be/eH-ZsEoGu_g?...
The Most Dramatic Transit Reform in America
YouTube video by Car Free Keith
youtu.be
117 years ago today, Edward P. Brennan's plan to renumber Chicago addresses based on a logical grid centered on State and Madison Streets went into effect. This should be a city holiday! www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/410052...
Encyclopedia of Chicago
encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org
"You will have the opportunity — scratch that, the duty — to think big about the modern, 21st-Century transit network we want to have, rather than simply maintaining the legacy system we’ve inherited."
Star:Line Chicago@starlinechicago.bsky.social · 15h agoHappy NITA Day! Here’s an open letter to the new board of directors. starlinechicago.substack.com/p/welcome-ab...
For too long, CTA, Metra and Pace have operated in silos. Better coordination of service, operations, and funding can mean a more reliable, safe, and connected system that delivers more for riders and taxpayers across the entire region.
my hope for the o'hare express is that it gets built solely so that people realize maybe we could have nicer trains
Congrats to the Chicago region for today's launch of NITA, the Northern Illinois Transit Authority, which will coordinate operations by CTA, Metra, and Pace... and hopefully result in better service for riders nita.illinois.gov
Last year, our state’s transit faced a doomsday scenario: service cuts and fare hikes that would have left riders stranded. Today, we’re launching the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) to deliver a reliable, safe, and unified public transportation system for the region.
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) Officially Launches
Under NITA’s leadership, Illinois embarks on a transformational transit reform that will bring a unified fare collection system, expanded service, and enhanced rider safety
gov-pritzker-newsroom.prezly.com
NITA directors-"represent your respective constituencies but in the context of creating, operating, and maintaining a single, unified transportation system that serves all of NE IL, regardless of where riders live, where riders work, where riders are passing through, or what mode they’re using."
Star:Line Chicago@starlinechicago.bsky.social · 15h agoHappy NITA Day! Here’s an open letter to the new board of directors. starlinechicago.substack.com/p/welcome-ab...
NITA has a website: nita.illinois.gov. The first meeting of the NITA Board is on September 10.
Northern Illinois Transit Authority | Home
Committed to achieving a vision of safe, reliable, accessible public transportation that connects people to opportunity, advances equity, and combats…
nita.illinois.gov
Happy NITA Day! Here’s an open letter to the new board of directors. starlinechicago.substack.com/p/welcome-ab...
Welcome Aboard
An Open Letter to the New NITA Board
starlinechicago.substack.com
When you wake up, NITA will officially be overseeing Chicagoland transit with a "one-network, one-timetable, one-ticket" mantra to live up to. And they're going to need a keystone vision to create a cohesive, integrated transit network. #BuildTheTunnel is that vision. 🔗 BuildTheTunnelChicago.org
An understated “benefit” of generative AI is that now everyone can create commentary with the subtlety of Ben Garrison
Star:Line Chicago@starlinechicago.bsky.social · 17h agoWow, who saw this coming www.chicagobusiness.com/transportati...
Today in Chicago History: The city’s street grid system — centered at State and Madison — instituted
Today in Chicago History: The city’s street grid system — centered at State and Madison — instituted
chicagotribune.com
I’m a conservationist until I’m in a hotel room for the night, then it becomes a contest to see how low the thermostat goes
When you wake up, NITA will officially be overseeing Chicagoland transit with a "one-network, one-timetable, one-ticket" mantra to live up to. And they're going to need a keystone vision to create a cohesive, integrated transit network. #BuildTheTunnel is that vision. 🔗 BuildTheTunnelChicago.org
Takes place over the course of one Cubs game but Wrigley doesn’t make an appearance until the third inning
Chicago Sun-Times@chicago.suntimes.com · yesterdayCubs Productions, the team's in-house creative arm, developed a 17-part romantic comedy called “Nine Innings to Love." The entire scripted series, told over the course of one Cubs game, drops this Friday, Sept. 4 only on TikTok.
Anything going on tomorrow? No? Just another Tuesday I’m sure
THIS THURSDAY Join the State lobby team and @hsrail.bsky.social 's Jordan Pokorney for a virtual meeting about the future of rail expansion in Illinois Register here: act.sierraclub.org/events/detai...
If push to start is the biggest problem in your life, not gonna lie, I’m jealous
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · yesterdaySean Duffy: "You know the stop/start button on your car? I hate that thing. Thank you Lee Zeldin! He's gotten rid of it and the first cars without the stop/start button are rolling off the line."
Join us this Friday, Sept. 4 at noon CDT for a webinar with O'Hare Flyer Chief Development Officer Mark Walbrun to learn more about this exciting new Chicago rail project.
The O'Hare Flyer | High Speed Rail Alliance
Join this webinar on Friday, Sept. 4 at noon CDT to learn more about the proposed rail line from its chief development officer Mark Walbrun.
hsrail.org
Love to live in the narrow sliver between West 1 and West 2
Laurie! Live!@laurie-merrell.bsky.social · 2d agoCook County Bike Share Feasibility Study just dropped! Includes pilot zones to be prioritized for bike share expansion. Also includes some interesting statistics and peer comparisons. From Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways + Forest Preserves www.cookcountyil.gov/sites/g/file...
