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Mayoral candidates turn thumbs down on Elon Musk project

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* Background on this crazy idea is here if you need it. From Lynda Lopez at Streets Blog Chicago…

Frigid temperatures hit Chicago this weekend, but that didn’t stop people from packing the National Association of Letter Carriers Union Hall for the Transit 4 All mayoral forum last Sunday. The Transit 4 All title refers to a campaign organized by the workers’ rights coalition Chicago Jobs With Justice, meant to transform Chicago transportation. Moderating the forum was Phil Rogers, an NBC5 reporter. […]

Candidates were also asked whether they support Elon Musk’s O’Hare Express proposal. Most, if not all, do not. “If we are going to make public transit investments, it should be to CTA and Metra,” Preckinkle said, noting the need to prioritize the Red Line extension to 130th Street and the creation of a universal fare card.

Chico didn’t hold back in his disdain for the O’hare project. “It’s going to die on its own. This thing is goofy,” he said.

Ford said that the project reflects the current mayor tendency to cater to the elite, and that we should instead be asking developers to invest in the local economy to help communities. Wilson echoed this sentiment.

“I’d kill it,” said Vallas about the O’Hare project. “I can’t wait to kill it.”

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jan 30, 19 @ 1:27 pm

Comments

Maybe they need to run that underground monorail project up to that Foxconn “factory” instead.

Comment by SAP Wednesday, Jan 30, 19 @ 1:38 pm
==Maybe they need to run that underground monorail project up to that Foxconn “factory” instead.==
Assuming Foxconn hires anyone.

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Wednesday, Jan 30, 19 @ 1:46 pm
That project was NEVER being built. Just like Rahm’s casino 40 minutes from downtown near Lake Calumet!!

Comment by Wow Wednesday, Jan 30, 19 @ 1:47 pm
Yeah, shut it down and use the money elsewhere. Chicago has a bad recent history of long term, mega expensive deals. While Mr. Musk is an interesting ideas guy, he also comes off as unstable. Let others be the test cases for his big ideas.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Wednesday, Jan 30, 19 @ 1:53 pm
Good. Whether it’s this verkakte idea or the “hyperloop,” I’m immediately reminded of the Chicago-New York Electric Air Line Railroad.

Mr. Musk can go find some other sucker.

Comment by Northsider Wednesday, Jan 30, 19 @ 1:56 pm
I can’t wait to see Preckwinkle’s pitch to get a billionaire to pay for the Red Line south extension. It’s easy to take shots at this project, but when someone is willing to put that much of their own capital at risk, I listen carefully.

Comment by WH Mess Wednesday, Jan 30, 19 @ 2:03 pm
===It’s easy to take shots at this project===

Exactly right because it’s so unbelievably stupid.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jan 30, 19 @ 2:07 pm
The blue line seems to be working quite well… the redundancy here is a boondoggle for one man’s folly.

It needs to be forgotten.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 30, 19 @ 2:11 pm
Forgot that, I’m on the ground floor of Musk’s next big thing: Ketchup and mustard in the same bottle with a solar-powered dispenser, bottled on Mars.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 30, 19 @ 2:13 pm
Wordslinger - illinois needs that bright future. And by bright future i mean make the condiment radioactive.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 30, 19 @ 2:20 pm
What scares me is that the same minds behind this pie-in-the-sky project are also selecting designs for the O’Hare improvements…what new surprises are in store for us?

Comment by NIU Grad Wednesday, Jan 30, 19 @ 2:35 pm
NIU Grad, double-decker runways.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 30, 19 @ 2:56 pm
The benefit of this project is that Musk claims it will be paid for 100% in user fees. That is ridiculous. Because of the Blue Line, user fees would need to be so small to attract riders there is no way it could pay for the investment.

Comment by Just Me 2 Wednesday, Jan 30, 19 @ 3:26 pm
– The Blue Line seems to be working quite well
Sounds like wisdom from someone who never takes the Blue Line.

Comment by midway gardents Wednesday, Jan 30, 19 @ 3:49 pm
@ midway gardents:

I take the Blue Line whenever I go to/from O’Hare. It works fine. Sure, I’d like some improvements, such as luggage racks in the cars, but it beats the Kennedy any day.

Comment by JoanP Wednesday, Jan 30, 19 @ 4:31 pm
I think the revised plan has commuters crowding into little soccer-ball shaped pods and Susana kicking them to O’Hare.

Comment by Chicago Tundra Wednesday, Jan 30, 19 @ 5:13 pm
– The Blue Line seems to be working quite well
Sounds like wisdom from someone who never takes the Blue Line.

MrsJM took the Blue Line to ORD today.

It was the one leg of her journey that went off without a hitch.

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Wednesday, Jan 30, 19 @ 5:14 pm
I have no beef with Blue Line to O’Hare. I am glad they dropped that pilot program of taking passengers right to their gates. Too much.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elMXt00xyIU

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 30, 19 @ 5:43 pm
Yes, but what are the candidates’ ideas for the site of the Spire?

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 30, 19 @ 8:41 pm