Countywide plan could make public transit more accessible for thousands of Chicago-area commuters

Activists and transit advocates have long argued that transforming South Side and south suburban Metra lines into rapid transit service could be a boon for areas suffering from disinvestment and population loss, providing equitable transit and better access to employment.

This year, they’ve gained a powerful partner in that vision: Cook County. After a recent study on mobility, county officials have proposed a pilot program targeting areas that currently have the least access to transportation among transit-dependent zip codes. The plan would add 22 more trains to the Metra Electric line each day and discount Metra fares in the south suburbs. On both the Metra Electric and Rock Island lines, the pilot would also reduce fares within city limits, matching CTA prices, and provide free transfers to Pace and CTA…Please click here to read Mari Cohen’s story in Chicago Magazine. In a letter to the Sun-Times editor, Chicago Alderman Anthony Beale adds Integrating the CTA and Metra is smart move.