[emathias]

Originally Posted by lawfin

On an aside did the above monroe line contemplate transfer stations between the north redline maybe at division of chicago and the circulator line? This would increase usefulness at first glance

it didn't, but I think a modern version of it would likely try to include that because it would add a lot of value even though it would also add a lot of cost. The 1968 plan had a turnaround circling around the Hancock building. I think a better route for today's needs would be to continue west, turning north under Washington Square, with a transfer station at Clark/Division and then terminating somewhere between Armitage and Fullerton in Lincoln Park, with the potential for a future extension further north along Sheridan or Clark/Broadway.

Originally Posted by lawfin

Emathias, is the line of which you speak essentially the 1968 Monroe circulator?

Your image doesn't seem to be displaying for me (chicago-l.org may prevent direct image linking), but looking at the URL, yes, that's the plan I refer to. Specifically, the green portion. The subway loop, I think, would be too expensive for limited utility improvement.

Originally Posted by lawfin

I am with you on putting some variant of that where there is already existant intensity. Not to say a circulator such as circle line would not be useful as well. I think it would be. It is as you say a matter of priorities.

Ideally, i'd have such a variant of the monroe circulator, some variant of the circle line, and an outer loop maybe along western.

I really think if chicago's L system transitioned to a more dense graph from the relatively sparse graph it is now that ridership would would transition from under performing on a per mile basis to over performing on a per mile basis

I think using the 1968 plan, with the north extension to NOrth Ave I mention above, would greatly enhance the utility of a Circle Line because it gets people from the west to the far east part of downtown for festivals and events in addition to Michigan Ave and the CBD. Ultimately, almost any two projects will yield better results than just the sum of them done individually.