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Star:Line Chicago

@starlinechicago.bsky.social

3.3K followers 120 following 7.7K posts

Suburbanite. Sustainable transportation advocacy, for Chicago and Chicagoland. #BuildTheTunnel “The smart, transit-oriented [social media] account” -Chicago Tribune Planning, building, breaking, rebuilding.

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Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · Nov 7

#2034sight is more relevant now than ever. Strategic investments to fundamentally change the way we operate existing transit service is imperative as we enter a period of federal austerity. When we #BuildTheTunnel we can create a new regional rail transit network on infrastructure we already have.

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Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · 23m

“The trust cliff is just as steep and abrupt as the fiscal one”

Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · 42m

“There is a level of trust that has been lost”

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Reposted by Star:Line Chicago

Brianinja @brianinja.bsky.social · 44m

Oh dang Canty is now up. This won't be pretty for the agencies.

Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · 1h

No doubt, the representative wasn’t really asking productive questions, it was pure venting

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Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · 1h

I think it’s productive only as taking the temperature of how legislators currently feel about the RTA as an agency (which appears to be quite poor)

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Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · 1h

No doubt, the representative wasn’t really asking productive questions, it was pure venting

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Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · 1h

Don’t worry, they didn’t really say much anyway

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Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · 1h

“Why are you unable or unwilling to tell us what you could have done better over the past nine years before you came here today with a doomsday scenario?”

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Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · 1h

Just started at ~8:15 or so, not sure how long it’ll run

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Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · 1h

“Walk me through what you all [RTA] could have done better between 2013 and 2024”

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Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · 1h

Representatives are coming out swinging, asking for RTA customer experience surveys from the past ten years

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Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · 1h

It is 1983. The RTA is in a financial crisis and needs to be reorganized.

It is 2008. The RTA is in a financial crisis and needs to be reorganized.

It is 2025. The RTA is in a financial crisis and needs to be reorganized.

Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · 1h

Everything old is new again

John Amdor @johnamdor.bsky.social · 2h

October 15, 1973: Gov. Dan Walker addressed a joint session of the Illinois General Assembly and called for action on reforming the governance and funding of mass transit in Northeastern Illinois.

Governor Walker: I will reserve comment today on the details
of a Regional Transportation Authority. The question of public transportation in Northern Illinois, as everybody in this Legislature knows, has plagued Legislatures and Governors for years. The need, I suggest, is clear. Public transportation cannot survive on the fare box alone. The state must act, as surely as we do not; emergency funding will have to be provided to meet the inevitable crisis that will occur. :

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Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · 1h

Just started. Three sets of panels: first up is RTA, then CMAP, and finally labor and advocates

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Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · 1h

Room 118: ilga.gov/House/AudioV...

Official government website of the Illinois General Assembly

Welcome to the Official government website of the Illinois General Assembly

ilga.gov

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Reposted by Star:Line Chicago

Dark Grimiano @doctor1hundred.bsky.social · 2h

I think this is why I've always liked the way the Illinois Nazis are portrayed in The Blues Brothers. It shows them for what they are: spiteful little weirdos who are ineffective and deserve no respect.

Mr. Chau @srirachachau.bsky.social · 11h

It’s funny how the old media depiction of Nazis was always that they’re evil but dignified gentleman and now they’re openly just like “Hello. I’m the Anime Pedophile”

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Reposted by Star:Line Chicago

cta @chicagocta.bsky.social · 14h

Starting October 15, six CTA buses will operate with Automated Bus Lane Enforcement systems as part of the City of Chicago’s Smart Streets pilot.

Automated bus lane, bus stop, and bike lane enforcement starts Wednesday, October 15th

Keeping bus stops clear is essential to ensuring that transit is accessible to everyone especially people with disabilities.

Bus lanes and bus stops are for buses. Bike lanes are for bikes.
Keeping them clear is essential to ensuring everyone in Chicago gets where they need to go, safely and on time.

That's why we're launching automated bus lane, bus stop, and bike lane enforcement to improve rider safety and transit efficiency.

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Reposted by Star:Line Chicago

Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · 1d

It’s time for something new. NITA is the compromise to keep the service boards responsive to their local constituents for day-to-day service delivery issues while centralizing service planning issues where they belong at the regional level.

Call your reps: SaveTransit.org

CTA service cuts are real as hell...get plugged in! — Better Streets Chicago

Legislators failed to pass legislation before May 31st to prevent 40% service cuts on CTA, Pace, and Metra – and they need to hear that YOU want them to save transit NOW.

SaveTransit.org

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Reposted by Star:Line Chicago

Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · 14h

Greg Bovino, Kristi Noem, and DHS need to answer for their unchecked attacks on Chicago residents.

ICE is an out-of-control danger to our peaceful communities.

The images from the Sun-Times today speak for themselves.

An ICE agent throws a tear gas canister at protesters at East 105th Street and South Avenue N in East Side.

Photo Credit: Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Federal immigration enforcement agents detain a protester during a skirmish at East 105th Street and South Avenue N in East Side.

Photo Credit: Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent points a crowd control weapon at a protester Tuesday at East 105th Street and South Avenue N in the East Side neighborhood.

Photo Credit: Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

A Chicago Police Department officer washes his face after being exposed to tear gas during a protest at East 105th Street and South Avenue N in East Side.

Photo Credit: Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

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Reposted by Star:Line Chicago

Yonah Freemark @yonahfreemark.com · 15h

Trump admin has frozen or cancelled $28 b for projects, almost all in Dem districts. Small amount of frozen funds in GOP districts are in predominately Dem states (CA, OR, WA, CO, MN, IL, NY, MD), or in predominately Dem cities (St Louis, Atlanta, Greenville) www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Trump admin is freezing or cancelling billions of dollars in funding for projects in Democratic areas.

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Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · 16h

AI might be a step up

Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · 16h

Legislators are back in Springfield to try to save our transit network and the budget hole blown by Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill as the feds tear gas neighborhoods to disappear more brown people

Trib ed board: COPS 👏 NEED 👏 HORSES 👏

Chicago Tribune @chicagotribune.com · 16h

From the Editorial Board:

As Mayor Brandon Johnson prepares to give his budget address Thursday, one idea should get tossed aside: eliminating Chicago’s mounted police unit.

Editorial: Chicago budget should not cut mounted police nor sell off their horses

Is Chicago really going to sell off the horse named for Officer Ella French?

trib.al

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Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · 20h

The lower 2026 deficit is really irrelevant since the 2027 deficit is well over $800 million anyway. If they don’t address it this year we’ll have to go through all of this for a second time next year regardless

Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · 21h

The Senate-passed NITA legislation this spring included $1.7 billion in new revenues

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Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · 21h

No such thing as a trans ally NIMBY

Chicago 🏳️‍⚧️🌱 @chicagotrans-plant.bsky.social · 22h

Leni says they need to welcome folks fleeing those states.

That's right. My community in the south is fucking terrified. They are being genocided. Build more housing here.

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Star:Line Chicago @starlinechicago.bsky.social · 21h

If "most of the small-scale infill that seems viable from community feedback is between the current alignment and Michigan Avenue," then it's at worst net-neutral. Not to mention "not many vacant lots between Michigan and MED" means there's a stronger existing ridership walkshed to work with.