Here Comes the Bus!

Bridgeport Alliance is proud to announce that its efforts have been met with partial success!  As announced by Alderman Patrick Thompson earlier today, the Chicago Transit Authority has agreed to reinstate the 31 bus line on an experimental basis.  

This victory comes after three years of work by Bridgeport Alliance, which has organized many meetings and events to both raise awareness and push decision makers to reinstate the 31st Street route.  Our 2014 lobbying trip to Congressman Dan Lipinki’s front door—we found him gardening—was particularly spirited.  See our photo petition here and our Bike and Rolls along the route here.  

Recently, building an alliance with North Side activists by forming the CTA31/CTA11 Crosstown Bus Coalition was particularly powerful.  The support of Aldermen Patrick Thompson (11th Ward), Ameya Pawar (47th Ward), and Michele Smith (43rd Ward) has also been pivotal.  

Stay tuned for more information about a celebratory party!

We would like to thank the Crosstown Coalition, the aldermen, and the Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community for being our staunch allies.  Especially, thank you, people of Bridgeport and Chinatown, for your fighting spirit.

Information on the specifics of the pilot route is incomplete, so let’s keep up the activism!  Please check back to our blog for more on this exciting development in the coming days. 

PLEASE RIDE THE 31ST STREET BUS!

For a DNAinfo article, click here.

31st Street Bus Update for August 2013

Hello friends!

As you may know, Bridgeport Alliance, has had significant movement with the 31st Street Bus Campaign. For over a year, Congressman Lipinski refused to meet with us directly on the 31st Street Bus Campaign and the Robin Hood Tax. 

This past Thursday, we brought 100 people to visit Congressman Dan Lipinski's home to demand a meeting (after a year of dodging us) and we found him gardening!

 After talking to his constituents, he agreed to set a meeting with leaders by this Friday. On very short notice, Congressman Lipinski insisted in meeting as soon at 9:30am Monday morning. Leaders met with him early Monday morning and received commitments from him to schedule a meeting with Forrest Claypool, Alderman Balcer, and Bridgeport Alliance to take actions to make the bus happen. He also committed to call Mayor Rahm Emmanuel to support the bus. Lastly, he committed to look into and make a decision as to whether he wants to publicly support the Robin Hood Tax. He committed to follow up on these items by next Tuesday!

In the meantime, Bridgeport Alliance is scheduling our monthly planning meeting with the CTA in August and September.

In addition, we are making plans to attend CTA Board meetings and join in the Bike/Roll 31st Street Bus Route event on Saturday, August 24th at 10am - 1pm! 
Will you join us? RSVP by e-mail to let me know if you want to join.  Event T-Shirts are available ($10) so be sure to say if you want one.  Please let me know by 8/16 Friday morning!