31st Street Bus Scrapbook

Bridgeport Alliance made the news last week when we turned out at a Chicago Transit Authority meeting to demand better bus coverage.  Curious?  You've come to the right blog.  We got coverage in a number of important news outlets.  Check out CBS Chicago here, the Chicago Tribune here, and the Chicago Sun-Times here.

Bridgeport Alliance in the News

Check out the latest coverage of the 31st St. bus campaign here!

Press Release - Bridgeport, Chinatown Community Groups Continue to Push for 31st Street Bus, Address CTA Board

**FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE**

June 28, 7:30AM

Monday evening, Jun 27, members of Bridgeport Alliance and Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community met with 11th Ward Alderman Patrick Daley Thompson, requesting that he sign on to a letter addressed to Dorval Carter, president of the Chicago Transit Authority, and the CTA Board.

The letter [attached] expresses gratitude that the years of work community groups put into lobbying for the restored route paid off, but disappointment that the six month pilot route (first expected to be a 12 month pilot) is lacking in morning commute hours, evening access, and access to the beach, leaving stranded seniors, students, and other active and potentially active community members.  

Upon interview, emphasizing the need for a full bus route, Debbie Liu, Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community, noted “31st St has changed in the two decades since the original CTA bus #31 has been axed. The demographics of the neighborhoods have changed and more Asian Americans who often are first generation immigrants and may be low-income (and seniors!) have settled in the area. Additionally, there is a trend of people are choosing not to own cars, creating a need for good, reliable public transportation options. The current ‘approved’ bus route is inadequate and will not serve the morning rush hour, the late nights, the weekends and is falling short of our expectations as it does not go to Museum Campus nor Mercy Hospital. We have hopes that we can come to a consensus with elected officials and city agencies to create a bus route and schedule that works for everyone.”

Esau Chavez, an IIT student, noted “I need the 31st street bus route to be better serviced as a resident of the southwest side to better connect me with my university; and as a student to open up shopping and leisure opportunities along the 31st street corridor.”

Benjamin Huey, Bridgeport Alliance member, and Rev. Tom Gaulke, pastor at First Trinity Lutheran Church noted that with the current proposal, people can still not get to church, to meditation, to bible study, or to morning worship services, as the route will not begin until 10AM. 

Quade Gallagher, Co-Chair of Bridgeport Alliance along with Suzanne Goebel, expressed that "the bus is essential for folks looking to move around the neighborhood easily and safely, to get to work, to get to essential services and public amenities. Bridgeport Alliance has made this very clear to Alderman Thompson and we look forward to his continued to support of our campaign and our community."

State Representative elect, Theresa Mah, signed onto the letter earlier this week, and the group is hopeful the the Alderman will sign on this afternoon, after review. 

"I'm excited about working with the Alderman to ensure the needs of the community are met, and we get a bus that will get me and my neighbors to work, play, the beach, hospitals,” said Brian Cerullo, BA member, and Bridgeport resident and enthusiast. 

The group plans to mail the letter to President Carter and the CTA, and to deliver it person, with their officials, at the next board meeting, July 13, 10AM, 567 W. Lake St. 

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.

Take the 35th Street bus to the 31st Street Beach!

Service to 31st Street Beach

How does this affect my trip?
Bus service will be extended to 31st Street Beach weekends and holidays from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.

Buses in both directions will operate east of 35th/Rhodes, and begin/end at 31st Street Beach. Buses will run nonstop between Rhodes/33rd Pl and the beach. Buses will serve the beach from 9:10am until 9:40pm on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

Buses will continue to begin/end at 35th/Cottage Grove early morning and late evenings on weekends, and at all times on weekdays.

Why is service being changed?
Service is being extended for the convenience
of customers traveling to/from 31st Street beach.

Bike and Roll the 31st Street Bus

Click here to see more photos!

 

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!

Bike/Roll the 31st Street Bus Route

Bike/Roll the 31st Street Bus Route Join the 31st Street Bus Cross-Town Coalition 

Sat Aug 24th 

Bike/Skate Ride 

down the 31st Street Proposed Bus Route 

and help our Communities fight for 

"Our Right to Our Route" for this needed bus route. 

We will be riding from Little Village through McKinley Park, Bridgeport, and Bronzeville to the 31st Street Beach.
Ride begins at 10am in Little Village. Hop on the "Bus" in your neighborhood!

•  Bus Stop #1: Location TBA (Little Village) 
• Bus Stop #2: The Video Strip (3307 S Archer Ave, McKinley Park) 
• Bus Stop#3: Jackalope Coffee & Tea House (755 W 32nd Street, Bridgeport) There will be a 15% off for being a part of the ride. 
• Bus Stop#4: TBA (Bronzeville) 
• Final Stop and Press Conference: 31st Street Beach! 
• 12:30PM - PRESS CONFERENCE and PACE CARS ARRIVE AT THE BEACH. 

After the ride we'll party and swim at the beach.
More info to come! Please share this event on facebook and twitter. #31stStreetBus

31st Street Bus Photo Petitions

Tell us where the 31st Street Bus can take you

And collect one of these sweet pins!

Stop by 31st and Lowe

Tuesday, July 16 - 5:00 - 7:00 

Friday, July 19 - 10:00 - Noon

Saturday, July 20 - 9:00 - 2:00

Check Out The Photos Here!

CTA Board Meeting

Back in August Tom Gaulke (BA Chair) declared on this very blog, "in case you haven't heard, we're winning."  At that time it sincerely felt like we were winning.  The CTA board had extended the 35th street bus to include the west end of 31st and promised a study of the east end of 31st.  Members of BA met with CTA board president Forrest Claypool with Alderman Balcer.  They also met monthly with the folks who do the planning and studies on bus routes.  So far... nothing has happened.

We need to make sure that the CTA board knows that we are still here and we still want this bus.  Will you come with us on March 13 to remind them?

At the next board meeting of the Chicago Transit Authority, the board will be discussing the future of bus transit along 31st St.

We need to show up in numbers so that they know that our communities need a 31st St. Bus!

We'll meet at the corner of Halsted and 31st St. at 9:00am and take the Halsted Bus to the CTA Headquarters.  Or, if you are downtown, just meet us there.  If you can't make it, but know others who want the bus, share this information with them, please. 

You can RSVP on facebook here or email info@bridgeportalliance.org. 

BA in the News

Articles on the SOUL King Day Event!

DNA Info -Activists Plan ‘King Day’ Rally

Progress Illinois - Community Group Brings Together Politicians, Religious and Community Leaders In A Call For Social Justice

BA General Meeting 10/25

Hi Friends -

Our next general meeting will be Thursday. October 25, 7:00PM,

First Trinity Community Center, First Floor.

643 West 31st St.

Bridgeport, Chicago.

Peace.

Partial Victory

While we did not get a full 31st Street Route which was proposed. The CTA is going to extend the 35th Street Bus for 180 days as a partial phase-in experiment.

The 35th Street Bus which currently ends on Kedzie will now be extended north on Kedzie to 31st Street, then it will turn west onto 31st Street to Cicero and finally head north to Cicero/26th at the soon to be remodeled Metra station.

After the 180-day experiment. The CTA did agree to a new proposal that after reviewing the data collected, they will consider any changes and the possibility of the full 31st Street Bus Route from Cicero to the Lakefront which was our original proposal.

While this route is not exactly what everyone may want. It is a victory. The CTA has not been in the habit of adding new service lately. This would be something new and it is needed. We will continue the fight for the full route. The fight is not over yet!

Suntimes, CBS, Tribune

From BA member and 31st street bus supporter, Joe Trutin:  I would like to thank Aldermen James Balcer (11th), Alderman George Cardenas (12th) and Senator Martin Sandoval and the many community members/groups along the 31st Street Corridor for coming to today's CTA meeting to speak for the need of the 31st Street Route. 

There were many other politicians who did come out in support of this route and deserve a huge thank you for making phone calls and writing letters of support. Senator Mattie Hunter (3rd), Senator Antonio Munoz (1st), Aldermen Pat Dowell (3rd), Alderman Ricky Munoz (22nd), and Cook County Commissioner John Daley (11th)

Most of all thank you all for being part of this facebook page. I promise you that the wheels are still in motion to move forward with plans to get our FULL 31st street route along the 31st street corridor which will improve mobility and access to an employment center, rail lines, and other bus routes for low income individuals, seniors, and the disabled.

Call CTA President Forrest Claypool and Demand a 31st St. Bus!

Call Forrest Claypool for a 31st St. Bus!
Call 312-681-5001
After fifteen years without service, transit dependent riders in Bridgeport, McKinley Park, Little Village, Chinatown, Bronzeville and Armour Park remain without an East-West bus route along 31st St. Bringing back the 31st St. bus would help students safely reach schools, open up countless new job opportunities and offer a much needed economic boost for businesses along the route.
The federal government has offered half the funds necessary to bring the route back, and now we need to tell the CTA President Forrest Claypool that the community needs this bus route!
Here is a sample script to help you plan your phone call:

Hello,

My name is ___________, and I would like to ask Forrest Claypool to fully fund the 31st St. Bus from Cicero to the Lakefront. As a resident of _________________ (neighborhood), I will be able to use the bus to

(Choose one)

□ take the bus to Mercy Hospital
□ take the bus to school
□ take the bus to work
□ take the bus to shop
□ take the bus to the new 31 St. beach

Our community needs this bus! Thank you.

          
email bridgeportalliance@gmail.com and let us know how your call goes!

Bike/Roll the 31st Street Bus Route

The 31st Street Bus Cross-Town Coalition is back in action, fighting for a 31st Street bus route from Little Village through McKinley Park, Bridgeport, and Bronzeville. We are already making significant progress, and we need YOUR support for this campaign restart action.

SATURDAY 6/30 10AM-12:30PM join us as we bike the ROUTE.
(seniors will be taking PACE CARS to the beach!)

Hop on the "Bus" in your neighborhood!

Ride begins at LITTLE VILLAGE HIGH SCHOOL, 10AM.

• Bus Stop #2: The Video Strip, McKinley Park
• Bus Stop#3: First Lutheran Church of the Trinity, Bridgeport
• Bus Stop#4: Christ the Mediator Church, Bronzeville
• Final Stop and Press Conference: 31st Street Beach!

12:30PM - PRESS CONFERENCE and PACE CARS ARRIVE AT THE BEACH.

Followed by a party and swimming at the beach.

Invite everybody! Let's get this bus!

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