Tensions arose on Thursday at Evanston’s American Disability Act Advisory Committee meeting, at which CTA representatives reported the plan to make Evanston Purple Line train stations accessible is still in the “ideation and discovery phase,” with little funding and no timeframe for construction or completion thus far.
The movement to make the Purple Line fully accessible is part of the CTA’s All Stations Accessibility Program, a $2.1 billion plan to make all CTA transit systems ADA-compliant by 2038. The program, which began in 2018, includes rebuilding or rehabilitating the CTA’s 162 elevators and 42 inaccessible train stations, in addition to implementing more effective signage for those who are deaf, blind or visually impaired. Currently, around 30% of the CTA’s 145 train stations are considered inaccessible.
The plan to rebuild the 42 remaining stations is split up into four phases. Currently, phase one – which includes Montrose, California, Austin and a handful of Red Line and Loop stations – is 100% funded and construction is underway. Phase two is 45% funded. Evanston’s Purple line stations fall under a subproject called the Red Purple Modernization (RPM) Program, which is spread out between phases two, three and four. It’s unclear which Evanston stations will be in which phase. However, one thing is sure: with Evanston stations in the later phases of the project, there is little to no funding and no set timeline for the stations’ reconstruction, said Erin Fiorini, director of Infrastructure Capital Program Oversight at the CTA.
Murphy Monroe, chairperson of the Evanston ADA committee, is deeply frustrated by the update.
“As soon as you hear it, of course you lose confidence in the likelihood of that work being done since it’s earmarked for an unnamed date and paid for in an unknown way,” Monroe said.
Only Davis St. is accessible
Evanston has seven Purple Line stations, but only the Davis Street station is accessible for those with disabilities. That single ADA-compliant stop is nowhere near some of the city’s most crucial infrastructure, noted Monroe.
“For the disabled community in Evanston who need to be able to access hospital emergency services, it’s a real problem that our Central train station isn’t available to them,” Monroe said.
Monroe’s ongoing frustration with Evanston’s lack of accessible transportation has only been exacerbated by the rebuilding of Ryan Field. While Northwestern University boasts the stadium is one of the most accessible in the country, the closest train station is Central Street, which is not ADA-compliant.
“It’s particularly disappointing that this stadium, that will be so accessible, will not be accessible by public transportation,” Monroe said. “It’s essential that one of the biggest and most expensive amenities in the city of Evanston actually be accessible to all Evanstonians.”
Still in the idea phase
Currently, the RPM program is still in the ideation and discovery phase, according to the CTA. Once that stage concludes, there are still three more stages until the project is completed: planning, engineering and environmental review; funding; and design and construction. The timeline of the project primarily depends on funding, which depends on a mix of federal, state and local funds and can take years to accumulate.
Phase one, which includes the Belmont Bypass and four Red Line stations, began in 2014 and will continue into 2025, according to the CTA.
At the meeting, committee members became upset when CTA personnel said there is no timeline for the project. Monroe described the situation as offensive.
“It’s disappointing to hear the CTA’s plans do not acknowledge the critical nature of the Central Street stop in Evanston and the importance of the Evanston disabled community having access to our hospital, our major university and what is claimed to be the most accessible college stadium [in the country], which the disabled community will not be able to take the train to,” Monroe said.
At one point, Monroe ventured into a hypothetical scenario in which the city of Evanston was “fully firing up and funding…” Before he could say, “the project,” the CTA representative began to laugh.
“See, you’re laughing. It’s not even possible,” Monroe said.
The meeting concluded with an introduction to Sarah FioRito, Evanston’s new transportation and mobility coordinator as of April. FioRito was peppered with questions from committee members, who communicated an urgent need for the city to execute their objectives and plans to make Evanston more accessible. One member described his experience in a wheelchair on an Evanston sidewalk.
“All I’m worried about is riding down the sidewalk and then boom boom boom,” he said, mimicking getting bumped around his wheelchair as he rides. “That’s why I’m [riding] on the street.”
Call to action
Monroe’s call to action was the most urgent of all.
“The disability community is by far the most segregated [community] in Evanston,” he said. “Evanston has whole buildings that aren’t accessible. There aren’t other members of the community that can’t use those buildings. There aren’t other members of the community that can’t use certain sidewalks.”
“One of the most frustrating parts of this is that this issue remains really untalked about in Evanston and is such an important thing for the city to take notice of and to take actionable work towards.”
Monroe hopes Evanston becomes a place where anyone, regardless of ability, can move easily from one place to the next.
“The ideal Evanston on the transportation front is one where every Evanstonian has the opportunity to leave their front door and get wherever else they need to within the city of Evanston, be it a restaurant, a movie theater, a public facility, the beach, the park across the street or their neighborhood school,” he said.
“[It] should be easy for every Evanstonian to be able to get from one place to the next.”
What about ramps ?
Certainly not as good as elevators but cost of them and station re-design would put implementation years off.
What about a ramp like on east side of Metra station at Central ? It might work at Central and Noyes [other?] where there is enough land if there is ‘double back’ like Central Metra *east side and ticket booth at top like Noyes ? Not ideal but more feasible than elevators.
*southward then flat area then northward ramp
For the 30+ years that I’ve lived near the Central station, I’ve been trying to reach someone with enough clout to authorize an elevator or escalator at the Central Station. It’s used by visitors to Evanston Hospital as well as people going there for tests and appointments. It’s a disgrace that it has never been prioritized for accessibility.
I feel that both the Central and South Blvd stations should be utilized with disability applicable services because hospitals both are near their stops. Then Dempster. Central is the number one stop to assess because of the importance of Endeavor Hospital.
Yes David
South Evanston people with disabilities matter too!!!
Of course Central Station should be accessible. Someone just didn’t have enough clout in the planning process.
The reality is however that the bus route that stops at Evanston Hospital covers much more ground than the L …if it’s an emergency you’re not going on the L regardless and the train isn’t the only way to get there. If you’re disabled you likely also are eligible for door to door ride service from PACE at little cost.
Fight on, because you don’t need to be disabled to need an elevator at Central or other Evanston stations. But there are other options.
Do you use door to door service Gary?
My friends who do wind up waiting a very long time sometimes in the cold, even when they call ahead of time. Getting to any hospital in Evanston quickly is a problem
This is indeed major! A reprioritization of station ADA compliance is warranted. It’s my hope RTA would review this matter in order to help establish a regional approach for achieving ADA compliance among its service boards. In addition, the Rebuild Illinois bond should help solve this financial problem. We too have a historic station at 63rd and Racine that should be added to the ADA compliance list.
How Soon 🔜 Will CTA Going to Address 📢 Nationwide Transit Worker shortages on public transit system systemwide.
I am a committee member that attended yhis meeting. As always the CTA did what they do best bunch of “double talk” just like a trained politician. Remember CTA stands for Chicago Transit Authority. We are aware of the famous Chicago political machine. Evanston residents are not asking for all the stops in Evanston be ADA compliance. Only the Central Station. I had suggested that the CTA consider extending CTA bus route 201. Including providing shuttle busses from Ryan’s Field to the Davis Purple line station during events being held there for those that are disabled. Of course no reply from the CTA regarding these suggestions. An Evanston resident attending the meeting through Zoom. She informed the CTA that she’s visually impaired and requires her service animal and that had mentioned that the CTA staff requires ADA education particularly those with service animals. They responded by retrieve information of the incident with bus number date and time and file a complaint. Again, “double talk” they didn’t correctly respond to the real issue by providing ADA training including with service animals. Then I asked the CTA why is not mandatory of the bus driver to assure the handicap seat is available and assisting the passenger that’s in either a manual/electric wheelchair. When I ride the Pace busses. All their drivers actually providing customer service by assisting those that are elderly and in a wheelchair securing the handicap seat and making sure that I’m safely secured with the wheelchair on the bus in traveling safely. Again, no real reason nor solutions. The CTA’s priority is keeping the busses running on time. Lol. I would like for Evanton’s legal team to attend a meeting in discussion the legality that the city of Evanston can impose on the CTA deliberately ignore Evanton’s Station(s) not being ADA compliance. The only way for the CTA to take Evanston seriously in being ADA compliance is through the Federal courts under the ADA Act.
Jim Johnson, actually, I am asking for all stations to be accessible. To suggest otherwise is insufficient goal wise. Not quite sure why you’d suggest Central is the only request.
One of the key-points that residents opposed to the new Ryan Field concerts stressed to the Councilmembers and Mayor Biss was that “significant increased use and the easy access” to public transportation to the stadium was a pipedream, and one of the points we stressed was the inaccessibility of the Central St. L platform. No elevator, very steep stairs.
The other point we made is that Metra trains run infrequently, and if trains are added, pollution will increase because the Metra trains serving the stadium run on diesel, and there are no funds to change this Metra line to electric.
Biss should take advantage of the NU free hearing tests.
There needs to be a viable alternative for funding and planning to get the Central street CTA station rebuilt ADA compliant. For many years I have used this station and as I got older it became a lot more difficult to get to Northshore hospital. The Red Purple modernization program is too little too late and it’s likely that I will not see elevators at Central in my lifetime. Maybe there needs to be a private/ public partnership of some sort to get Central street up to ADA compliance more quickly than the current schedule. Perhaps Northwestern, which is currently building a brand new stadium, could help fund an ADA accessible station at Central street. Or maybe Evanston could fund it just as Skokie funded the Oakton CTA stop on the Yellow Line. Either way there is no excuse for there to not be a station at Central street without elevators, particularly since it serves a major medical center.