Sawyer Convenes Public Transit Forum

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Alderman Roderick Sawyer (6th) (right) looks on as Metra Board Chairman Larry Huggins (center) addresses community residents and stakeholders at a public safety forum Saturday. (Thelma Sardin/ Chicago Citizen)
Alderman Roderick Sawyer (6th) (right) looks on as Metra Board Chairman Larry Huggins (center) addresses community residents and stakeholders at a public safety forum Saturday. (Thelma Sardin/ Chicago Citizen)

Transit reform was the theme of a public forum held at Chicago State University Saturday. Alderman Roderick Sawyer (6th) convened the summit which brought together community members, law enforcement and Metra officials.

Sawyer opened the meeting outlining some of the concerns many residents have with public transit including accessibility and safety.

I know a lot of you that do take public transportation can highlight the issues that we have with it, the alderman said at forum. And those that do not take it are usually justified in their concerns for not taking public transportation. We have issues that relate to accessibility, we have issues relating to safety.

According to news reports, a woman was assaulted during early morning hours last week on a Chicago Transit Authority Red Line train between Roosevelt and 79th Street. The Chicago Citizen emailed the Regional Transportation Authority for a comment regarding the incident, but a response had not been given at Chicago Citizen press time.

Melinda Kelly, executive director of the Chatham Business Association, was one of many community representatives present at the forum. Kelly said community stakeholders are concerned about economic development and environmental issues around transit lines. From an economical standpoint, developing businesses around transit hubs can spur financial growth in the area, she said. Kelly also said that noise abatement and the impact on its residents are also a main concern.

Michelle Redd, president of the Greater Englewood Business Group thanked Sawyer for hosting the event.

Im excited and thank Alderman Sawyer for this opportunity to have this dialogue on improving transit corridors, said Redd. These are transit projects and public safety matters that have been ignored for a long time and deserve our attention because they stabilize our neighborhood and improve the economy.

The last thing that we need are coalitions who are just talking but I am excited and hopeful that from todays dialogue that we will be able to implement action plans to be able to generate true safety within our community, Redd added.

Several Chicago police from area districts discussed patrol operations surrounding neighborhoods and transit lines.

Third District Commander Christopher D. Fletcher, who oversees the Grand Crossing area, said one of his main targets is turnstile jumpers, individuals who jump across turnstiles and board trains without paying. Criminals who ride the transit system are not the ones who pay, said Fletcher. So if we get them when they (are) jumping the turnstile we can get them from committing crimes on these trains.

Metra Board Vice Chairman Larry Huggins was also present at the forum and told residents that Metra will continue to work with state and Congressional representatives to bring reforms to the transit agency.

In addition, Huggins said its important to Metra to keep its riders safe. Everybody who rides Metra stations are very, very important to us.

State Representative Andre Thapedi, D-32nd, discussed the Chicago Region Environment and Transportation Efficiency program. Thapedi said the charge of the initiative is to make rail transportation more efficient. The regional program is a partnership between local, state and federal government and railroad companies.

The objective is to make transportation -- more specifically, railroad transportation -- more efficient, said Thapedi. Thats the charge.

by Thelma Sardin

Twitter: @thelmasardin

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