UP North ridership fell 10 percent, Chicago’s Metra says

Ridership on Metra's Union Pacific North line dropped in September, reflecting widespread displeasure with schedule changes, which the commuter line was forced to rescind, the Chicago Tribune reports. The number of monthly passenger trips fell 10 percent to 820,462 compared with September 2009, according to recent figures.

While ridership on seven of
Metra’s 11 lines was down for the month, following a trend blamed on the
recession and high unemployment, the UP North drop was far higher than the
other lines. The next-highest decrease, 3.1 percent, was reported on the
Heritage line. Four lines posted increases.

Metra announced in
September that complaints prompted it to postpone until spring a $185-million
plan to rebuild 22 UP North bridges.

As it tried to accommodate
the project, Metra planned to cut service on the line from two tracks to one.
But after several schedule changes and widespread complaints, Metra decided the
plan was unworkable and reinstated the original UP North schedule.

On Nov. 12, officials
reiterated that they would keep two tracks in operation when the bridge project
is resumed in spring. Metra trains will continue on the current schedule, they
said.

Acting Executive Director
Bill Tupper said Metra was working with its engineer to redesign the project.

Chairwoman Carole Doris
said staff would study if it was possible to replace a third track on part of
the line, which had been removed decades ago.

Director Jim LaBelle, who
had questioned the bridge project, said rethinking the program will "bring
it back to sanity."