Summary And A Quick Tour Of Transit For World-Class Metropolises: Can Chicagoland Compete?

	" Global Metropolises Walk Their Talk " introduces how these three metropolises apply the above principles better than does our region.
	" Lessons from Berlin " reminds us that a central station is a practical symbol stressing the importance of integrating transit systems.
	" Paris: How Collaboration Works " shows how regional government is the key to city and suburbs working together better.
	" London Lesson " tells us regional authority can ebb and flow as required by the situation.

The year 2010 will culminate our most intense decade of regional planning ever. Our leaders started this process to make Chicago a global center within a world-class metropolis. Before we agree to a plan for 2040, let’s measure our region against three metropolises: Berlin, Paris and London.

Our competition has a strategic edge: they move more people around more efficiently each day than do we. Their micro-micro moves cumulatively build the net worth of every business and household and their ability to pay for public services, or need less services.

The competition’s transit investment produces more wealth than ours because they apply three principles better.

First, their communities are more compact; thus encouraging options more cost-effective than autos.

Second, their transit systems are integrated; making usage easier, faster, cheaper.

Third, each region manages its systems better because there is clear authority.

Read this series of four articles on how the competition is beating our metropolis. Each photo symbolizes a key point of each article. Click and take a quick trip to each.

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