I have several questions for CTA regarding the savings incurred by closing a rail station. My personal interest lies in the Rockwell stop, but the questions apply to all closures.
The train still runs by the station, so I see no money saved by not stopping. The booth attendants have job security, they are merely relocated and still get paid. It is my hope that CTA intends to reopen these stations once the current crisis is over. Therefore, maintenance is still needed for the structures, unless CTA plans on allowing them to become marred by graffiti and other forms of vandalism, as well as natural wear.
Unless I`ve forgotten something, this leaves only heat and electric as costs that are eliminated by closure. It seems to me that utility charges are negligible to the CTA, considering the fact that during the summer the lights at the Paulina stop were left burning all weekend long, day and night.
If this is indeed the case, is there not a way the residents of the community can somehow directly defer the utility charges for their particular station rather than simply finance all of the CTA through higher fares and still suffer an elimination of service? I certainly wouldn`t mind paying as much as $10 a year along with my neighbors if it meant keeping the station open.
So where are the savings?
