Transcript:
To get around, hundreds of thousands of Chicagoans ride a bus or the L, the city’s rapid transit system.
But as climate change causes more extreme weather, some of those trips could be disrupted.
Evasic: “The precipitation that we’re expecting to receive in the future is going to come at us in very short bursts.”
That’s Kate Evasic of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.
A report from her agency warns that a third of the city’s L stops, and over half of its bus stops, are at risk of flooding. So at times, L riders may face delays, and bus riders may need to wade through water.
Many of the region’s bus stops also lack shelters or shade trees. So as extreme heat becomes more common, people may have to wait in the hot sun.
Evasic: “When you are taking transit, you’re out in the elements more than if you are driving in your car. You’re really dependent on the wait time for your bus or for your train.”
Evasic says running buses and trains more often could reduce those wait times.
And upgrading the infrastructure at bus and L stops to make them more resilient to extreme weather would help ensure Chicagoans can get around safely, even as the climate warms.
Reporting credit: Ethan Freedman / ChavoBart Digital Media
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
