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Ryan Richter, AICP

@ryanjrichter.com
1.3K followers 681 following 1K posts

Transportation/urban planner. Fascinated with cities, geography and the movement of people and goods. Chicagoan. ryanjrichter.com

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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 29/09/2026
Took a break from social media while I was in Scotland, but I wanted to share this picture I took from a ScotRail train over the Forth Bridge. The bridge itself is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a symbol of Scotland.
Looking west across the Firth of Forth from the bridge.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 16/09/2026
I thought the Republican Party was the party of personal responsibility? 🤔
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 16/09/2026
Sadly, the Milwaukee Lines train frequencies are capped despite owning the lines, by CPKC, who dispatches. This is problematic in light of whatever happened with the UP-NS merger. UP is widely assumed to never give up dispatch control, same as CPKC.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 09/09/2026
This is exactly right. The choice is between continued freight rail operations without any local oversight or public railroad ownership that is far more responsive to the community. chicagocitywire.com/if-bridgepor...
chicagocitywire.com
If Bridgeport stops the Amtrak facility, the rail yard doesn't go away. It goes back to Union Pacific. - Chicago City Wire
Ald. Nicole Lee says the maintenance shop belongs in "an existing industrial area." The Canal Street yard is one. Here are the three most likely futures for the property if the opposition wins — and n...
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 08/09/2026
All of this deregulation of the food industry started in the 1980s so we can blame a generation of Republican leadership for these consequences.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 08/09/2026
And People Over Parking Act! This is going to be a huge first meeting.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 08/09/2026
Fiscal decisions decades in the making and now we're on our 12th credit rating upgrade and the Trib just can't take the win. No one is arguing that we've solved the fiscal problems, but it's not going to be fixed immediately. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/09/08/m...
chicagotribune.com
Editorial: Illinois got another credit upgrade. So why are we still last?
Despite a slew of credit upgrades, Illinois is still dead last.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 01/09/2026
Happy NITA Day to all who celebrate!
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 26/08/2026
The CN angle is interesting since they only allow Metra 10 trains per day on the NCS but are somehow going to allow 4 trains per hour on the flyer? I also assume Metra will ask for a flyover at B-12 given their existing traffic as well as CPKC. Figure another flyover at the Rockwell sub too.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 26/08/2026
Problem is...this is a $3B fix and they're bonded to the hilt on RLE. I'm genuinely curious what the debt service payments will look like post-RLE and CTA's ability to deliver on other massive maintenance/preservation projects not to mention any other rail service expansions.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 25/08/2026
On second thought, @starlinechicago.bsky.social identified the better alignment than O'Hare Flyer for reasons of cutting out the UP and CSX middlemen. NITA could then operate directly using Metra or another vendor operator. starlinechicago.substack.com/p/skys-the-l...
starlinechicago.substack.com
Sky's the Limit
We're approaching O'Hare rail service all wrong
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 25/08/2026
Interestingly enough, the most recent construction in downtown Jefferson Park (39 units at Lawrence/Laramie) is filled with airline worker crash pads.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 25/08/2026
My gut reaction is that this is the right alignment, but I don't see how a capital cost of $2.25B gets it done using NA construction costs. I also think we're looking at some pretty significant structures like the 1.5 mile viaduct over an airfield (seems far fetched!)...
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 18/08/2026
These are big questions, in my mind. Will CTA continue to defer to CDOT and alders on service planning? Will CDOT permit NITA more authority over its public way?
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 17/08/2026
Huge news for Amtrak and the White Sox over the weekend as Amtrak reeled in two massive Railroad Reinvestment Fund grants ($572M + $87M). This unlocks Ishbia's plan to relocate Amtrak's 14th St Yard to the UP Canal St. Yard in Bridgeport. chicago.suntimes.com/transportati...
chicago.suntimes.com
Amtrak's funding boost paves way for White Sox chairman-in-waiting Justin Ishbia's South Loop vision
More than $600 million in federal funding announced Friday could open up a 47-acre parcel that Ishbia has considered for a potential Sox stadium, sources said.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 13/08/2026
Amazing. What a hero!
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 05/08/2026
Otherwise the risk is studying a project to death. Then you end up with 17k page NEPA reports and $1B per mile construction costs after 50 years of "planning".
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 03/08/2026
This has been my experience in government.
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Reposted by Ryan Richter, AICP
Streetsblog Chicago @chi.streetsblog.org · 03/08/2026
Cameron attended CDOT's quarterly Chicago Mobility Collaborative meeting last week in N. Lawndale. Topics included the Reconnecting the West Side project, and efforts to speed up the Blue Line's Forest Park Branch. chi.streetsblog.org/2026/07/31/c... @rtachicago.bsky.social @chicagocta.bsky.social
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 31/07/2026
I kind of want to ride this.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 30/07/2026
Yes, but how the hell does a 91-pound carp get into this pond? Was it dumped from a fish tank and just took over? This Floating Wetland Near O’Hare Is Working To Improve Water Quality On The Northwest Side blockclubchicago.org/2026/07/30/t...
blockclubchicago.org
This Floating Wetland Near O’Hare Is Working To Improve Water Quality On The Northwest Side
Inspired by the Wild Mile, the Forest Preserves’ first floating wetland was constructed for under $600 at Schiller Pond, which has long been a catch basin for road runoff.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 30/07/2026
I'll be there. We're discussing the Reconnecting the West Side initiative. Also...free tacos! Join us.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 30/07/2026
The geography major in me is apoplectic! Blame all around: ✅ AI ✅ Incompetence ✅ Lack of responsibility ✅ Racism www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
US government map of Africa mislabels every country at global conference
State department ‘takes full responsibility’ for erroneous, widely shared chart displayed at Aids conference in Brazil
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 27/07/2026
I'm trying to avoid the rain by waiting for the 56 bus at Jeff Park to take me the rest of the way home. But even then I have a two block walk from the bus stop so I'll be hosed. Umbrella is useless in this
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 27/07/2026
Republicans have been saying this for years. Their only "plan" is to eventually eliminate all traces of government subsidized medicine. That means no VA, no Medicare, no Medicaid.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 26/07/2026
I'm not the first to note this, but I find it funny that Metra is celebrating the 100th anniversary of electrification of the Metra Electric District (former IC) with absolutely zero plans to electrify any other part of their system. www.railwayage.com/passenger/co...
railwayage.com
Metra Marking ‘100 Years of Electrification’
Metra on July 23 kicked off a summer-long celebration of 100 years of electrification of the line now known as Metra Electric, a milestone, it said, in Chicago history that […]
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 23/07/2026
I would love an advisory question to ask Chicago voters whether or not the city should have a charter. chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/20...
chicago.suntimes.com
Referendum battle highlights tension between Mayor Johnson, City Council
The Council's bloc of conservative Democrats rammed through their own carefully crafted ballot questions, but not before a contentious back-and-forth between the warring factions.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 21/07/2026
Come work with me! I'm also a MUPP, class of '08
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 15/07/2026
Gonna be a nasty day to be out at that GS11 groundbreaking tomorrow morning.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 15/07/2026
This is the whole point of this New Illinois separatist movement. They want all the power and hate that a big blue city advocates for itself.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 14/07/2026
The ridiculous thing about the New Illinois State is how they don't understand that the economies of the City of Chicago and Cook County are intertwined with the collar counties. But they know better than to cleave off the entire six county Chicago area and just focus on Cook County.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 08/07/2026
On the NW side, Old Irving Park did the same as recently as the 90s. Same result, except local residents rely on protecting the history of their neighborhood bullshit.
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Reposted by Ryan Richter, AICP
David Powe @davidpowe.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Stepping into a new role at CDOT overseeing Complete Streets & Public Way Policy. Our team is updating maps to better visualize safety issues. We're building new layers that combine Divvy ridership, bike crash data per mile, and more to better understand patterns across the bikeway network.
Map of Chicago showing major streets colored by bike crashes per mile relative to average daily Divvy trips.Map of Chicago showing major streets colored by bike crashes per mile relative to average daily Divvy trips.Map of Chicago showing major streets colored by bike crashes per mile relative to average daily Divvy trips.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 02/07/2026
Gonna go down to the wire! Appointees have to go to Transportation Committee on 7/8. With approvals, they would advance to full council on 7/15 in order to be seated by the September 1 for NITA. City Council takes off the month of August so this has to be done in July to get these appointments.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 02/07/2026
Come out and join me. We can learn together why this is a painful series of intersections for all modes.
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Reposted by Ryan Richter, AICP
William Skudlarek @willskud.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
IDOT has awarded the NITA consultant contract to Boston Consulting Group
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 01/07/2026
He is as shameless, and frankly more dangerous, than Trump. Unfortunately for Vance, he has zero charisma.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 29/06/2026
Sums up perfectly the State/Lake station. At the low, low cost of $440M!
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 26/06/2026
Methinks its Jeffries that has work to do.
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Reposted by Ryan Richter, AICP
Streetsblog Chicago @chi.streetsblog.org · 26/06/2026
Sun-Times op-ed by Bridgeport resident and organizer of previous CBGN! actions Andrew Mack: "Chicago lacks the will to curb traffic crashes that kill cyclists, pedestrians"... Protected bike lanes on Halsted "would have made a difference" in Riley O'Neil case.
chicago.suntimes.com
Chicago lacks the will to curb traffic crashes that kill cyclists, pedestrians
Nationally, deaths of cyclists over the age of 20 have increased almost five times since 1975.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 26/06/2026
I really hate railing on the Editorial page again, but I can't with this quote: "If lawmakers had not diverted hundreds of millions of transportation dollars toward transit, would a 45-cent toll increase still be necessary?" www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/19/m...
chicagotribune.com
Editorial: ‘Toll free in ’73’ was just another empty promise. Buckle up for a 45-cent toll hike, Illinois.
If lawmakers had not diverted hundreds of millions of transportation dollars toward transit, would a 45-cent toll increase still be necessary?
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 26/06/2026
I don't have a problem with this editorial, per se. But let's take this one or two steps further. A 🧵 Editorial: A toast to innovation in downtown Arlington Heights www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/24/e...
chicagotribune.com
Editorial: A toast to innovation in downtown Arlington Heights
The concept introduces a new open consumption area that would allow patrons to purchase alcoholic beverages and take them around Arlington Alfresco.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 23/06/2026
I. Am. Shocked.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 22/06/2026
Downtown is what suburban residents refer to Chicago as. Like the entire city. Well, no, other parts of the city are "O'Hare" or "the projects". Source: me, moving from NW side Chicago to the suburbs in 8th grade.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 19/06/2026
Ok, I'm two of four for ticket validation on Metra. The apps tell me the wrong platform at Clybourn (despite platform announcements, they don't tell you which platform the train arrives at). Last, the train PA system is out of order, so we can all eff ourselves.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 18/06/2026
I believe at some point the Tollway will be subsidizing IDOT expressway rebuilds including 290 and the Forest Park Blue Line branch. There's just too much money in the Tollway's capital plan and not enough projects.
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Reposted by Ryan Richter, AICP
David Powe @davidpowe.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
CDOT's updated Complete Streets Design Guide is now live. Want to know the minimum street width that can support protected bike lanes while maintaining parking? Bus lane design standards? Neighborhood greenway treatments? It's all in here 🚲🚌🚶 api.chicago.gov/filenet5/ser...
api.chicago.gov
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 10/06/2026
Tried this same thing. Asked ChatGPT for directions from River North to Jefferson Park during the PM rush hour. It gave me driving directions. When I called it out, it recognized its "default bias" and said it was wrong given my past interactions with it.
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Ryan Richter, AICP @ryanjrichter.com · 09/06/2026
They're in the find out phase of the question of what happens when you build an elevated alignment right next to an active freight rail line.
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Reposted by Ryan Richter, AICP
Michael McLean @michaelmclean.me · 08/06/2026
This is the block where Riley O’Neil was killed by a driver. The street view shows a car parked in the “bike lane”, and a 9,000lb hummer in the travel lane. There is no way this will ever be a safe way for cyclists and drivers to coexist. This is not a bike lane.
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