A new CTA day for Edgewater and Uptown. But what about Broadway? - Chicago Tribune Editorial Board

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | Chicago Tribune

UPDATED: July 22, 2025 at 8:13 AM CDT

👉 Read the full article in the Chicago Tribune for perspective on “New train stations but conflict on the street below” (pdf).

AI Generated Abstract

A Chicago Tribune editorial praises the reopening of four renovated CTA Red Line stations in Uptown and Edgewater as significant neighborhood upgrades but highlights the unresolved conflict over Broadway rezoning. While the stations bring wider platforms, improved accessibility, and safer design, the surrounding streetscape of car washes, strip malls, and surface lots has become the focus of debate. Mayor Brandon Johnson and Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth back sweeping upzoning and the elimination of parking mandates to encourage new housing, but neighborhood activists warn this could create a parking crisis and displace small businesses. Supporters argue that improved transit justifies reducing car reliance, while critics insist most households still need vehicles and fear rising costs and instability. The editorial concludes that until the CTA improves frequency, safety, and service, eliminating parking is premature. What’s needed now is a compromise that balances density, affordability, and community needs so Broadway can match the promise of its new transit hubs.