The 43rd ward’s most pressing problems are, at first blush, disparate. The first is the same issue facing the entire nation: rising rates of violent crime. The second is managing the sudden growth of the neighborhood from the Lincoln Yards development. The relationship between the two is, however, quite deep. More economic activity will act as a magnet for criminals and more crime deters people from feeling safe when going about their lives in the neighborhood.
The safety of the ward’s residents must be the first priority. That safety is particularly precarious on public transit right now. Crime is up all over the country, but the growth of crime on CTA has been staggering. Much of it has been brazen with some attacks even happening in broad daylight. Robberies have also been violent; people are afraid to take public transit.
Making the CTA safer won’t be cheap, but some solutions are cost-effective. Cameras and silent alarms could be installed in every train car. Police could be installed at each of our 145 stations. The Chicago Police Department is strained, but they could spare a couple hundred officers. Doing so would allow speedy responses to silent alarms and cameras would make catching perpetrators simpler. The high likelihood of getting caught would also discourage attacks.
Needed safety measures for public transit provides additional benefits for the 43rd Ward because of the Lincoln Yards development. The development will bring an enormous surge of people and activity, which could result in some truly terrible traffic jams. Making public transit safer will encourage people to move away from driving and onto the train, thereby alleviating some of the pressure on our roads and freeing up space for parking.
Improving lighting on streets near Lincoln Yards is another low-cost safety measure. Many of the streets are poorly lit, giving criminals an easy way of ambushing pedestrians. Foot traffic is limited now, but that will soon change. Better lighting can reduce those vulnerabilities while providing ancillary benefits to cyclists. Encouraging bicycle commuters further reduces pressure on traffic and parking.
Changes are coming to the 43rd Ward. With change comes opportunity, but it can also cause disruption to the lives of our residents. We should place our resources towards creating a safer environment. That will help ease the transition and manage the expanded usage of the 43rd Ward’s streets. Residents will stay happier and business will flow easier.