Innovation, Coordination, and Enhancement (ICE) Projects

Furnish and install a Network and Telephone Systems Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery system. This project will provide funding to meet control center requirements: a) Deploy Alternate Control Center: The alternate control center should include full functionality similar to the current primary CTA control center. The resources needed to perform the specified functions should be defined, documented, and included in the plan for the alternate control center. b) Information Technology Applications Required for Disaster Recovery: Assess current applications technology stack, address any required upgrades prior to implementing Disaster Recovery solutions, and propose alternative technology solutions for required field technology components (i.e. RF communications infrastructure cannot be duplicated).

Purchase of the Portfolio Management Tool, software licenses, and staff training on the Tool to improve IT Process and Program Management. The CTA IT PMO is responsible for coordinating project approval and prioritization with senior CTA leadership and ensuring that project management products (charters, schedules, solution architectures, etc.) are produced for critical projects. This portfolio management tool and process will significantly enhance the CTA's ability to manage multiple, concurrent projects on-time and on-budget.

Provide for the update of the Origin-Destination (OD) model working with the Planning and Ridership departments. CTA has been using the OD model for route planning and service allocation since 2008 to minimize crowding on buses and trains. Re-engineering the model will enable it to read and analyze data from Ventra. Implement a system wide Origin-Destination Passenger Survey - last done in FY 2007.

Provide upgrades to CTA applications and/or processes including the following: Hastus: Update of Planning/Scheduling software application used for planning, operations, customer information, and analysis. Learning Management System: The project objective is to implement a cloud based learning management system that provides a unified and comprehensive eLearning platform that allows for training registration, approval by management and tracking, with real time reporting.

Upgrades to Switch Machines to incorporate a predictive maintenance approach in addition to the preventive maintenance performed on switches and proactively replace critical signal equipment. Such an upgrade and approach should reduce switch downtime and enhance switch reliability.

The project will provide operating assistance (due to loss of revenue related to COVID-19) to CTA System-wide. Funds can be used for any operating shortfall.

Quick Change Oil System - (1) reduces time to change oil - optimizes preventive maintenance; (2) Improves cleanliness, minimum oil spillage; (3) Bus Mechanic labor savings.

CTA proposes to install Digital Customer Information Displays and non-digital customer focused information throughout the system. Digital displays provide real time bus tracker and/or train tracker information as appropriate, system status updates and CTA customer alerts. These are interspersed with paid advertisements, time and weather information. The paid advertisements support the operation of the machines and provide a source of revenue to CTA. There are two types of digital displays, internal or external. Internal digital displays have been installed at seventeen stations that are characterized by high traffic volume and high transfer activity and include State/Lake (Red Line), Jackson/State (Red Line), and Washington/Wells (Loop Elevated). External digital displays will be installed at street level and CTA has installed one pilot location of these digital urban panels at Grand on the Blue Line. FY2012 funding will provide for the design, fabrication, and installation of up to 60 transit information panels and transit information pylons at up to 46 stations, preferably within 1/2 mile of Metra and/or Pace service, on the rail system (Blue, Purple, Red, Orange, Green, and Pink Lines). Also, the installation of up to 80 Digital Customer Information Displays at 12 stations throughout the CTA system. Installation will focus on stations with high volumes of traffic and high transfer activity, including Lake/State (Red), Jackson (Red), and Washington/Wells (Loop Elevated).

Replace inefficient thermally broken storefront entrance systems with new heavy duty monumental type aluminum doors at the 203 N. LaSalle side of the Clark/Lake platform and the SOIC side of the Clark/Lake platform. The replacement of sixteen (16) total doors including but not limited to eight (8) transom lights and sixteen (16) heavy duty closers. Includes Clark/Lake entrance doors to platform at State of Illinois center.