Comments on: Rockford has known good, bad times; now we’re going to be a part of Chicagoland http://blogs.e-rockford.com/180degrees/2008/04/30/rockford-has-known-good-bad-times-now-were-going-to-be-a-part-of-chicagoland/ Want an inside look at a yearlong project by journalists at the newspaper and the Web site to help Rockford solve serious problems and turn around? We’re focusing on five areas that are key to our way of life in the Rock River Valley: Crime, education, the local economy, state and local government and our culture/sense of place. Would you like to help us in this campaign to bring about change? Give us your ideas and insights and help guide us to better solutions for Rockford. You can join the conversation here. Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:33:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.2.4 By: RRStar Visitor http://blogs.e-rockford.com/180degrees/2008/04/30/rockford-has-known-good-bad-times-now-were-going-to-be-a-part-of-chicagoland/#comment-26 RRStar Visitor Mon, 05 May 2008 09:28:20 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/180degrees/2008/04/30/rockford-has-known-good-bad-times-now-were-going-to-be-a-part-of-chicagoland/#comment-26 I personally would fall asleep less on the trip to the 'burbs if there were 4 lanes for traffic in each direction: driving behind someone who will not let you pass them (when you are driving 60+ MPH in the LEFT lane) makes a one-hour trip extend out a lot longer. We have needed many lanes in this direction for the past 15 years now, and a commuter train will NOT minimize this need (but only enhance those already driving there for the substantially higher wages and better job opportunities than are available in Rockford, gas prices notwithstanding). Why work for $9 an hour doing a service job in Rockford when you can make DOUBLE that (or more) by driving 45 minutes to work? For what it's worth, it took me 45 minutes to get from downtown Rockford recently to Beloit: the same time it takes one to drive into Elgin; that said, maybe better transportation options are needed strictly within the Rockford area, not simply into the Chicago areas. I personally would fall asleep less on the trip to the ‘burbs if there were 4 lanes for traffic in each direction: driving behind someone who will not let you pass them (when you are driving 60+ MPH in the LEFT lane) makes a one-hour trip extend out a lot longer. We have needed many lanes in this direction for the past 15 years now, and a commuter train will NOT minimize this need (but only enhance those already driving there for the substantially higher wages and better job opportunities than are available in Rockford, gas prices notwithstanding). Why work for $9 an hour doing a service job in Rockford when you can make DOUBLE that (or more) by driving 45 minutes to work? For what it’s worth, it took me 45 minutes to get from downtown Rockford recently to Beloit: the same time it takes one to drive into Elgin; that said, maybe better transportation options are needed strictly within the Rockford area, not simply into the Chicago areas.

]]> By: Leatherneck http://blogs.e-rockford.com/180degrees/2008/04/30/rockford-has-known-good-bad-times-now-were-going-to-be-a-part-of-chicagoland/#comment-25 Leatherneck Mon, 05 May 2008 01:46:56 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/180degrees/2008/04/30/rockford-has-known-good-bad-times-now-were-going-to-be-a-part-of-chicagoland/#comment-25 But my point is that it's not "close" to Rockford in the traditional sense. This weekend, I had the misfortune of making 2 round trips to Schaumburg and it's somewhere between Elgin and Randall Road that I am falling asleep at the wheel. Now if these places were that "close", in the geographic sense, I would not be dozing off. And then I see the sign that calls the Rockford airport "Chicagoland" and my own laughter awakens me. It is the backwater of all backwaters, the outer limits of the outer limits. Okay, probably closer to Chicago than to Timbuktu, but not by much. But my point is that it’s not “close” to Rockford in the traditional sense. This weekend, I had the misfortune of making 2 round trips to Schaumburg and it’s somewhere between Elgin and Randall Road that I am falling asleep at the wheel. Now if these places were that “close”, in the geographic sense, I would not be dozing off. And then I see the sign that calls the Rockford airport “Chicagoland” and my own laughter awakens me. It is the backwater of all backwaters, the outer limits of the outer limits. Okay, probably closer to Chicago than to Timbuktu, but not by much.

]]> By: Adam Sharp http://blogs.e-rockford.com/180degrees/2008/04/30/rockford-has-known-good-bad-times-now-were-going-to-be-a-part-of-chicagoland/#comment-24 Adam Sharp Sun, 04 May 2008 18:29:55 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/180degrees/2008/04/30/rockford-has-known-good-bad-times-now-were-going-to-be-a-part-of-chicagoland/#comment-24 I agree Chicago starts at Randal Road, I grew up in St. Charles, and I still refer to the Chicago area as my home town. Chuck is right though Chicago is moving this way. Just look at I90 it will soon be 6 lanes from Chicago to Minneapolis. I agree Chicago starts at Randal Road, I grew up in St. Charles, and I still refer to the Chicago area as my home town.

Chuck is right though Chicago is moving this way. Just look at I90 it will soon be 6 lanes from Chicago to Minneapolis.

]]> By: Chuck Sweeny http://blogs.e-rockford.com/180degrees/2008/04/30/rockford-has-known-good-bad-times-now-were-going-to-be-a-part-of-chicagoland/#comment-23 Chuck Sweeny Sun, 04 May 2008 03:52:09 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/180degrees/2008/04/30/rockford-has-known-good-bad-times-now-were-going-to-be-a-part-of-chicagoland/#comment-23 Let's be accurate: Chicagoland starts at Randall Road. There are new subdivisions in Genoa. McHenry County has surpassed Winnebago County in population. And Boone can't figure out how it can stem the tide. We are on the cusp of rapid growth and we'd better figure out how to handle it. Let’s be accurate: Chicagoland starts at Randall Road. There are new subdivisions in Genoa. McHenry County has surpassed Winnebago County in population. And Boone can’t figure out how it can stem the tide. We are on the cusp of rapid growth and we’d better figure out how to handle it.

]]> By: Chuck Sweeny http://blogs.e-rockford.com/180degrees/2008/04/30/rockford-has-known-good-bad-times-now-were-going-to-be-a-part-of-chicagoland/#comment-22 Chuck Sweeny Sun, 04 May 2008 03:46:42 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/180degrees/2008/04/30/rockford-has-known-good-bad-times-now-were-going-to-be-a-part-of-chicagoland/#comment-22 Let's be accurate: Chicagoland starts at Randall Road. Let’s be accurate: Chicagoland starts at Randall Road.

]]> By: Leatherneck http://blogs.e-rockford.com/180degrees/2008/04/30/rockford-has-known-good-bad-times-now-were-going-to-be-a-part-of-chicagoland/#comment-19 Leatherneck Fri, 02 May 2008 23:09:15 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/180degrees/2008/04/30/rockford-has-known-good-bad-times-now-were-going-to-be-a-part-of-chicagoland/#comment-19 Sounds good, but to say that Rockford is part of "Chicagoland" is disingenous. We are a good 2 hours drive from downtown Chicago, when you factor in thick traffic and lights. Also, whenever I drive to Woodfield, as I find myself nodding off and my body sore from sitting and driving, I think of all these fools who commute every day to Chicago suburbs. They must be nuts. It is a tiring trip. Maybe it sounds nice to say Rockford is part of Chicago, and people who aren't from around here might actually believe it. But the truth is that we are still a helluva long way from Chicago. Sounds good, but to say that Rockford is part of “Chicagoland”
is disingenous.

We are a good 2 hours drive from downtown Chicago, when you factor in thick traffic and lights. Also, whenever I drive to Woodfield, as I find myself nodding off and my body sore from sitting and driving, I think of all these fools who commute every day to Chicago suburbs. They must be nuts. It is a tiring trip.

Maybe it sounds nice to say Rockford is part of Chicago, and people who aren’t from around here might actually believe it. But the truth is that we are still a helluva long way from Chicago.

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