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CAMPAIGN

Add More Water Taxis

Chicago, IL
Add More Water Taxis
Description:

More water taxi trips between Navy Pier and Museum Campus

Image: Antonio Rubio

William Smith Chicago, IL

No better way to get to Navy Pier. Choices: caught in traffic in a taxi or an enjoyable peaceful boat ride with one of the best views of any city that there is. Other options obviously include biking the waterfront but I am speaking from a relaxing journey perspective. Price is not bad either. I'm all for it. Now you just have to get that street car idea off the ground and include a stop close by for the water taxi service and you got a good combo.

Andrew Sargis Chicago, IL

The current route operated by Shoreline Sightseeing is a great start. The Navy Pier - Museum Campus connection allows for hundreds of thousands of tourists to make the journey without adding further congestion to the streets. In order increase marine transportation to and from Museum campus, Navy Pier would need to allocate certain docking areas for water taxis, or boats performing a role in transportation, as opposed to dinner and large charter boats (aren't there enough already?). Furthermore The Chicago Park District would need to work with the Coast Guard to exempt certain docking areas on Museum campus from the cumbersome security plans necessary to bring in larger capacity water taxis.

Chuck Rocek Calumet City, IL

Andrew, your partially correct.

Shoreline does have, for the most part, a monopoly on the water taxi business. With open market competition comes innovation.

If you been on one Shoreline water taxi, you've been on all of them. Sorta ho hum.

Michelle Nichols Aurora, IL

I would also support adding a water taxi dock at the Adler Planetarium AND adding water taxi trips directly from the campus to Metra stations near the river, such as Union Station.

Chuck Rocek Calumet City, IL

I think adding additional water taxis may be an interesting idea. I believe instead of increasing the fleet within the current operators, to seek proposals from other possible vendors. There are two companies which hold docking access.

It might be more prudent to make the docks open to those who may have a specific commercial license, to operate at this landing, with specific landing times available to them through out the hour.