At last night’s community meeting in Hutch, the Alderwomen Leslie Hairston heard students and community members speak about whether there should be a bus stop on the SE Corner of University and 57th Street. In response to overwhelming community and student support for the stop, the Alderwomen agreed to keep the stop in place.

Recently, controversy flared when the stop’s existence was called into question when the Alderwomen threatened to move it because the CTA and University didn’t follow the proper steps in notifying her and allowing her to hold a community meeting on the issue (Maroon coverage here).

Student Government had a Townhall meeting last March to talk about the issue, where people mostly expressed their frustration and the move they felt was mostly arbitrary and capricious (coverage of the meeting here). Ironically, the Alderwomen’s response probably stemmed from a similar impression of the CTA and University’s actions which she saw as going around the the democratic process.

At the Community meeting yesterday people spoke about the need for more public transportation in Hyde Park and the concern that four parking spaces were worth more than 500 riders. Students spoke about the
vital link the stop provided to the Shoreland and Broadview. The Alderwomen, hearing the response from her constituents, agreed to keep the 171. Hooray!