Community leaders and dozens of senior citizens appeared at the annual Chicago Transit Authority budget hearing at the CTA Headquarters, 567 W. Lake St., on Nov. 10 to express their unhappiness with the partial elimination of the original No. 11 bus route.

Citizens and Alderman Ameya Pawar (47th Ward) went to the budget hearing wearing matching yellow T-shirts displaying the phrase “Bring Back 11 Bus.” Several public officials such as Illinois General Assembly Rep. Greg Harris and Alderman Michelle Harris (8th Ward) also attended.

The No. 11 bus route, which travels between Skokie and the Western Brown Line stop, was partially eliminated in 2012 along the stretch of Lincoln Avenue between the Western Brown Line Station and the Fullerton station.

According to the CTA’s 2015–2016 budget, released Nov. 19, there are no current plans or funds to reinstate the portion of the bus route that was eliminated.

Forrest Claypool, president of the CTA, did not acknowledge the No. 11 bus route at the hearing. He primarily spoke about the CTA’s ability to maintain steady rates of service fares.

“After inheriting a $308 million deficit in 2011 when Mayor [Rahm] Emanuel came to office, this is our fourth consecutive balanced budget with no capital transfer, no increase in the $2 bus fare, $2.25 rail fare and no diminution in the service levels including increases this year on five of our eight rail lines,” Claypool said at the meeting. “It is a balanced budget and it also continues the unprecedented billion-dollar modernization program.”

Residents affected by the elimination of some of the No. 11 bus’ stops had the chance to discuss the inconvenience within three-minute time slots. Many of the attendees called the bus route a “lifeline” and a “necessity.”

Pawar brought letters of support for the reinstatement of the original bus route from the Northcenter, Lincoln Park and Lakeview West chambers of commerce, as well as other community organizations. He also brought 2,500 responses from neighborhood residents, 80 percent of which were in favor of reinstating the bus’ original service. He said he brought the documents  to prove how much the hearing to the residents of his ward were affected by the reduction in bus service.

“I know in the aggregate you can say that Brown Line ridership has gone up,” Pawar said. “What the numbers don’t tell you are the people who don’t use the system, the people who can’t get around and the people whose lives have become more difficult as a result of eliminating [part of the bus route].”

Charles Paidock, president of Citizens Taking Action, an organization focused on fixing CTA related problems, also advocated for the elimination of  the No. 11 bus. He said over the course of the year, the CTA lost 13 million individual rides.

“During the past five years, CTA has eliminated 28 routes, seven routes were shortened and 62 have reduced hours of service,” he said.

Alan Mallach, a Lincoln Park community activist, suggested collaborating with other sources to fund the reopening of the bus stops that are currently closed.

“Work with Mayor Emanuel’s Economic Development Bureau and the Senior Services–Area Agency on Aging Department to find funding to reinstate the No. 11 Lincoln Avenue bus,” Mallach said. “This will greatly assist businesses along Lincoln Avenue while increasing sales tax and property tax revenue to the city. [It] will help senior citizens trying to get to doctors appointments and grocery stores, especially in the winter.”

Harris said at the hearing that the CTA has made great strides toward balancing its budget and restoring its physical infrastructure, and he said the improvements are appreciated. However, he said the CTA has to be an efficient and accessible service for its riders.

“Eliminating the No. 11 bus is showing it has profound consequences, particularly on senior citizens and persons with disabilities,” Harris said. “For someone who is frail, for someone who may have trouble with mobility and someone who is old, in this biting wind, this is really very tough.”