It's not very easy to reach Kirk's office

Got an appointment with Congressman Mark Kirk's staff? As I discovered, the journey can be a pain without a car. The public has access to the barest minimum of public transportation to Mark Kirk's office at 707 Skokie Boulevard.

Set deep within Northbrook's corporate structures, in a district where rail service forms the all-important spine, the office's nearest three stations are Northbrook, 2 miles away, Braeside, 1.5 miles, and Ravinia Park, 1.5 miles.

A single bus route, Pace 626, runs on Skokie Boulevard during restricted hours. Northbound is limited to 5:40 to 9:25 a.m.; southbound to 2:45 to 6:45 p.m. Neither north or southbound routes pick up passengers at any of the three train stations.

To confirm this, I called Mark Kirk's office. An assistant, inquiring internally, could not find any staff member who knew the hours of public transportation by train, bus, or any combination, to Mr. Kirk's office. She advised to check the Pace Web site.

When I arrived (by borrowed car) for my appointment, I found no public sidewalk leads to the building where Mark Kirk represents us.

Mr. Kirk, eschewing numerous friendly village centers that populate the North Shore, has located his office in a steel and glass tower in a corporate parking lot.

This tower borders, along with six other corporate islands, a major highway. The lot is surrounded by a spaghetti bowl of six-lane, five-lane, four-lane, and two-lane highways on all four sides.

Facing the highway sits a large corporate sign. Absent on its impressive sides are both "District 10" and "Congressman Mark Kirk."

Non-existent is any nearby town infrastructure such as restaurants or coffee shops which might draw the inquiring citizen. Getting a congressman's attention can be problematic in the 10th District. It's more difficult if its headquarters is invisible.

Paul Wolf

Wilmette