New faster, more convenient service is first of its kind for Chicago
Customers today got a jump on their Monday commute on the Chicago Transit Authority’s newly launched bus service, the “Jeffery Jump.”
Customers who have used the #X14 Jeffery Express to commute were able to experience for the first time the Jeffery Jump, which operates along Jeffery Boulevard between 103rd & Stony Island and Jefferson and Washington streets downtown. The Jeffery Jump is unique among bus service in Chicago because Jump buses travel along the first dedicated bus-only traffic lanes ever in Chicago during morning and evening rush hour periods, among other new features the Jump service will offer.
“The Jeffery Jump is a significant first step in offering faster, more reliable bus service for our passengers, shaving as much as 14 minutes off of a round-trip commute and for the same fare price as our traditional bus service,” said CTA President Forrest Claypool. “The Jump will also serve the important purpose of testing elements of Bus Rapid Transit, which we are currently studying with the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) for Western and Ashland avenues in our goal to expand faster, more efficient bus service in Chicago.”
Customers today were able to see the first of many features that are unique to the Jeffery Jump service, including distinctive blue, branded bus wraps and the dedicated curbside bus lanes between 67th and 83rd streets. The Jeffery Jump will have half-mile spacing between most bus stops rather than the traditional quarter mile spacing to increase the buses’ ability to move passengers more quickly to their destinations. Local stops will continue to be served by the #15 Jeffery Local bus.
CTA has been working with CDOT to create the dedicated bus lanes and construct two showcase stations at the corner of 71st and Jeffery, which customers were able to utilize today, and 100th & Paxton, which will be completed by the first quarter of 2013. The enhanced bus stations will provide improved protection from the weather, more seating, unique sidewalk and crosswalk surfaces and eventually bus tracker signs.
In 2013, CTA will introduce additional elements such as transit signal priority and queue jumps.
Traffic signal priority equipment will be installed in traffic signals between 71st and 83rd streets to extend green lights for buses. A queue jump or bypass lane will help Jump buses advance
through the intersection of Jeffery and Anthony, where traffic bottlenecks can occur. Jump buses will also be outfitted with on-board Bus Tracker with LED display screens.
This exciting new service is an important step towards developing full-scale Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), which is currently being studied for Western and Ashland Avenues and the Central Loop. Several alternatives were presented to the public via community meetings last month. After comments and feedback is evaluated, CTA and CDOT will announce a locally preferred option.
Jeffery Jump is a premium service at the same regular rate of $2.25 per fare. The Jeffery Jump service is funded with an $11 million Federal Transit Administration grant.
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