The Chicago Transit Authority encourages visitors attending the 2011 Taste of Chicago at Grant Park to take public transportation to the annual food festival. Convenient and affordable service is available for the event held from Friday, June 24 through Sunday, July 3.
Extensive bus and rail service will be available to accommodate the crowds expected to attend the festival. Longer trains will operate into the Loop until late night on Taste weekends and extra buses will be available toward the close of each evening’s activities.
For details about all CTA service call 312-836-7000 or visit the CTA website at
www.transitchicago.com to use the travel planner feature.
Fares & Fare Media
To speed travel and reduce lines, customers are encouraged to buy farecards in advance with sufficient value or to add enough value to their existing farecards (either the Chicago Card or magnetic strip Transit Card) for their return trips later in the day.
Bus customers who use CTA fare media pay $2.00. For rail customers or customers who pay cash on the bus, the fare is $2.25. Customers who use magnetic strip cards or other CTA fare media may transfer for a 25 cent fee. Transfers are not available for customers paying fares in cash.
A CTA sales tent will be set up on Jackson just west of Columbus Drive to allow customers to purchase fare media. Vending machines will offer: 3-Day Visitor Passes, 7-Day Passes and CTA/Pace 7-day passes. Customers also can purchase or add value to transit cards or Chicago Cards at vending machines or use credit cards at Express Vending Machines.
Rail Service - Taste of Chicago
Blue Line: during the week and on June 25-26, longer Blue Line trains will operate from downtown until 10:30 p.m. On July 3, longer trains will operate from downtown until 9 p.m.
Brown Line: on weekdays, longer Brown Line trains will operate from the evening rush period until 10:30 p.m. each night. On June 25-26, longer trains will operate to the Loop from 9 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. On July 3, longer trains will operate from downtown until 9 p.m.
Green Line: on weekdays, longer trains will operate from the evening rush period until approximately 10:30 p.m. each night. On June 25-26, longer trains will operate to the Loop from late-afternoon until 10:30 p.m. with the exception of Sunday, July 3, when longer trains will operate all day until approximately 9 p.m.
Orange Line: longer trains will operate on weekdays from the evening rush period until 10:30 p.m. each night. On June 25-26, longer trains will operate to the Loop all day and evening until 10:30 p.m. On Sunday, July 3, longer trains will operate until approximately 9 p.m.
Pink Line: longer trains will continue to operate on weekdays and June 25-26 in the evening until 10:30 p.m. On Sunday, July 3, longer trains will operate from late afternoon until approximately 9 p.m.
Red Line: longer trains will operate all day throughout the week and on June 25-26 until approximately 10:30 p.m. from downtown. On Sunday, July 3, longer trains will be provided until 9 p.m.
Purple Line (connections at Howard with Red Line trains serving downtown): normal Purple Line service will be in effect on weekdays and June 25-26. On July 3, longer trains will operate from approximately 8 p.m. until 9 p.m. from Howard.
Yellow Line (connections at Howard with Red Line trains serving downtown):
normal Yellow Line service will be in effect throughout the week, on June 25-26 and
July 3.
Park & Ride Facilities
Parking is available for approximately 6,000 cars at facilities adjacent to 17 CTA rail stations, mainly at terminals, throughout the CTA system. Park & Ride locations are listed on CTA’s system map and on the CTA website,
http://www.transitchicago.com/parking/.
Customers also may obtain information on Park & Ride facilities by calling 312-836-7000.
Street Closures
Currently in effect until 3 p.m. Monday, July 4, the following streets are closed to all traffic:
- Columbus Drive between Roosevelt and Monroe
- Monroe Drive between Michigan and Lake Shore Drive
- Jackson Drive between Michigan and Lake Shore Drive
- Congress Drive between Michigan and Columbus
- Balbo Drive between Michigan and Lake Shore Drive
As a result of these street closures, six CTA bus routes are currently being rerouted to adjacent streets.
Bus Service – Taste of Chicago
As Taste activities wind down each evening, additional service will be available for trips out of the downtown area at the following locations:
- #3 King Drive, #4 Cottage Grove buses can be boarded at all regular stops southbound on Michigan starting mid-block between Lake and Randolph.
- #6 Jackson Park Express and #29 State buses can be boarded at all regular stops southbound on State starting at Lake.
- #20 Madison and #56 Milwaukee buses can be boarded at regular stops westbound from State.
- #151 Sheridan buses can be boarded at regular stops northbound on State starting at Adams.
- Additional service on the #126 Jackson will be provided only on weekends during the Taste.
Service on Saturday, July 2 and Monday, July 4
NOTE: CTA buses and trains will operate on a Sunday/holiday schedule on Monday, July 4.
IMPORTANT: Due to the anticipated increase in ridership, bicycles are not allowed on CTA trains on July 2 and 4. In addition, as a courtesy to other customers, strollers and carts must be folded on CTA buses and trains.
Service for Navy Pier Fireworks Display
Additional bus service will be provided and longer trains will operate for customers heading to and from the Navy Pier fireworks displays.
Rail Service
On Saturday, July 2 - longer trains will operate on all CTA rail lines and hours of service will be extended on the Yellow Line until approximately 1 a.m.
On Monday, July 4 - longer trains will operate from late afternoon until the end of service on the Green, Orange, Purple and Pink Lines. Longer trains will operate on the Blue and Red lines until approximately midnight. The Yellow Line will operate until approximately midnight.
Bus Service
CTA bus routes in the vicinity of Navy Pier and the lakefront will undergo reroutes so customers are advised to allow extra travel time.
Following the fireworks, CTA customers at Navy Pier will be directed to buses awaiting them at the circular drive at the Pier. Having a dedicated space for buses will help CTA to board customers quickly and help mitigate congestion.
The following routes that regularly serve Navy Pier will provide extra service on both July 2 and July 4 for one hour after fireworks end or as crowds warrant: #29 State, #65 Grand, #66 Chicago, #124 Navy Pier. Regular service hours will be in effect along these routes on July 2 and on a Sunday schedule on July 4.
Additional bus service also will be provided on the following routes: #3 King Drive, #4 Cottage Grove, #6 Jackson Park Express, #12 Roosevelt, #20 Madison, #22 Clark, #56 Milwaukee, #60 Blue Island/26th , #126 Jackson, #146 Inner Drive/Michigan Express, #147 Outer Drive Express and #151 Sheridan.
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