The Chicago Transit Board today approved a series of bus and rail service modifications. These changes in service will benefit customers by providing additional choices, improved travel times and better connections to CTA bus and rail lines and businesses.
In March 2008, the CTA introduced experimental service changes including the addition of weekend Yellow Line service and the extension of weekday service hours along the #43 43rd Street bus route. These changes have had a positive impact on ridership with the Yellow Line averaging 1,866 and 1,336 daily rides on Saturdays and Sundays respectively, and the #43 route seeing a 28 percent increase in average weekday rides.
As a result of today’s board action, both will be made permanent. In addition, enhancements will be tested on eight other routes and one route will be considered for elimination.
Permanent Service Changes
Yellow Line Weekend Service
Weekend service along the Yellow Line becomes permanent effective immediately. Yellow Line trains will continue to operate on Saturdays and Sundays from 6:10 a.m. to 11:15 p.m. at 15-minute intervals.
#43 43rd Extended Service Hours
Also effective immediately, service along the #43 43rd route will continue to be available until midnight on weeknights, with service intervals every 20 minutes. The #43 connects the residential area along 43rd Street with the 47th Street Red Line station and the #3 King Drive and #4 Cottage Grove bus routes.
Experimental Service Changes
The following experimental service changes will be made to eight CTA bus routes for at least 180 days. All changes in service will go into effect Sunday, September 6, unless otherwise noted.
Operating these modifications on an experimental basis allows CTA to make adjustments to service based on customer feedback and analysis before requesting additional action by the Board.
#18 16th/18th
On weekdays, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., #18 16th/18th buses will begin offering midday service. Eastbound and westbound #18 buses will continue to serve the existing route along 16th and 18th streets between the Roosevelt Red/Orange/Green Line station and Cicero Avenue. Buses currently operate on weekends and during the morning and evening rush periods on weekdays.
The addition of midday service will make public transportation a convenient option for customers by improving connections between other CTA bus routes and the rail system throughout the day.
#53A South Pulaski
To improve access to work and retail locations, weekend service hours along the #53A Pulaski route will be extended from approximately 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. – matching weekday service hours to 111th/Pulaski. In addition, the frequency of service between 31st Street/Komensky and Pulaski/111th Street will increase to every 15-20 minutes on weekends.
#55A 55th/Austin and #55N 55th/Narragansett**
Due to overlapping service on more than half of the combined length of the two routes, the #55A 55th/Austin and #55N 55th/Narragansett routes will be combined into one route. The new #55W West 55th route will operate as far south as 59th Street, which will improve service by avoiding two disruptive railroad crossings. In addition, the new #55W route will provide peak and midday service along Austin Avenue Monday through Saturday.
**THIS SERVICE CHANGE HAS BEEN POSTPONED
#67 67th/69th/71st
The #67 67th/69th/71st route will be extended to the Ford City Mall from its current terminal at 71st Street/Pulaski. The extension of the route will create connections with other bus routes along Cicero Avenue and provide additional access to Midway Airport and Richard M. Daley Community College.
#130 Grant Park Treasures to Change to #130 Museum Campus
Effective, Sunday, June 14, the #130 Grant Park Treasures route name will be changed to #130 Museum Campus. In addition, summer seasonal weekday service will be added to the route beginning the next day.
Buses operating along #130 route will continue to provide service between the Ogilvie Transportation Center/Union Station to the Museum Campus, but will operate along State Street, instead of Michigan, between Adams and Roosevelt, and also will operate along Lake Street, instead of Madison, between Canal and Jefferson. These changes in routing will provide a connection to and from the Roosevelt Red/Orange/Green Line station and the Museum Campus – supplementing existing #146 Inner Drive/Michigan Express bus service to the Museum Campus.
#157 Streeterville and #38 Ogden/Taylor
The #157 Streeterville and #38 Ogden/Taylor routes will be combined into the new #157 Streeterville/Taylor route to reduce overlapping service in the West Loop area and improve connections between the north and west sides.
Customers traveling from the west side will be able to take a direct route to the Loop, Streeterville area and Northwestern Hospital. For customers traveling from the north, this change in service will provide improved connections to the west side including, the Illinois Medical District and the University of Illinois at Chicago.
During the experimental period, customers can provide their comments to the CTA regarding the service via e-mail to
feedback@transitchicago.com or by calling 1-888-YOUR-CTA (1-888-968-7282), weekdays between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Proposed Service Elimination
The #200 Main Shuttle route is being considered for elimination due to low ridership. Following the relocation of the Rand McNally corporate headquarters in January, ridership along the route has declined to fewer than 100 rides per day.
A public hearing will be held this summer to solicit customer comments and feedback regarding the possible elimination of the #200 route. Details of the public hearing will be made available within the coming weeks.
Results from the public hearing and a recommendation for action will be presented to the Chicago Transit Board at a future board meeting.
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