CTA Provides Convenient Travel Option to Taste of Chicago

Extra Bus and Rail Service Available for Customers Heading to Grant Park

Taking public transportation is the most convenient travel option to the 2007 Taste of Chicago and CTA will provide extra bus and rail service to accommodate the crowds expected to attend the festival in Grant Park beginning Friday, June 29 through Sunday, July 8. Longer trains will operate into the Loop until late every night, and extra buses will be available toward the close of each evening's activities.

On Tuesday evening, July 3 and Wednesday evening, July 4, more extensive service will be available for spectators going to Grant Park or Navy Pier for the fireworks displays. 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.

• Additional CTA personnel will be on duty at Loop rail stations to help customers and to provide travel information.

• A mobile CTA sales facility will be set up on Jackson just east of Michigan to allow customers to purchase fare media. Visitor Pass vending machines accept credit cards, in addition to cash, and will offer 1, 2 and 3-Day Visitor Passes and 7-Day Passes. You must have cash to buy Transit Cards or add value to Transit Cards or Chicago Cards.

Rail Service - Blue/Brown/Green/Orange/Pink/Red Lines

• Longer trains will operate on all six of these lines each evening until approximately 10:30 p.m. from downtown daily.

Purple Line (connections at Howard with Red Line trains serving downtown)

• Longer Purple Line trains will run until midnight from Howard to Linden daily.

Yellow Line (connections at Howard with Red Line trains serving downtown)

• Trains will operate later than usual on weekdays, with the last train leaving Howard at 12:05 a.m.

• Special service also will operate on Saturday, June 30; Sunday, July 1; Wednesday, July 4; Saturday, July 7; and Sunday, July 8 starting at 9 a.m. from Skokie and continuing until 12:05 a.m. from Howard. (See special July 3 service below.)

Park & Ride Facilities

• Parking is available for approximately 6,800 cars at facilities adjacent to 18 CTA rail stations, mainly at terminals, throughout the CTA system. Rates are $3 at Rosemont and Forest Park and $2 at all other locations. Park & Ride locations are listed on CTA's system map and on the CTA web site, www.transitchicago.com. Customers also may obtain information on Park & Ride facilities by calling 836-7000 from any local area code.

Bus Service
As Taste activities wind down each evening, extra buses will await customers for trips out of the downtown area at the following locations:

• #3 King Drive and #4 Cottage Grove buses can be boarded at regular stops southbound on Michigan starting at Washington.

• #6 Jackson Park Express buses can be boarded at all regular stops southbound on State starting at Lake.

• #20 Madison, #56 Milwaukee and #60 Blue Island/26th buses can be boarded at regular stops westbound on Madison starting at State.

• #126 Jackson buses can be boarded at regular stops westbound on Adams starting at State.

• #151 Sheridan buses can be boarded at regular stops northbound on State starting at Adams.

Blue Line

• Longer trains and more frequent service between O'Hare and Forest Park.

*Note: Customers who travel into the Loop on a 54th/Cermak branch train must board a Pink Line train on the Loop elevated for their trip out of the downtown area after the fireworks.

Pink Line

• Longer trains and more frequent service between 54th/Cermak and the Loop.

Red Line

• Longer trains and more frequent service between 95th and Howard.

Green Line

• Longer trains and more frequent service between Harlem, East 63rd and Ashland/63rd.

Brown Line

• Longer trains, more frequent service and extended hours until 1:30 a.m. from the Loop to Kimball.

Orange Line

• Longer trains and more frequent service between Midway and the Loop.

Yellow Line (connections at Howard with Red Line trains serving downtown)

• More frequent service and extended hours until 2 a.m. from Howard.

Purple Line (connections at Howard with Red Line trains serving downtown)

• Longer trains, more frequent service and extended hours until 2 a.m. from Howard to Linden.

Bus Service

• State Street will be closed between Congress and Kinzie, and Michigan will be closed between Roosevelt and Wacker at approximately 6 p.m.

• Northbound Lake Shore Drive will be closed at Roosevelt from 6 p.m. to midnight.

• The following bus routes will be affected: #3 King Drive, #4 Cottage Grove, #6 Jackson Park Express, #12 Roosevelt, #14 Jeffery Express, #20 Madison, #29 State, #36 Broadway, #56 Milwaukee, #60 Blue Island/26th, #62 Archer, #66 Chicago, #124 Navy Pier, #126 Jackson, #146 Inner Drive/Michigan Express, #147 Outer Drive Express and #151 Sheridan.

• The following rush period buses will be rerouted to adjacent streets: #1 Indiana/ Hyde Park, #2 Hyde Park Express, #X3 King Drive Express, #X4 Cottage Grove Express, #7 Harrison, #10 Museum of Science & Industry, #X20 Washington/ Madison Express, #26 South Shore Express, #X28 Stony Island Express, #127 Madison/Roosevelt Circulator, #143 Stockton/Michigan Express, #144 Marine/ Michigan Express, #145 Wilson/Michigan Express, #148 Clarendon/Michigan Express and #157 Streeterville.

South Side Bus Service

• South Side buses that normally operate on State or Michigan in the downtown area will be rerouted southbound on Clark to Roosevelt: #1 Indiana/ Hyde Park, #2 Hyde Park Express, #3 King Drive, #X3 King Drive Express, #4 Cottage Grove, #X4 Cottage Grove Express, #6 Jackson Park Express, #14 Jeffery Express, #26 South Shore Express, #X28 Stony Island Express, #29 State and #62 Archer

• Other southbound buses that normally operate in the downtown area also will be rerouted on Clark: #36 Broadway, #127 Madison/Roosevelt Circulator, #145 Wilson/Michigan Express, #146 Inner Drive/Michigan Express, #147 Outer Drive Express and #151 Sheridan.

• The southbound #22 Clark and #24 Wentworth will continue to operate on Clark over the regular routes.

North Side Bus Service

• North of the Loop, the following north side bus routes, #3 King Drive, #10 Museum of Science & Industry, #143 Stockton/Michigan Express, #144 Marine/ Michigan Express, #145 Wilson/Michigan Express, #146 Inner Drive/Michigan Express, #147 Outer Drive Express, #148 Clarendon/Michigan Express and #157 Streeterville, will be rerouted on Dearborn to Ohio where they will return to Michigan Avenue, then resume their regular routes. Southbound #3 King Drive, #X3 King Drive Express, #X4 Cottage Grove Express, #26 South Shore Express, #145 Wilson/Michigan Express, #146 Inner Drive/Michigan Express, #147 Outer Drive Express, #151 Sheridan and #157 Streeterville buses will operate on Ontario and Clark.

• Other northbound buses that normally operate on State or Michigan in the downtown area will be rerouted on Dearborn: #1 Indiana/ Hyde Park, #2 Hyde Park Express, #4 Cottage Grove, #6 Jackson Park Express, #29 State, #127 Madison/Roosevelt Circulator and #157 Streeterville.

• Northbound #151 Sheridan buses will operate via Jackson, Wacker, Dearborn, Ohio and Michigan.

• The northbound #22 Clark, #24 Wentworth, #36 Broadway and #62 Archer will continue to operate on Dearborn over their regular route.

• #124 Navy Pier buses will operate southbound on LaSalle from Grand to Madison and northbound on Dearborn from Wacker to Illinois. Due to the Michigan Avenue closure, #124 buses will not serve the Millennium Park Metra station (formerly Randolph Street).

  Instead, customers traveling from the station to Navy Pier can board #29 State buses at Dearborn and Lake. From Navy Pier, customers can take the #29 to Clark and Randolph.

• Eastbound #65 Grand buses will have extended service hours on July 3 until 8:15 p.m. from Grand and Nordica to Navy Pier.

West Side Bus Service

• Eastbound #20 Madison, #56 Milwaukee and #60 Blue Island/26th buses will operate from Washington to South Wacker, then travel south to Monroe to Franklin and to Madison only. Westbound buses will operate on Madison from Franklin. Eastbound #7 and #126 buses will operate on Jackson to Franklin only, and westbound on Adams from Wacker.

Museum Campus

• Bus service to the Museum Campus will end at 6 p.m. for the #12 Roosevelt and #146 Inner Drive/Michigan Express routes. After 6 p.m., #12 buses will operate only as far east as State. Southbound #146 buses will operate to Clark and Polk.

Navy Pier

• Extra buses will be provided on the four routes that regularly serve Navy Pier: #29 State, #65 Grand, #66 Chicago and #124 Navy Pier. Additionally, service will operate until 1 a.m. on the #66 routes from Navy Pier.

Extra service will be provided after the fireworks. In many cases, boarding locations will be different than regular weekday service.

Southbound Bus Service

• Board #3 King Drive and #4 Cottage Grove buses on Clark at Van Buren.

• Board #6 Jackson Park Express and #14 Jeffery Express buses on Clark at Jackson.

• Customers at Navy Pier can board #29 State buses back into the Loop immediately in front of the west entrance to Navy Pier. #29 buses will return to the Loop via Grand to Clark. Customers already in the Loop may board #29 buses on Clark at Adams. #29 buses also will provide connections with the LaSalle Street Metra station (one block west from Clark and Van Buren) and the Millennium Park Metra station (four blocks east from Clark and Randolph).

• Board #62 Archer buses on Clark at Adams.

Northbound Bus Service

• Board #22 Clark and #36 Broadway buses on Dearborn at Jackson and at all other regular stops on Dearborn.

• Board #146 Inner Drive/Michigan Express, #147 Outer Drive Express and #151 Sheridan buses on Dearborn at Jackson.

  These routes will serve all stops on Dearborn from Jackson to Grand, before operating east on Ohio to Michigan where they will resume their regular routes making all regular stops on Michigan starting at Ontario.

Westbound Bus Service

• Board #20 Madison buses on Madison at State.

• Board #56 Milwaukee buses on Madison at Clark.

• Board #60 Blue Island/26th buses on Madison at Wells.

• Board #126 Jackson buses on Adams at Clark.

From Navy Pier

• #124 Navy Pier buses will operate from Navy Pier to Union Station and the Ogilvie Transportation Center. The last buses will leave Navy Pier at midnight. Customers can board on Grand, west of Streeter, one block west of the Navy Pier bus terminal.

  Due to the closure of Michigan Avenue, #124 buses will not serve the Millennium Park Metra station. Navy Pier customers traveling to the Millennium Park station may take the #29 and exit the bus at Clark and Randolph then walk four blocks east. Metra customers are advised to check the schedule of the last Metra train to allow enough time for connections.

• #66 Chicago buses will operate until 1 a.m. from Navy Pier.

• #65 buses will operate later eastbound service until
  8:15 p.m. from Grand and Nordica and will leave Navy Pier to Grand and Nordica after the fireworks until 1 a.m.

Museum Campus

• After the fireworks, customers can board the #12 at Roosevelt and State and the #146 on Dearborn at Jackson.

Bus Service

• Additional bus service will be provided on the following routes: #3 King Drive, #4 Cottage Grove, #6 Jackson Park Express, #12 Roosevelt, #20 Madison, #56 Milwaukee, #60 Blue Island/26th and #151 Sheridan.

• CTA also will operate additional bus service on the four routes that serve Navy Pier for spectators attending the fireworks display: #29 State, #65 Grand, #66 Chicago and #124 Navy Pier.

• Later service on the #65 Grand will operate eastbound to Navy Pier from Grand and Nordica until 8:15 p.m. From Navy Pier following the fireworks, service will operate westbound until 11 p.m.

Rail Service
More service and longer trains will operate on all CTA rail lines.

• Special Yellow Line service with connections at Howard to Red Line trains serving downtown will operate starting at 9 a.m. from Skokie and continuing until 12:05 a.m. from Howard.

Bus customers who use CTA fare media pay $1.75 to ride and may transfer for a 25 cent fee. Rail customers who use Chicago Card or Chicago Card Plus pay $1.75 and transfers are an additional 25 cents. For rail customers who use a magnetic strip transit card, or for customers who pay cash on either the bus or rail system, the fare is $2. Transfers are not available for customers paying fares in cash.

For details about all CTA service call 836-7000 (all local area codes) or visit the CTA web site at www.transitchicago.com to use the travel planner feature.