Riders urged to allow more travel time, expect crowded trains; CTA to offer extensive alternative service during 9-day closure
With the first of two nine-day closures of the CTA train tracks over the Wells Street bridge starting this weekend, the transit agency is reminding customers to plan ahead to ensure a timely commute.
The first closure begins at 10 p.m. Friday, March 1, and runs through early Monday, March 11, and will significantly impact thousands of train riders, particularly during the weekday rush hours, CTA officials said.
During the project, the CTA strongly encourages customers to plan ahead for longer commutes by leaving earlier, changing travel patterns or considering alternative service. Rail passengers will have multiple options to get to their destinations.
The CTA has crafted a comprehensive alternative service plan incorporating some rerouted trains, free shuttle buses, added bus service and a Loop shuttle train to alleviate some of the temporary inconveniences for both weekday and weekend riders.
In addition to work on the bridge itself, CTA will rebuild the tracks above the intersection of Lake and Wells Streets, known as Tower 18, and replace tracks in the curves at Hubbard and Kinzie, just north of the Merchandise Mart. A second nine-day closure will occur in late April.
To help customers plan for the project impacts, earlier this month the CTA launched an extensive customer-information campaign that includes station posters and signs, informational fliers, platform announcements, digital messages and other efforts. CTA staff at rail stations are handing out information and answering customer questions.
CTA is performing its work in conjunction with the Chicago Department of Transportation’s reconstruction of the 90-year-old Wells Street Bridge. Performing the CTA work simultaneous to the bridge reconstruction will shorten the CTA project by eight days, and combining the work will save taxpayers $500,000 in construction coordination costs for CDOT and CTA.
An overview of the weekday and weekend service changes:
WEEKDAY SERVICE: March 4-8
AM/PM Rush Period Service (6 to 10 a.m. and 2 to 7 p.m.):
Purple Line Express: There will be no Purple Line Express service to the Loop for the weekday periods of March 4-8. Purple Line trains will terminate at the Howard Station. Customers can transfer to Red Line trains at Howard or should consider alternative transportation.
Brown Line:
- Two of every three southbound trains will travel through the Red Line State Street subway (starting south of Fullerton), with Brown Line service terminating at Roosevelt.
- One of every three southbound trains will terminate service at the Merchandise Mart.
"Brown Line Shuttle" Bus (free): customers who wish to connect with other Loop trains to continue their trip can exit at the Chicago Avenue station and take a bus shuttle to the Merchandise Mart (at LaSalle/Kinzie), Clark/Lake (at LaSalle/Lake) and Washington/Wells stations. Will operate from approximately 4:30 a.m. to end of service (approximately 1:30 a.m.).
Loop Shuttle Train (free transfer): will operate around the Loop to assist Brown Line customers who exit another train in the Loop. The Loop Shuttle will operate from approximately 4:30 a.m. to end of service (approximately 1:30 a.m.).
Bus Service Alternative (South of Fullerton): to assist Brown Line passengers on the southern portion of route and Red Line customers at the North/Clybourn station, CTA will add temporary weekday bus service to the peak travel direction during the AM and PM rush periods along the #37 Sedgwick route (normal bus fares will apply).
- Some of this additional service will be put in as a temporary deviation to the route with service starting at the Armitage Brown Line station (via “#37A Sedgwick/Armitage” buses) and then connect to North/Clybourn Red Line Station and resume the regular #37 route at North/Sedgwick and will make all posted stops south of North Avenue. The #37 extends south into the Loop to the Clinton Blue Line stop.
- Additional service will also be added to the #37 Sedgwick route starting/ending at Fullerton.
Added Bus Service: additional service will be added to other existing bus routes: #22 Clark AM/PM rush; #146 Inner Drive/Michigan Express and #147 Outer Drive Express PM rush only.
AM Rush LaSalle Bus-only Lane: To ease the flow of additional buses on LaSalle during the weekday morning rush hours, the far west lane of southbound LaSalle between Chicago and Kinzie will be used by buses only. Right turns from LaSalle onto Wacker Drive will also be prohibited. Southbound auto traffic will be encouraged to use Clark and State.
Weekday Non-Rush Period Service (4:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.):
Brown Line: Service will be reduced and trains will operate every 10-12 minutes with 8-car trains operating to Merchandise Mart only. No Brown Line trains will operate in the subway.
"Brown Line Shuttle" Bus (free): customers who wish to connect with other Loop trains to continue their trip can exit at the Chicago Avenue station and take a bus shuttle to the Merchandise Mart (at LaSalle/Kinzie), Clark/Lake (at LaSalle/Lake) and Washington/Wells stations. Will operate from approximately 4:30 a.m. to end of service (approximately 1:30 a.m.).
Loop Shuttle Train (free transfer): will operate around the Loop to assist Brown Line customers who exit another train in the Loop. Will operate from approximately 4:30 a.m. to end of service (approximately 1:30 a.m.).
Red Line: Additional off-peak service will be added.
Late Evening Service (after 10 p.m.):
Brown Line: After 10 p.m., southbound Brown Line trains will only operate to the Chicago/Franklin station. Shuttle buses will operate to the Loop.
"Brown Line Shuttle" Bus (free): customers who wish to connect with other Loop trains to continue their trip can exit at the Chicago Avenue station and take a bus shuttle to the Merchandise Mart (at LaSalle/Kinzie), Clark/Lake (at LaSalle/Lake) and Washington/Wells stations. Will operate from approximately 4:30 a.m. to end of service (approximately 1:30 a.m.).
WEEKEND SERVICE: March 2-3; March 9-10; April 27-28; May 4-5
Brown Line: service will terminate at Chicago/Franklin.
Green/Pink Line: service from the west will terminate at Clinton/Lake.
Orange Line: service will terminate at Washington/Wells (trains will travel on Van Buren and Wells sides of the Loop only).
Green Line (63rd/Cottage/Ashland): trains from the south will terminate at Adams/Wabash and a shuttle train will provide service to Clark/Lake.
Blue Line: service will be unaffected.
Red Line: will operate normally with additional service to accommodate anticipated higher passenger counts.
"'L' Shuttle" Bus (free): a weekend bus shuttle will operate between the following stations: Chicago/Franklin, Merchandise Mart (at LaSalle/Kinzie), Clark/Lake (at LaSalle/Lake), Washington/Wells and Clinton/Lake. Will operate from approximately 4:30 a.m. to end of service (approximately 1:30 a.m.).
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More Information:
For additional service information or to download maps and flyers, visit: http://www.transitchicago.com/wellsbridge/