11/27/02
During the holiday season, November 30 - December 22, the CTA is adding weekend service and extended hours on several bus routes and on the Yellow Line, which normally operates only on weekdays. The targeted routes serve major retail centers, downtown attractions or operate from Union Station and Ogilvie Transportation Center.
The CTA will also provide longer midday trains on the Blue and Brown Lines through the holidays to accommodate heavier ridership.
"Major retailers have extended business hours between Thanksgiving and Christmas, which translates to an additional need for transportation for workers and shoppers alike," said CTA President Frank Kruesi. "While the holiday season is key to a successful year for most retail outlets, restaurants, museums and other attractions also benefit from the added customer traffic."
According to a study commissioned by the CTA and conducted by Cambridge Systematics, Inc. examining the financial impact of transit ridership in the Chicago central area, CTA customers spend $1.5 billion annually in the Loop and North Michigan Avenue shopping areas, which contributes to the economic vitality of the region. This represents 35 - 40 percent of all consumer expenditures in the Chicago central area.
"The study also shows that many customers choose the CTA as their preferred mode of transit to the downtown area. Three out of four CTA customers traveling to downtown said that the CTA is their first choice for shopping in the Loop and North Michigan Avenue," said Transit Board Chairman Valerie B. Jarrett. "From business, to tourism, to educational institutions and recreation ? the CTA is succeeding in its effort to be the transit option of choice."
To help customers reach shopping and other activities that contribute to the region's economy, the CTA is adding weekend service on four bus routes and on the Skokie Swift Yellow Line. These routes don?t normally operate on Saturdays and Sundays.
Beginning this Saturday, November 30th, and continuing through December 22, service will be extended on 18 other bus routes throughout CTA's service area to accommodate businesses that stay open longer and serve the employees who work there.
"The year-end holidays provide a variety of opportunities for family outings that bring people to museums, restaurants and theaters from homes throughout the city and suburbs," added Kruesi. " What helps make these activities more enjoyable to citizens from every walk of life is convenient public transportation. The CTA makes it easy to participate in the holiday excitement."
CTA Holiday Service Information
Routes with added weekend service:
Route Days Hours Frequency
#14 South Lake Shore Express Sat/Sun 10am-10pm 15 minutes
#125 Water Tower Express Sat/Sun 10am-10pm 15 minutes
#130 Grant Park Treasures Saturdays 9:35am-6pm 15 minutes
Sundays 10:35am-6pm 15 minutes
#147 Outer Drive Express Sundays 10am-10pm 15 minutes
Yellow Line Sat/Sun 10am-11pm 10-15 minutes
Routes with extra service on weekends:
Route and area where extra service will operate Days Hours
#3 King Drive(Congress to Chicago) Sat/Sun 10am-6pm
#6 Jeffery Express(67th to downtown) Sat/Sun 10am-6pm
#9 Ashland(95th to Orange Line station) Saturdays 10am-6pm
#21 Cermak(Pulaski to North Riverside Mall) Saturdays 10am-10pm
#22 Clark(Irving Park to downtown) Sat/Sun 10am-7pm
#54B South Cicero(Archer to Ford City) Sat/Sun 10am-6pm
#56 Milwaukee(Logan Square-Michigan) Saturdays 10am-6pm
#66 Chicago(Sacramento-Navy Pier) Saturdays 10am-9pm
#74 Fullerton(entire route) Sundays 10am-6pm
#76 Diversey(entire route) Saturdays 10am-6pm
#78 Montrose(Harlem/Irving Plaza to Marine) *Dec. 16-20 10pm-10:50pm
#79 79th Street(entire route) Saturdays 11am-9pm
#87 87th Street(91st/Commercial to Western) Saturdays 10am-6pm
#90 Harlem(serving Harlem/Irving Plaza) *Dec. 16-20 11pm-midnight Saturdays 9pm-11pm
#95W West 95th(entire route) Sat/Sun 10am-6pm
#97 Skokie(Skokie station to Old Orchard) Sat/Sun 10am-11pm
#146 Marine/Michigan Express(Foster-Wacker) Sundays 11am-7pm
#151 Sheridan(Diversey to Wacker) Saturdays 10am-7pm
(Diversey to Wacker) Sundays 11am-9pm
*weekdays
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