05/19/99
The CTA Board Wednesday approved the extension of bus service on 63rd Street to the beach at Lake Shore Drive in Jackson Park throughout the summer. CTA already provides service within walking distance of beaches throughout the city. The #72 North route will be extended to the North Avenue beach after construction is completed on a new beach house and bus turnaround early this summer.
#63 63rd Street buses will operate to the lakefront in Jackson Park daily during the hours the beach is open, starting on the Memorial Day weekend, Saturday, May 29, and continuing through Labor Day, Monday, September 6.
The CTA has been working with the City of Chicago's Department of Planning and the Chicago Park District to extend the #63 route an extra half mile east to the lakefront to serve the renovated 63rd Street beach house. CTA's fully accessible #63 63rd buses regularly operate at all hours daily on 63rd between Cicero and Stony Island Avenue, which borders Jackson Park on the west.
"The renovation of the 63rd Street beach house is certain to draw increasing numbers of beach patrons throughout the summer months," said CTA Chairman Valerie B. Jarrett. "The extension of CTA service to this area will make trips to the beach much more convenient for people from neighborhoods to the west, and for those who transfer to 63rd Street buses anywhere along the route."
Beach hours are from 9 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. daily. During these times, #63 buses will end their trips eastbound on Hayes at Lake Shore Drive. Return trips to 63rd will be via Lake Shore, Coast Guard, Marquette, Richards and Hayes Drives back to 63rd. At all other times, #63 buses will use the regular terminal at Stony Island.
"Extending buses to the lakefront at 63rd provides an important link to recreational facilities in the heart of Jackson Park," said CTA President Frank Kruesi. ?This is in addition to our #55 Garfield buses, which already take you to within easy distance of the 57th Street beach, and #67 buses that run right to the lakefront at 67th. Chicago's parks are among our city's greatest treasures, and CTA makes them easy to enjoy."
Contact: Media Relations312-222-6106
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