Buses along the CTA’s #21 Cermak route will return to their normal routing at the start of service (approximately 4:10 a.m.) on Monday, April 18 and all bus stops will return to their normal locations. #62 Archer buses will continue to travel along their regular route.
Bus stops had been temporarily removed and buses had been rerouted while the main entrance to the Cermak-Chinatown Red Line station was under construction.
The main entrance to the Red Line’s Cermak-Chinatown station will reopen to customers on Friday, April 15 at 2 p.m. The entrance is located on the north side of Cermak Road at 138 W. Cermak. The auxiliary entrance on the south side of Cermak will reopen at a later date.
#21 Cermak buses are traveling over the regular route along Cermak to King Drive. The following bus stop changes will be implemented:
- Cermak/Wentworth: the near side stop on Cermak at Wentworth served by eastbound #21 buses will return to service.
- Cermak/Red Line Station: the mid-block stop westbound at the Cermak Road entrance of the Cermak-Chinatown station will return to service.
- Wentworth/Cermak: the temporary stops on Wentworth at Cermak serving eastbound and westbound #21 buses will be removed.
- Archer/Red Line Station: eastbound #21 buses no longer are serving the temporary mid-block stop near the Archer Avenue entrance of the Cermak-Chinatown station.
- Wentworth/Archer: westbound #21 buses no longer are serving the temporary far side stop on Archer at Wentworth.
As part of the station renovations, an elevator has been added, making Cermak the 92nd of CTA’s 144 stations that are accessible to customers with disabilities.
In addition to installing a new elevator and replacing the stairs and escalator, CTA built a new stationhouse at street level on Cermak and installed planters and posts that add to the ambience outside the station and can serve as a safety enhancement. Other amenities include enhanced lighting, new customer assistant and information kiosks and bike racks.
Last June, CTA opened a new auxiliary entrance two blocks north of Cermak that allowed the station to remain open while renovations were under way. The Archer entrance will remain in use as a secondary entry/exit at the station. #62 Archer buses will continue to serve the Archer entrance.
CTA personnel will be on hand to assist customers on Monday.
Total cost of the project was $12.5 million using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)—also known as stimulus—funds.
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