Blue Line – Other Events Affecting Service
Late Night Trains to Operate on Same Tracks between LaSalle and UIC-Halsted
All late night Blue Line trains will be routed to operate on the northbound (to O’Hare) tracks from 11 p.m. until 4 a.m. the following morning beginning Sunday night, February 27 through Friday morning, March 4, due to sewer cleaning.
Blue Line customers at the LaSalle, Clinton and UIC-Halsted stations traveling southbound (to Forest Park) must board and exit trains from the northbound (to O’Hare) side of the platform.
Customers are advised to allow extra travel time. CTA operators will announce the direction of each train.
Yellow Line – Other Events Affecting Service
Rail Service Temporarily Suspended along the Yellow Line This Weekend
Rail service along the Yellow Line will be temporarily suspended on Saturday, February 26 and Sunday, February 27, due to work associated with the construction of the new Oakton Street station.
From 6:15 a.m. until 11:15 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, bus shuttles will operate an express route every 15 minutes between the Howard and Skokie stations as a substitute for rail service. Customers also can use the #97 Skokie as an alternate service option between the two stations.
Yellow Line trains will resume operating at their regularly scheduled time on Monday, February 28.
Customers are advised to allow extra travel time.
Service for Upcoming Events
CTA Service to Events at the United Center
CTA will operate its #19 United Center Express for those attending these upcoming events at the United Center:
- Saturday, February 26 at 7 p.m. – Kid Rock concert
- Sunday, February 27 at 6 p.m. – Phoenix Coyotes versus Blackhawks
- Monday, February 28 at 8 p.m. – Lady Gaga concert
- Wednesday, March 2 at 8 p.m. – Calgary Flames versus Blackhawks
- Friday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m. – Carolina Hurricanes versus Blackhawks
Buses will leave every 12-15 minutes from Michigan and Randolph beginning 90 minutes before the start of each event. After each event, #19 buses will await customers on the north side of the United Center eastbound on Madison near Gate 3 and will depart approximately every 15 minutes for one hour.
UPDATE: to improve service along the #19 route, the following bus stops have been permanently added to the route:
- Washington/Halsted: eastbound buses are serving the far side stop, currently served by #20 Madison buses.
- Randolph/Halsted: westbound buses are serving the new near side stop.
Temporary Changes in Routing for #19 Buses
Due to the Wacker Drive construction project, the following changes are in effect along the #19 route:
Eastbound #19 buses will operate over the regular route along Washington to Clinton then will travel via Clinton, Monroe, Franklin to Washington and then resume the regular route. In addition, the following temporary changes will be made to bus stops served by eastbound buses only:
- Clinton/Madison: buses are serving the southbound near side stop.
- Monroe/Canal: buses are serving the eastbound far side stop.
- Washington/Canal: buses are unable to serve the eastbound near side stop.
- Washington/Franklin: the eastbound near side stop has been relocated to a far side stop.
Westbound #19 buses are not affected and will travel over the regular route from Michigan/Randolph – making all stops on Madison from Wabash to Clinton before operating express to the United Center.
Ongoing Bus Service Changes
Lane Restrictions near State and Grand Detour #29 State and #36 Broadway Buses
Due to lane restrictions associated with the Grand/State Red Line rehabilitation project at the northwest corner of State and Grand, #29 State and #36 Broadway buses are being detoured to adjacent streets until further notice.
Southbound #29 buses are operating over the regular route along Grand past State to Clark then traveling via Clark, Illinois to State and resuming the regular route. Northbound #29 buses are traveling along the remaining open lane along State and over the regular route.
Southbound #36 buses are traveling over the regular route along State to Ontario then are operating via Ontario, Clark, Illinois to State and resuming the regular route. Northbound #36 buses are operating over the regular route along Dearborn past Illinois to Ohio then traveling via Ohio to State and resuming the regular route.
Temporary Changes in Service for #21 Cermak and #62 Archer Buses Serving the Cermak-Chinatown Station
Currently in effect, customers at the Cermak-Chinatown Red Line station must use the entrance located on Archer Avenue approximately one block north of Cermak. This entrance is serving as the primary access point for customers while the main entrance to the station on the north side of Cermak is reconstructed and made accessible.
As a result of these changes, and to accommodate customers transferring between bus and rail services, the following changes have been made to buses serving the station:
#21 Cermak
Eastbound #21 Cermak buses are traveling over the regular route along Cermak to Wentworth then are operating via Wentworth, Archer, Clark to Cermak and resuming the regular route. Westbound #21 buses are traveling the reverse route.
- Cermak/Wentworth: the near side stop at Cermak/Wentworth served by eastbound #21 buses has been temporarily removed from service.
- Wentworth/Cermak: temporary stops have been added at Wentworth/Cermak for eastbound and westbound #21 buses. Eastbound customers must board and exit buses from the far side stop; westbound customers must board and exit buses from the near side stop.
- Cermak/Red Line Station: the mid-block stop near the Cermak Road entrance of the Cermak-Chinatown station has been temporarily removed from service.
- Archer/Red Line Station: eastbound #21 buses are serving the temporary mid-block stop near the Archer Avenue entrance of the Cermak-Chinatown station.
- Wentworth/Archer: westbound #21 buses are serving the temporary far side stop at Wentworth/Archer.
#62 Archer
- Archer/Wentworth: the northbound near side stop at Archer/Wentworth served by #62 buses has been removed from service.
- Archer/Red Line Station: northbound #62 buses are serving the mid-block stop near the Archer Avenue entrance of the Cermak-Chinatown station.
Changes in Service along #8 Halsted Route for Bridge Reconstruction Project
Currently in effect until late-December 2011, Halsted Street between Division and the north branch of the Chicago River is closed due to a bridge reconstruction project.
Northbound #8 Halsted buses are traveling over the regular route along Halsted past Chicago to North Branch then are operating via North Branch, Cherry, Division to Halsted and then resuming the regular route. Southbound #8 buses are traveling the reverse route.
Changes to Bus Stops
- Halsted/North Branch: the northbound far side stop has been temporarily relocated to a far side stop on North Branch at Halsted.
- Halsted/Division: the southbound far side stop has been temporarily relocated to a near side stop.
Service Changes for 13 CTA Bus Routes due to Wacker Drive Construction
Until further notice, 13 CTA bus routes that operate on or near Wacker Drive have undergone service changes due to several downtown street closures as part of the Revive Wacker Drive reconstruction project.
These street closures are affecting service on the #11 Lincoln/Sedgwick, #19 United Center Express, #20 Madison, #56 Milwaukee, #60 Blue Island/26th, #120 Ogilvie/Wacker Express, #121 Union/Wacker Express, #122 Illinois Center/Ogilvie Express, #123 Illinois Center/Union Express, #124 Navy Pier, #125 Water Tower Express, #129 West Loop/South Loop and the #157 Streeterville/Taylor.
Service Adjustments Due to the Congress/Wacker Construction Project
Due to the Congress/Wacker Construction Project, Franklin Street between Harrison and Van Buren and Lower Wacker Drive between Randolph and Harrison are closed until May 2012. As a result of these closures and other street reconfigurations, the following changes in bus service currently are in effect:
#11 Lincoln/Sedgwick
Northbound #11 Lincoln/Sedgwick buses are traveling over the regular route along Harrison to Canal then are operating via Canal, Jackson to Franklin and resuming the regular route. Southbound #11 buses are not affected and are traveling over the regular route.
The following temporary changes also have been made to bus stops served by northbound #11 buses:
- Canal/Harrison: a far side stop has been added to service.
- Canal/Jackson: a near side stop has been added to service.
- Jackson at the Chicago River: a near side stop has been added to service.
- 404 W. Harrison: the mid-block stop has been removed from service.
- Franklin/Van Buren: the far side stop has been removed from service.
#121 Union/Wacker Express
Northbound #121 Union/Wacker Express buses are operating over the regular route along Jackson past Wacker to Franklin then are traveling via Franklin, Lake, Post Place to Lower Wacker and then resuming the regular route.
Southbound #121 buses are operating over the regular route along Grand to Wabash then traveling via Wabash, Wacker, Franklin to Adams and then resuming the regular route.
#135 Clarendon/LaSalle Express
From Union Station, northbound #135 Clarendon/LaSalle Express buses are traveling south on Wacker to Jackson then are traveling east on Jackson past Franklin and resuming the regular route.
The following temporary changes have been made to bus stops served by northbound #135 buses:
- Jackson/Franklin: a near side stop has been added to service.
- Franklin/Jackson: the near side stop has been removed from service.
#136 Sheridan/LaSalle Express
From Union Station, northbound #136 Sheridan/LaSalle buses are operating south on Wacker to Van Buren then are traveling via Van Buren, Canal to Jackson and resuming the regular route.
The following temporary changes have been made to bus stops served by northbound #136 buses:
- Jackson/Franklin: a near side stop has been added to service.
- Franklin/Jackson: the near side stop has been removed from service.
#156 LaSalle (PM Service Only)
During the evening rush period only, northbound #156 LaSalle buses departing from Union Station are traveling west on Van Buren to Wacker then are operating via Wacker to Jackson and resuming the regular route.
The following temporary bus stop change has been made and is in effect for northbound #156 buses during the evening rush period only:
- Franklin/Jackson: the near side stop has been removed from service.
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