11/30/06
Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project:
CTA is working to expand capacity on the Brown Line. When the work is completed, customers will benefit from longer trains during rush hour and accessible, modern stations and platforms.
Throughout the Brown Line construction project, slow zones and single track operation are periodically necessary near construction activity so, as a general rule, rail customers should allow extra travel time.
Five Brown Line Stations Temporarily Close for Construction This Weekend
The Armitage, Sedgwick and Chicago Brown Line stations will temporarily close from 10 p.m. Friday, December 1 through Sunday, December 3. The Montrose and Addison Brown Line stations will close Saturday, December 2 for 12 months for construction.
From Friday night through Sunday, Brown Line trains will operate only between Kedzie and Fullerton and will not serve the Loop. Normal Brown Line service will resume at 5 a.m. on Monday, December 4 at Armitage, Sedgwick and Chicago stations, but will not resume at Montrose and Addison.
CTA is encouraging southbound Brown Line customers to make the free transfer to the Red Line at Fullerton to complete their trips into the Loop.
CTA will provide a bus shuttle as a substitute for Brown Line rail service between the Fullerton and Clark/Lake stations. The bus shuttle will make stops near the Armitage, Sedgwick, Chicago, Merchandise Mart and Clark/Lake stations.
(See separate releases for details)
63rd Street Closes for Holiday Parade Saturday
The CTA will detour five bus routes off 63rd Street and adjacent streets around the Greater Southwest Development Holiday Parade Saturday, December 2. The parade will assemble on Tripp and Kildare starting at noon, and proceed east on 63rd to Oakley and to 62nd. The street closures will remain in effect until approximately 3:30 p.m.
The affected routes are the #49 Western, #52A South Kedzie, #53A South Pulaski, #63 63rd and #94 South California. Customers should allow extra travel time.
Holiday Train Brightens Blue and Green Line Travel
The festive Holiday Train will brighten the Blue Line on Friday, December 1 and the Green Line on Wednesday, December 6 through Saturday, December 9. The train will make stops at all stations running between approximately 1 p.m. and 9 p.m. on weekends and 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays.
For more specific information on dates and times for the Holiday Train, customers should call 836-7000 (any local area code) or visit CTA's web site at www.transitchicago.com.
December 1
Blue Line
December 6 - 9
Green Line
(See separate press release)
Maintenance Work on Red Line Howard Branch Sunday
Northbound Red Line trains will be operating on Purple Line tracks at Morse and Jarvis from 7 a.m. until noon Sunday, December 3. As a result, northbound Red Line trains will be unable to stop at the Morse and Jarvis stations during these hours. Northbound customers who wish to exit at Morse or Jarvis must travel to the Howard station and take a southbound train back to these stations.
Northbound customers who wish to board at Morse or Jarvis must take a southbound train to Loyola and board a northbound train back to Howard. Southbound service is not affected.
Customers should allow extra travel time.
Blue Line Signal Upgrade:
CTA is working to upgrade approximately 20 miles of the existing 40-year-old train control system and power supply equipment from the Forest Park terminal of the Blue Line Forest Park branch through the Dearborn subway to the Jefferson Park station of the Blue Line O'Hare branch.
These systems ensure the safe operation and movement of trains and the appropriate speed and distance between trains as well as help CTA personnel manage rail service in the event of an emergency. The upgraded signal system will result in improved reliability of service for Blue Line customers, and also includes upgrades to the power cables and communication system needed to connect the Red Line State Street subway and Blue Line Dearborn Street subway.
Late Night Single Track in Effect on Blue Line Forest Park Branch Friday
A single track will be in effect between the Racine and LaSalle stations from 11 p.m. Friday, December 1 until 8 a.m. Saturday, December 2. North and southbound customers boarding at the Halsted, Clinton and LaSalle stations must board on the southbound side of the platform.
Late Night Single Track in Effect on Blue Line Forest Park Branch Next Week
A single track will be in effect between Forest Park and Lathrop from midnight Monday, December 4 until 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, December 5 and again in the same location, during the same hours Tuesday and Wednesday nights, December 5 and December 6.
During the Monday and Tuesday single tracks, customers boarding and exiting at the Forest Park station must do so on the south side of the platform. During the Wednesday single track, north and southbound customers boarding at the Forest Park station must board on the north side of the platform.
Another single track will be in effect between the Forest Park and Harlem stations from 11 p.m. Thursday, December 7 until 4 a.m. Friday, December 8. Customers boarding and exiting at the Forest Park and Harlem stations must do so on the south side of the platform.
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