11/4/05
Bus Service for Purple Line Customers Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Purple Line service from Linden to Howard will be temporarily suspended on November 11 starting at 8:30 p.m. through Sunday, November 13 while a new steel viaduct structure is put into place on Main Street by construction crews.
The 95-year old concrete viaduct currently in place has deteriorated over time with exposure to the elements. Due to its condition Purple Line trains must reduce speed when crossing it. CTA is replacing the concrete viaduct with a new steel structure that will be rolled into place over the weekend. The new Main Street viaduct will eliminate the need for a slow zone along that expanse of track thereby improving travel time for Purple Line customers.
Regular Purple Line service will resume Monday, November 14 at 4 a.m. CTA will provide bus service for Purple Line customers during the temporary closure.A Purple Line shuttle bus will operate in both directions in place of regular rail service from 7:45 p.m. Friday, November 11 until 1:20 a.m. Monday, November 14. Buses bus will make stops at or near all Purple Line stations traveling southbound from Linden terminal in Wilmette to Howard terminal in Chicago, via Linden, Central, Noyes/Ridge, Foster, Sherman/Davis (southbound), Davis/Orrington (northbound), Dempster/Chicago, Main/Chicago, South Boulevard/Chicago, to Howard, where northbound trips will begin back to Wilmette.
In addition to viaduct replacement, CTA crews will use this time to perform maintenance, repair and cleaning work at the stations and along the tracks. Plans include replacing rail ties, cleaning light fixtures, power washing and painting stations if weather permits, and installing duct work for future fiber optic installation along the line.
Construction of the new viaduct began on August 15 just east of the existing viaduct. Throughout construction Main Street has been closed between Custer and Chicago Avenue, requiring CTA #200 Main Shuttle buses to be rerouted via Main-Ridge-Greenleaf-Chicago-Main. #200 Main Shuttle buses are scheduled to return to their regular route on Friday, November 18.
The Purple Line extends from the Linden station in Wilmette to the Howard terminal in Chicago where customers can make connections with Red Line and Yellow Line trains. Purple Line Express trains operate Monday through Friday during morning and afternoon rush periods offering non-stop service from Howard to Belmont, then making all stops to the Loop. The Purple Line is the sixth busiest rail line in the CTA system, totaling 3,025,842 rides in 2004.
Elgin, Illinois-based Kiewit-Western is serving as the construction contractor on the $5.3 million capital improvement project. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
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