Free bus shuttles to be provided to/from the Loop, will serve affected stations
Work to eliminate slow zones along the Ravenswood Connector – the elevated portion of track between Armitage and the Loop – continues and will require the temporary reroute of Brown Line trains to the Red Line subway beginning at 8 p.m. Friday, May 15 until 4 a.m. Monday, May 18. During this time, all Brown Line trains will be rerouted from the elevated tracks to the subway and will serve each station between North/Clybourn and Roosevelt in both directions.
The work is part of the $90 million Ravenswood Connector Rehabilitation project, which, when completed, will provide a smoother, more reliable ride for the more than 40,000 customers who ride Purple Express and Brown line trains to and from the Loop each weekday.
On Friday, the last Loop-bound Brown Line train operating on the elevated tracks will depart the Fullerton station at 7:20 p.m., and depart Washington/Wells at 7:35 p.m. for the return trip to Kimball.
The first Brown Line train operating via the subway on Friday will depart Fullerton at 7:29 p.m. to Roosevelt, and the first Kimball-bound train will depart Roosevelt at 7:57 p.m.
Brown Line trains will operate normally between Kimball and Fullerton. Customers are encouraged to plan ahead and allow extra travel time.
Service to/from Armitage, Sedgwick, Chicago and Merchandise Mart
For customers who wish to board or exit from the Armitage, Sedgwick, Chicago and Merchandise Mart Brown Line stations, free shuttle buses will operate in both directions between Fullerton and Clark/Lake, making stops at or near the affected stations.
Loop Elevated Shuttle Train
For customers in the downtown/Loop area, a shuttle train will operate around the Loop for connections to Brown Line service in the subway and the shuttle buses at Clark/Lake. Customers can board this shuttle train at any Loop elevated station from the Outer Loop platform, which is normally served by Brown Line trains.
This work will require eight additional temporary, weekend-only reroutes of Brown Line trains to the Red Line subway, which are scheduled through fall 2015. Weather permitting, the next weekend reroute of Brown Line trains will occur in two weeks, beginning at 8 p.m. Friday, May 29 through 4 a.m. Monday, June 1.
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