CTA President Ron Huberman and 44th Ward Alderman Tom Tunney reminded commuters that the Southport Brown Line station will reopen for service on Sunday, March 30, and – for the first time – eight-car trains will serve the Brown Line. The Southport station has been under construction for the past year. Improvements include longer platforms to accommodate eight-car trains, a rebuilt stationhouse and newly installed elevators that make the station accessible to customers with disabilities.
"We are able to accelerate the operation of eight-car trains on the Brown Line by reopening this station, and by opening a temporary station at Diversey," said CTA President Ron Huberman. "Longer trains will help ease congestion when the Red, Brown and Purple Express trains begin to share one southbound track on March 30. More riders will be able to board, which is critical, especially during the morning rush when we expect customers will feel the greatest impact."
Beginning Sunday, March 30, 2008, southbound trains will be limited to one southbound track at the Belmont and Fullerton stations due to construction for the Brown Line capacity expansion project. To help ease the impact, the CTA will begin operating eight-car trains on the Brown Line during morning and evening rush hours. Currently, Brown Line trains consist of six cars. The introduction of eight-car service will occur nearly 18 months earlier than originally planned.
During the peak morning rush period there will be four fewer Red Line trains traveling inbound from Howard to Downtown (from 19 to 15), however, additional southbound trains will be staged south of Fullerton for use as needed. Four fewer Brown Line trains (16 to 12) will operate during the peak, but because the trains will have eight cars, capacity on the Brown Line will be the same as it is today. Purple Line Express service levels will remain the same (4 trains). South Side Red Line service will also remain the same.
"We are still limited in the number of trains we are able to operate on one track, so customers should plan accordingly, particularly during the morning commute where the peak travel time is more concentrated, but longer trains will certainly help," said Chicago Transit Board Chairman Carole Brown. "Our advice to 'leave early, leave late or alternate' still applies."
In order to safely provide eight-car service, Paulina and Wellington stations will close for renovation on March 30. Currently, these stations can only berth six-car trains.
While the Paulina station is closed, customers may board the Brown Line at the Addison and Southport stations, both adjacent to Paulina. In addition to nearby rail stations, there are six existing CTA bus routes that provide service near Southport station:
- #9 Ashland,
- #X9 Ashland Express (weekday service until 7 p.m.)
- #11 Lincoln/Sedgwick
- #50 Damen
- #77 Belmont
- #152 Addison
While the Wellington station is closed, customers may board the Brown Line at the Belmont station or the temporary station at Diversey, both adjacent to Wellington. In addition to nearby rail stations, there are eight CTA bus routes that provide service near Wellington station:
- #8 Halsted
- #11 Lincoln/Sedgwick
- #22 Clark
- #36 Broadway
- #76 Diversey
- #77 Belmont
- #151 Sheridan
- #156 LaSalle (weekdays only)
There are more than 40 bus routes that could be used as alternate transportation, including nine lakefront express routes that provide direct service to and from the Loop during rush periods. CTA will supplement bus service on several routes:
- #11 Lincoln/Sedgwick
- #22 Clark
- #134 Stockton/LaSalle Express
- #135 Clarendon/LaSalle Express
- #147 Outer Drive Express
- #148 Clarendon/Michigan Express
- #156 LaSalle
The CTA also recommends that riders consider other nearby bus routes or other CTA rail lines such as the Blue Line.
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