6/25/03
Six South Side Bus Routes Affected by Reconstruction
Beginning Friday, June 27, bus customers using the bus bridge at the Chicago Transit Authority's 69th Street Red Line Station will experience a temporary change of bus stop locations while the bus bridge is reconstructed. CTA has located temporary bus stops on adjacent streets near the terminal. The temporary stops are all within a block of the terminal so customers will not have to travel far.
Temporary bus stops are expected to be in place through September when access to the bus bridge will return to normal.
Customers are asked to familiarize themselves with the new stops for their individual bus routes to ensure an easier transition. Beginning Friday morning, CTA Customer Assistants will be available in the Red Line's 69th Street station and bus supervisors also will be on hand to assist customers with directions and questions. Signs will be installed directing customers to the new locations. Buses and trains enroute to the terminal also will display information alerting customers to the temporary changes.
Affected CTA bus routes and their temporary stops are as follows:
#N 5 South Shore Night Bus, southbound #29 State, #30 South Chicago and #71 71st buses will stop on Lafayette, in front of McDonald's.
Westbound #67 buses will stop on the north side of 69th Street at State and at Lafayette.
The #169 69th/UPS Express will stop on the south side of 69th Street near the station entrance.
The following bus routes will not be affected by this project:
Northbound #29 State buses will continue to make their normal stops on State in front of Mr. Ben's Meats and Groceries.
Eastbound #67 67th/69th/71st buses will continue to make their normal stops at the entrance to the station.
A similar reconstruction project began two weeks ago at the 95th Street bus turnaround. The reconstruction of the bus bridges at 69th and 95th is a part of the larger Dan Ryan Red Line Rehabilitation Project. Work at both locations involves replacing the bridge deck, bus lanes, curbs, sidewalks and passenger islands, and refurbishing barriers and fencing. The lighting system also will be replaced.
When the entire Dan Ryan project is completed in fall 2006, the CTA will have rehabilitated bus bridges at 69th and 95th Streets; improved signal communications and power substation systems; and renovated seven of the most heavily used rail stations between Cermak Road and 95th Street.
Funding is provided by Illinois FIRST, the Federal Transit Administration and the Regional Transportation Authority.
The Red Line is the busiest rail line in the CTA system, totaling 64.7 million rides in 2002 with 16.1 million of those rides taken on the Dan Ryan Branch.
Information on this project and all CTA service is available on the web site at www.transitchicago.com.
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