05/03/99
Ten CTA bus lines will be detoured off Michigan Avenue downtown starting Sunday, May 2, when Grant Park garage and roadway improvements reduce traffic from three to two lanes in both directions between Randolph and Monroe. Four other bus lines will stay on Michigan, but will not make stops in the construction zone.
The affected lines, which will be rerouted to State Street, are the #1 Indiana/Hyde Park, #4 Cottage Grove, #14 South Lake Shore Express, #19 Stadium Express, #20 Madison, #56 Milwaukee, #60 Blue Island/26th, #127 NorthWestern/Madison, #151 Sheridan and #157 Streeterville.
#4, #20, #56, #60 and #151 buses operate seven days a week. #1 and #157 buses run weekdays through early evening, while #14 and #127 buses operate only during weekday rush periods. #19 buses serve Bulls and Blackhawks games and certain other special events at the United Center.
"CTA is working closely with the city to ensure the smoothest flow of traffic and the least possible disruption to bus service while the Michigan Avenue ? Grant Park improvements are being made," said CTA President Frank Kruesi. "We are asking our customers for their understanding and patience while this important work goes on."
#1 Indiana/Hyde Park buses will turn west from Michigan at Congress and take State to Adams en route to Union Station, while #4 Cottage Grove buses will use Congress, State and Wacker to reach their terminal on Columbus at Lake. #14 South Lake Shore Express and #127 NW/Madison buses will leave Lake Shore at Roosevelt and go north on State before returning to their regular routes westbound on Madison.
New bus stops will be established on both Madison and Adams west of State for riders on buses that will be turning west from State, since the detoured routing would not allow buses to discharge or board passengers before making the turns.
For trips west through the Loop, #19 Stadium Express and #20 Madison buses will use Wacker to reach State, and go south to Madison before returning to their regular routes. Outbound buses on the #56 Milwaukee route will cross Michigan at South Water and #60 Blue Island/26th buses will operate from Columbus on Wacker to reach State before returning to their regular routes at Madison and Adams respectively. Eastbound buses on these routes will make the same detours in reverse, using Washington or Jackson to reach State Street.
#151 Sheridan and #157 Streeterville buses that arrive downtown from North Michigan Avenue will turn west from Michigan at Wacker and go south on State to Madison, Adams or Congress en route to their regular downtown terminals.
Buses on the #3 King Drive, #6 Jeffery Express, #145 Wilson/Michigan and #147 Outer Drive Express routes will remain on Michigan, but will not make stops in the construction zone. Southbound bus stops that will be bypassed are at Washington and between Madison and Monroe. The only stop that will be missed northbound is between Madison and Washington.
Maps of the reroutes are posted on CTA buses.
For information about all CTA services, call 836-7000 (all local area codes).
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