11/18/04
Ten CTA bus routes will be detoured off North Michigan Avenue Saturday, November 20 for the annual Magnificent Mile Lights Festival. The festival motorcade parade is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. from Rush and Oak and will proceed south on Michigan from Oak to Wacker. There will be a fireworks show from 6:55 p.m. until 7:03 p.m. following the parade between the Michigan and Columbus bridges over the Chicago River.
Michigan will start closing to traffic in both directions between Oak and Randolph at 5 p.m. and is expected to reopen at approximately 8 p.m.
The bus routes affected by the parade are the #3 King Drive, #6 Jackson Park Express, #10 Museum of Science & Industry, #66 Chicago, #124 Navy Pier, #145 Wilson/Michigan Express, #146 Inner Drive/Michigan Express, #147 Outer Drive Express, #151 Sheridan and #173 University of Chicago/Lakeview Express. Affected buses will be detoured to streets adjacent to the parade route.
Northbound #3 buses will operate via Michigan, Randolph, State, Illinois, Fairbanks, to Ohio/McClurg where they will begin southbound trips via McClurg, Ontario, Fairbanks, Randolph, back to Michigan, then resume the regular route.
Northbound #6 buses will operate via Michigan, Randolph, Dearborn, Wacker to State where they will begin southbound trips on the regular route.
Northbound #10 buses will operate via State ending their trips at State/Chicago where they will begin southbound trips via Chicago, Clark, Ohio, back to State, then resume the regular route.
Eastbound #66 buses will operate via Chicago, LaSalle, Illinois to Navy Pier where they will begin westbound trips via Grand, Dearborn, back to Chicago, then resume the regular route.
Northbound #124 buses will operate via Washington, Dearborn, Illinois to Navy Pier where they will begin southbound trips via Grand, Columbus, Randolph to Michigan, then resume the regular route.
Northbound #145, #146, #147, and #151 buses will operate in both directions via State, Division, Clark and LaSalle Drive before returning to their regular routes.
Northbound #173 buses will operate via Michigan, Randolph, State to Ontario, then resume the regular route. Southbound buses will operate via Lake Shore Drive, LaSalle, Clark, Division, State, Washington, back to Michigan, then resume the regular route.
Additional bus service will be provided on the #4 Cottage Grove, #6 Jackson Park Express, #20 Madison, #29 State, #60 Blue Island/26th, #62 Archer, #66 Chicago and #151 Sheridan routes.
In addition, longer trains will be scheduled on the Red, Blue, Brown, Green and Orange Lines to accommodate the parade spectators.
Additional CTA supervisory personnel will be on hand in the parade area to assist customers.
For more information about all CTA routes and schedules, call 836-7000 (all local area codes) or visit the web site at www.transitchicago.com.
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