09/05/06
Several Chicago Transit Authority bus routes will be impacted during the City of Chicago's planned evacuation drill scheduled for the evening rush period on Thursday, September 7. The drill is being coordinated by the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) in cooperation with several city agencies.
Area street closures and heavy traffic flow onto adjacent streets are expected to result in slower commutes for many traveling out of the Loop during the drill.
As of 9 a.m. on September 7, Des Plaines Street will be closed from Madison Street to Adams Street. In addition, eastbound lanes of Madison Street from Halsted Street to Des Plaines Street, as well as the Kennedy Expressway exit ramps at Monroe and Madison streets, will be closed.
Closures taking effect at or after 3:30 p.m. on September 7 will be Wacker Drive from Madison Street to Adams Street and Monroe Street from Franklin Street to Halsted Street. At this time, the Lower Wacker entrance and exit ramp at Monroe Street also will be closed. These closures are not expected to last past 7 p.m.
There also will be intermittent closures of Canal, Clinton and Jefferson streets at Monroe Street during the drill, with traffic allowed to pass through Monroe periodically.
CTA is advising its customers to allow extra travel time for their evening commutes on Thursday, particularly those who travel on buses serving the Ogilvie Transportation Center and Union Station and those who take buses operating along Wacker, Canal, Clinton and Halsted.
Bus Reroutes
Two CTA bus routes will be rerouted around the street closures. Extra CTA personnel will be available to assist customers in catching the rerouted buses.
#121 Union/Wacker Express
Southbound #121 buses will operate via Wacker, Randolph and Clinton to Adams. Northbound buses will operate via Clinton, Jackson, Franklin, Lake, Post, to Lower Wacker, then resume the regular route.
#123 Illinois Center/Union Express
Southbound #123 buses will operate via Wacker to Randolph to Clinton and Adams. Northbound buses will operate via Clinton to Jackson, Franklin, Madison Upper Wacker, then resume the regular route.
Delays
Customers who travel on buses that operate on Wacker Drive, Canal, Clinton and Halsted will experience delays due to heavy traffic and intermittent street closures in the vicinity. CTA bus routes subject to delays include:
#1 Indiana/Hyde Park
#7 Harrison
#8 Halsted
#14 Jeffery Express
#20 Madison
#X20 Washington/Madison Express
#X28 Stony Island Express
#37 Sedgwick
#38 Ogden/Taylor
#56 Milwaukee
#60 Blue Island/26th
#120 North Western/Wacker Express
#122 Illinois Center/North Western Express
#124 Navy Pier
#125 Water Tower Express
#126 Jackson
#127 Madison/Roosevelt Circulator
#129 West Loop/South Loop
#134 Stockton/LaSalle Express
#135 Clarendon/LaSalle Express
#136 Sheridan/LaSalle Express
#151 Sheridan
#156 LaSalle
#157 Streeterville
#192 U of Chicago Hospitals Express
CTA operations personnel will monitor bus service and traffic flow to make adjustments in service as needed.
# # #