CTA will provide free bus shuttle service between affected stations over the weekend
The CTA will continue track work this weekend on the Blue Line O’Hare branch as part of the Your New Blue project. The work will require the temporary suspension of train service between the Western and Damen stations between 10 p.m. Friday, April 25 and 4 a.m. Monday, April 28.
The $492 million Your New Blue track and station improvement program includes track work that will provide smoother, more reliable commutes for customers.
For customers who need to travel between these two adjacent stations, free bus shuttles will run 24 hours a day and provide service between stations. Customers will be able to transfer for free back into rail stations to resume their trips. To make sure that customers with disabilities have access to rail service, the shuttle buses will serve all stations between the accessible Western and Clark/Lake stations.
Customers are strongly encouraged to allow 15-20 minutes of extra travel time when using the Blue Line O’Hare branch this weekend.
Some of the weekend work will require some street closures and parking restrictions near the elevated structure. The following streets under CTA tracks will be closed from 9 p.m. Friday through 4 a.m. Monday: 2116-2129 W. Caton St.; 2130-2189 W. Wabansia Ave.; 2251-2274 W. Bloomingdale Ave.; 2305-2316 W. Moffat St. There will also be a street closure beginning today through 6 a.m. Monday for 1700-1727 S. Leavitt St.
The track project includes replacing wooden rail ties, tie plates and other track materials on the Milwaukee elevated track structure between the Damen and Logan Square stops—a section of line that opened in 1895 and still sits on the original structure. This work will require six additional temporary, weekend-only closures of small sections of the Blue Line, tentatively scheduled through August. The next track closure, between Western and Logan Square, is scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. Friday, May 9, and end at 4 a.m. Monday, May 12.
Announced in December 2013, Your New Blue will provide faster, smoother commutes and improved stations along the Blue Line’s O’Hare branch between the Grand and O’Hare stations. Your New Blue is the largest, most comprehensive investment in the Blue Line since the O'Hare branch was extended to the airport from Jefferson Park in 1983-84. More information about the project is available at www.transitchicago.com/yournewblue.
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