31st Bus Route Pilot

This project is complete.

Since September 2016, we’ve been piloting a bus service enhancement along the #31 31st route aimed at improving east-west transit connections along the eastern portion of the 31st Street corridor.

What's new?

During its February 2022 meeting, the Chicago Transit Board approved plans to permanently adopt the #31 eastern extension and AM service hours (more details).

About the pilot

This experimental service enhancement, which was approved during the May 2016 Chicago Transit Board meeting, is the latest in a series of recent bus service improvements made by CTA President Dorval R. Carter Jr. as part of his vision to ensure equity and inclusion through improved transit connections.

We’ve worked closely with local alderman and community leaders throughout the development of the pilot, which was designed to best meet the needs and feedback received from the community.

During the pilot, we’ll be collecting ridership data and feedback solicited from riders and the surrounding community to help analyze the effectiveness of the service being tested. At the conclusion of the pilot, CTA personnel will present their findings to the Board along with a recommendation on whether there is sufficient ridership demand to conclude the pilot, extend it or make the service enhancement permanent.

Pilot route details

Service along the #31 route is operating on the following schedule:

Weekdays (Mon–Fri)
Approximately 6:30 am to 7 pm – every 30 minutes
Full route information

Service is being provided between the Ashland Orange Line station and the Lake Meadows Shopping Center (33rd Place/King Drive) via 31st Street.

This extended route offers improved transit connections, with service stops at the 35th Street Red and Green line stations.

Route map

pilot31

System status snapshot
‘L’ route status
Red Line
Normal Service
Brown Line
Normal Service
Green Line
Normal Service
Orange Line
Normal Service
Pink Line
Normal Service
Purple Line
Normal Service
Yellow Line
Normal Service
Bus routes w/alerts
Elevator alerts