Work on new Washington/Wabash station affects portion of Loop elevated service
The Chicago Transit Authority is notifying customers of separate construction work that will affect service on the Loop elevated tracks and the Red Line this weekend.
Construction work on the new Washington/Wabash station by the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) will require the partial closure of Loop elevated tracks. Separately, construction work as part of the Wilson Station Reconstruction Project will require Howard-bound trains to run express from Sheridan to Berwyn, temporarily bypassing the Wilson, Lawrence and Argyle stations.
In general, weekend work will begin Friday evening and continue through early Monday morning. Normal service will resume prior to the start of morning rush service.
Also this weekend, CTA is providing extra service for upcoming events. More details below.
Loop ‘L’ Trains Detoured Due to Work on new Washington/Wabash station
Construction work on the new Washington/Wabash station will require the temporary closure of portions of the Loop elevated tracks beginning 10 p.m. Friday, September 23 until 4 a.m. Monday, September 26. As a result of these track closures, Brown, Orange, Green and Pink line trains will be rerouted as follows:
Orange and Brown lines: Trains will operate as one route between Kimball and Midway, via Wells and Van Buren.
Green Line: Trains will operate between Harlem and 63rd via Wells and Van Buren.
Pink Line: Trains will operate between 54th/Cermak and Polk, then to Racine Blue Line for connecting Blue Line train service to/from downtown.
Customers may transfer between the Loop elevated and Blue and Red line subways using the Harold Washington Library (Loop elevated) and Jackson (Blue and Red lines) stations.
For more information, visit: http://www.transitchicago.com/travel_information/alert_detail.aspx?AlertId=36742.
Howard-bound Trains to Run Express from Sheridan to Berwyn
Construction crews will be performing track work as part of the Wilson Station Reconstruction Project beginning 10 p.m. Friday, September 23 until 4 a.m. Monday, September 26.
During this time, Howard-bound (northbound) Red Line trains will run express from Sheridan to Berwyn, bypassing the Wilson, Lawrence and Argyle stations.
95th-bound (southbound) trains will continue to serve all stations throughout the weekend.
Howard-bound customers at Wilson, Lawrence or Argyle stations will need to take a 95th-bound train to Sheridan and then transfer to a Howard-bound train.
Howard-bound customers who want to exit at Wilson, Lawrence or Argyle will need to travel to Berwyn and transfer to a 95th-bound train to exit at those three stations.
For alternate service though the affected area, consider using the #22 Clark, #36 Broadway, #147 Outer Drive Express or #151 Sheridan bus routes, which run parallel to the Red Line.
For more information on the Wilson project, visit: http://www.transitchicago.com/wilson/.
Next Week: Boarding Changes at Wilson
Beginning on Monday, September 26, there will be some changes for customers using the CTA’s Wilson station to board trains as part of the ongoing reconstruction of that station.
The main Wilson station entrance (along Broadway) and the east auxiliary entrance (south side of Wilson Ave.) will be closed and customers will enter the station via two temporary entrances– the main entrance on the south side of the street or the auxiliary entrance on the north side of the street. Also at this time, the east platform currently used by Howard-bound Red Line trains will close.
Trains operating in both directions – Howard- and 95th-bound Red Line trains, and Loop-bound Purple Line trains (AM rush only) – will begin using the newer west platform that opened in March 2016. The platform will be accessible from both temporary station entrances.
Chance the Rapper’s Magnificent Coloring Day at US Cellular Field
The CTA will provide additional rail service for Chance the Rapper’s Magnificent Coloring Day Music Festival at U.S. Cellular Field this Saturday, September 24 from 1 p.m. to 12 a.m.
The ballpark is just a block west of the Sox-35th stop on the CTA Red Line, which will be operating longer trains until 12:30 a.m.
For more information on getting to US Cellular Field on the CTA, visit: http://www.transitchicago.com/riding_cta/popdest/sports.aspx.
Northwestern Football Games
The CTA will provide extra rail service for the upcoming Northwestern Football game at Ryan Field on Saturday, September 24 at 6:30 p.m. Northwestern vs. Nebraska.
For each game, CTA will provide longer trains on the Purple Line beginning approximately two hours before the game. Ryan Field is located a few blocks west of the Purple Line’s Central station in Evanston.
Aahh Fest!
The CTA will provide extra bus and rail service for this weekend’s Aahh Fest! at Union Park on Sunday, September 25 from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Green Line: Longer trains will operate beginning from approximately 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Sunday.
#9 Ashland: Extra service will be provided on the #9 route until approximately one hour after the event ends.
United Center Events
The CTA will operate the #19 United Center Express for customers attending upcoming Blackhawks’ pre-season games at the United Center:
- Wednesday, September 28 at 7:30 p.m. – Chicago Blackhawks vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
- Saturday, October 1 at 7:30 p.m. – Chicago Blackhawks vs. St. Louis Blues
#19 United Center Express buses will leave from Michigan and Randolph beginning at approximately 6 p.m. until approximately one hour after the event ends. Buses will await customers on the north side of the United Center eastbound on Madison near Gate 3.
#50 Damen service is also a good option for customers to access the United Center from the north and south, making connections to the Orange, Pink, Blue and Brown lines. Northbound and southbound #50 buses stop on Damen at Madison. Northbound buses will await customers on Damen at Madison after each event.
Rail Service:
CTA’s Ashland/Lake station, served by the Green and Pink lines, is located a few blocks northeast of the United Center. Customers exiting at the station can transfer to #9 Ashland buses or simply walk a few blocks to the stadium. Customers taking the Blue Line can get to the United Center by exiting at the Illinois Medical District station and walking a few blocks north to the United Center.
Stay in the Loop on CTA service
Plan your trip using the Google Transit Trip Planner. Be sure to also check out CTA on Facebook or Twitter (@CTA) for system travel updates and alerts. For details about all CTA service, call 312-836-7000 or visit the CTA website at transitchicago.com.
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