Bus Riders Alerted to Change in 9 Routes: CTA Action Driven By Work on Block 37

By Alexa Aguilar, Chicago Tribune

May 16–Nine CTA bus routes through the Loop will change starting Tuesday to avoid delays created by the lane closures around Block 37, the mixed-use project under construction in the heart of downtown, CTA officials said.

Lanes on Washington, Dearborn and Randolph Streets will be closed during construction.

The CTA bus routes affected are: the No. 14 Jeffery Express; No. 20 Madison; No. X20 Washington/Madison Express; No. 56 Milwaukee; No. 60 Blue Island/26th; No. 124 Navy Pier; No. 127 Madison/Roosevelt Circulator; No. 129 West Loop/South Loop; and No. 157 Streeterville.

Officials said the route changes are expected to continue through fall 2008.

The No. 124 Navy Pier and No. 157 Streeterville buses will turn from Washington to northbound Wacker Drive to Michigan Avenue. The No. 157 will continue northbound on Michigan; the No. 124 Navy Pier will cross Michigan and continue eastbound on South Water Street.

The other seven affected routes will be diverted from Washington at South Wacker then travel eastbound on Monroe Street. Four new eastbound stops will be established for the routes along Monroe: at Monroe and Franklin Street; Monroe and LaSalle Street; Monroe and Dearborn; and Monroe and Wabash Avenue.

To accommodate the extra traffic on Wacker, six stops will be added: northbound at Wacker and Randolph; eastbound at Wacker and Wells Street; eastbound at Wacker and LaSalle; eastbound at Wacker and Dearborn; westbound at Wacker and Clark Street; and westbound at Wacker and Wells.

In the morning, the No. 129 West Loop/South Loop will operate northbound on Dearborn, then travel westbound on Wacker, continuing to Randolph, where it will resume its normal route.

In the afternoon, that route will operate from Washington to South Wacker, then travel east on Monroe to Clark, where it will continue south.

The southbound CTA bus stop at State Street and Washington in front of Hotel Burnham will be relocated to State and Randolph in front of the Borders bookstore. The northbound bus stop at Dearborn and Randolph will be removed.

Customers can access information on the route changes at the CTA’s Web site, www.transitchicago.com.

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Copyright (c) 2007, Chicago Tribune

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