56 Milwaukee

[cta_44499_FG]

Just an opinionated topic...

What do you people think about the 56 Milwaukee route. From driving and riding it, it seems to be a basket case. Constant stopping and going, always crowded, unavoidable lines after lines of traffic causing major delays in service. A true basket case indeed.

I've also wondered why the route was cut from going to Navy Pier?

Any insights?

[jajuan]

Just an opinionated topic...

What do you people think about the 56 Milwaukee route. From driving and riding it, it seems to be a basket case. Constant stopping and going, always crowded, unavoidable lines after lines of traffic causing major delays in service. A true basket case indeed.

I've also wondered why the route was cut from going to Navy Pier?

Any insights?

The 56 suffers from the constant stopping and crowds due to the nature of how Milwaukee Avenue itself is setup. It's a fairly narrow street that's had a big increase in car traffic due to the recent and continued development along that corridor. As for the cutback in service to Navy Pier, service was cut back when the 124 was developed into its current configuration. Because the 124's normal routing is the same as the former 56 service to Navy Pier east of Ogilvie station, CTA rightly saw that it would have been duplication of service, and in their eyes the remaining numbers on the 56 wouldn't justify continuing that route to Navy Pier.

[Busjack]

Two throw in two other thoughts:

• Local traffic should be on the Blue Line, rather than the bus.
  
• Any route on an angle street like Milwaukee is a problem, with all the 6 way traffic signals. Lincoln is worse.
  

[BusHunter]

Just an opinionated topic...

What do you people think about the 56 Milwaukee route. From driving and riding it, it seems to be a basket case. Constant stopping and going, always crowded, unavoidable lines after lines of traffic causing major delays in service. A true basket case indeed.

I've also wondered why the route was cut from going to Navy Pier?

Any insights?

The #56 seems equal to or actually a little less crowded than Belmont. That street is a riot. If you don't have a pile of people getting on at the red line you have them at the blue. Then you stop at nearly every stop, even at the west end. I once observed someone stopping at every stop from Harlem to Cumberland. I'm not kidding. At least you seem to get alot of help. So many buses in the rush just one after another 5 - 10 minutes apart. The issue on the #56 to me is more a traffic issue than a customer issue. Just driving in your car is aggravating on Milwaukee. That's a street that needs BRT, but many would argue it's too close to the blue line plus it would just be too difficult to make reality.

[Northsider]

My experiences on the #56 have never been pleasant. Milwaukee is a narrow street with lots of intersections and lots of traffic. Sometimes I wait for 40 minutes with no bus, so I walk 3 blocks to the Blue Line. I'll always take the Blue Line now instead, even if it means walking further. It's just one of those routes...I wish the Blue Line service from Jeff Park to UIC was upped a bit outside of the rush period...the bus really is a disaster most of the time.

[trainman8119]

Two throw in two other thoughts:

• Local traffic should be on the Blue Line, rather than the bus.
  
• Any route on an angle street like Milwaukee is a problem, with all the 6 way traffic signals. Lincoln is worse.
  

I agree on your second point, but am a bit confused on the first. Why would one take the L on a local trip instead of the bus. That is why the bus is there. If you are going someplace where the L is more feasible, such as Logan Square-Damen (or Jeff Park), for example (like where there are stations), then you are correct.

[Buslover88]

I agree on your second point, but am a bit confused on the first. Why would one take the L on a local trip instead of the bus. That is why the bus is there.

I agree with you here.

[Busjack]

You folks caught me with a goof. Should have said thru trips should be on the Blue Line.

In a similar vein, there were a couple of people debating on CTA Tattler whether Clark should be broken up, such as the north end being a feeder to Belmont, and the south end being a short turn of the 36, essentially. I might be able to see the point, since Clark is also a narrow and very crowded street, but with at least 50 years history of the present route, I don't think the passengers would go for it.

[qwantae]

Two throw in two other thoughts:

• Local traffic should be on the Blue Line, rather than the bus.
  
• Any route on an angle street like Milwaukee is a problem, with all the 6 way traffic signals. Lincoln is worse.
  

Dont forget Stony Island/ South Chicago/79th intersection together, everytime I pass there I see an accident Friday/ saturday nights.

[CircleSeven]

Dont forget Stony Island/ South Chicago/79th intersection together, everytime I pass there I see an accident Friday/ saturday nights.

I rarely see any traffic tie-ups, but that is the dangerous intersection in all of Chicago. The only thing that I really see that cause the most tie-ups whenever folks go to White Castle on Friday & Saturday Nights. That's like one of the busiest in the entire South Side. You can easily count how many cars go down the drive thru and the cars parked on their parking lot. Many of those drivers would drive exceedingly fast when they leave the Castle drive-thru towards 79th or South Chicago.

At other times folks be driving so fast, like Stony & South Chicago is like the Bishop Ford Speedway (I mean) Freeway. LOL.

[qwantae]

At other times folks be driving so fast, like Stony & South Chicago is like the Bishop Ford Speedway (I mean) Freeway. LOL.

Most folks be using South Chicago as a "Speedway" to go to Indiana near Horseshoe Casino mostly to get cheap gas and smokes.