More Bus Moves

[Busjack]

4 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

Well if the gas prices are frozen because a Ta buys in bulk at a frozen rate then no that wouldn't be good. But contracts can be broken.

But that gets back to 2009 that CTA kept reporting that it was under budget for diesel fuel at $4.50/gallon, even though the prevailing price then was about $3.20, because CTA messed up on the hedges. No, contracts can't be broken without paying damages, but one hopes CTA straightened out its contracting methods after that experience, such as by including a price index clause.

[BusHunter]

Yeah but the penalty probably outweighs  the loss.

[BusHunter]

So i wonder what's the plan now that they intend to close the Adams bridge over the Chicago River?  They can't go down Canal the wrong way as there's no way to go south from Washington to the Union Station terminal. They claim the temp terminal is going to be somewhere else. They could have really used that Union Station bus terminal they are building now. You know if they setup cones they could have actually made Canal a two way street temporarily, (bus only SB) as it doesn't have that much traffic. Patch in a few traffic lights, problem solved. If the Adams bridge is to be a year long project, it might be possible the Union Station terminal will be done first anyway. So we may have seen the last of the turnaround on Canal.  

[Busjack]

1 hour ago, BusHunter said:

So i wonder what's the plan now that they intend to close the Adams bridge over the Chicago River? 

There are posted alerts that the buses go via Wacker and Van Buren.

[BusHunter]

The terminal is on Canal south of Jackson?

[jajuan]

3 hours ago, BusHunter said:

The terminal is on Canal south of Jackson?

No. Not necessarily. Temporary reroute notices give say trips end for 1, 28 and 151 at Upper Wacker/Adams. 1 and 28 both begin the other direction at the Jackson and Riverside stop while 151 begins at Van Buren/Canal. This is the first time in years though that WB 7 and 126 buses have operated via Wacker and Van Buren between Adams/Wacker and Clinton/Van Buren.

[busfan2847]

7 hours ago, BusHunter said:

So i wonder what's the plan now that they intend to close the Adams bridge over the Chicago River?  They can't go down Canal the wrong way as there's no way to go south from Washington to the Union Station terminal. They claim the temp terminal is going to be somewhere else. They could have really used that Union Station bus terminal they are building now. You know if they setup cones they could have actually made Canal a two way street temporarily, (bus only SB) as it doesn't have that much traffic. Patch in a few traffic lights, problem solved. If the Adams bridge is to be a year long project, it might be possible the Union Station terminal will be done first anyway. So we may have seen the last of the turnaround on Canal.  

The pamphlet on the cta website does in fact confirm that the 1, 28 and 151 will not be returning to the contraflow on Canal between Adams and Jackson.

"SB stop on Canal between Adams & Jackson (in contraflow lane) permanently eliminated"

[jajuan]

37 minutes ago, busfan2847 said:

The pamphlet on the cta website does in fact confirm that the 1, 28 and 151 will not be returning to the contraflow on Canal between Adams and Jackson.

"SB stop on Canal between Adams & Jackson (in contraflow lane) permanently eliminated"

Well that would make sense that that's the case given this project is slated to be finished early next year, while the Union Station Transit Center is supposed to be completed later this year. So by the time Adams reopens those three routes should already be turning around in the off-street terminal of the Transit Center.

[BusHunter]

1 hour ago, jajuan said:

Well that would make sense that that's the case given this project is slated to be finished early next year, while the Union Station Transit Center is supposed to be completed later this year. So by the time Adams reopens those three routes should already be turning around in the off-street terminal of the Transit Center.

It's too bad they didn't time the Adams bridge for next year. it would be no problem just going down Clinton to the Transit center. So if the #121 traditionally turns off Wacker on to Adams, it will now just end at Adams/Wacker. So what then it's riders teleport across the bridge or they walk around the block? It might just make sense to terminate those at Wacker/Jackson or just run those around the block to Jackson/Canal. I 'm still wondering where the #151, #28's, #1's layover? On Wacker? Regardless though this is really going to screw up EB/WB traffic. I think everyone will flock to the #60/#124/#157/#125 buses as they are the only buses that are outside Union Station now. Who wants to walk a block to catch a bus when there's one right there. Maybe I'll head over there tomorrow and see what's going on.

[Busjack]

27 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

. I think everyone will flock to the #60/#124/#157/#125 buses as they are the only buses that are outside Union Station now.

The question then becomes whether a rider wants to end up on the Loop Link when they want to be around Jackson. EB, Jackson is still open, so it is more of an issue if one is going WB to Union Station.

[artthouwill]

13 hours ago, BusHunter said:

It's too bad they didn't time the Adams bridge for next year. it would be no problem just going down Clinton to the Transit center. So if the #121 traditionally turns off Wacker on to Adams, it will now just end at Adams/Wacker. So what then it's riders teleport across the bridge or they walk around the block? It might just make sense to terminate those at Wacker/Jackson or just run those around the block to Jackson/Canal. I 'm still wondering where the #151, #28's, #1's layover? On Wacker? Regardless though this is really going to screw up EB/WB traffic. I think everyone will flock to the #60/#124/#157/#125 buses as they are the only buses that are outside Union Station now. Who wants to walk a block to catch a bus when there's one right there. Maybe I'll head over there tomorrow and see what's going on.

I don't think that there's much of an issue.   There's an existing exit right at Jackson and Riverside Plaza to catch buses EB on Jackson.  In the evening it is a very short walk from Jackson and Wacker to that Riverside Plaza entrance. 

[BusHunter]

37 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

I don't think that there's much of an issue.   There's an existing exit right at Jackson and Riverside Plaza to catch buses EB on Jackson.  In the evening it is a very short walk from Jackson and Wacker to that Riverside Plaza entrance. 

We shall see but it's my experience that when riders are inconvienced they go elsewhere. Ridership for instance on Addison around this Narragansett reroute has really fallen off and I'm finding riders on the #90 that were once #152 riders. Some days I'm on the bus by myself and two or three straight days I was one of three. Riders are savvy, they will find what works best and use it. 

[jajuan]

Well also keep in mind that not all riders to Union Station are starting their trips from another downtown location. Some may in fact be starting from a point outside downtown that's served by or near the respective route coming from outside downtown. So you just may have #1, #28 and #151 riders who just suck it up and do the one block walk. Plus the #121 does exactly what you suggest BH and loops around the block via Wacker, Van Buren, Canal over to Jackson/Riverside. So beyond that, I agree with Busjack that it is more an issue of how much more of a hindrance and inconvenience it is for various riders coming WB through that vicinity.

[BusHunter]

I finally got over to Jackson/Wacker to see what's up. The buses all seem to be terminating there, and like Jajuan stated they are continuing west on Van Buren, but the layover seems to be on Wacker. I saw a #1 turn off Adams go down to Jackson and then turn left and go east so I don't know if they are supposed to stop at Union station at all or Riverside/Jackson but some are skipping that stop.

I walked over to Union station to discover the jersey barriers on Canal have all been removed and Canal is wide open. Adams is still open to pedestrians across the bridge so they are still using it. #121's are alighting at Adams/Wacker. They have totally removed the traffic lights at Adams/Canal for Adams, so it's kind of freaky to cross there, plus the sb light at Jackson/Canal has been covered except for the Red light.

The Union station terminal construction is progressing, they have the steel dividers up dividing the bus lanes and islands. Looks like they have chairs along the islands but it's hard to see it good.

[busfan2847]

16 hours ago, BusHunter said:

I finally got over to Jackson/Wacker to see what's up. The buses all seem to be terminating there, and like Jajuan stated they are continuing west on Van Buren, but the layover seems to be on Wacker. I saw a #1 turn off Adams go down to Jackson and then turn left and go east so I don't know if they are supposed to stop at Union station at all or Riverside/Jackson but some are skipping that stop.

 

1 an 28 are supposed to start at Jackson / Chicago River going south; terminate at Adams / Upper Wacker northbound

7, 126 and 156 are going Adams, Upper Wacker, Van Buren.

151 starts at Canal / Van Buren going north and ends at Adams/ Upper Wacker going south.

121 Southbound goes Upper Wacker, Van Buren, Jefferson and Jackson to Canal. Additional stop on Upper Wacker/ Adams for Union Station but I guess you can catch it all the way round!

Pedestrian Access across the Adams St bridge will be maintained except for two 30-day periods during the life of the project which are planned to nbe in the summer.

[Mr.cta85]

1106 has wandered over to 103rd currently on the 103 ironically ??. That's 77th bus tho right??

[garmon757]

4 hours ago, Mr.cta85 said:

1106 has wandered over to 103rd currently on the 103 ironically ??. That's 77th bus tho right??

That's correct. 

[ajm522]

1937 is on the #12 but it may just be a Chicago Garage supplement, will keep an eye on it.

[jajuan]

10 hours ago, ajm522 said:

1937 is on the #12 but it may just be a Chicago Garage supplement, will keep an eye on it.

It was a Chicago Garage AM rush trip. Bus had a C sticker and Chicago garage code at the beginning of its run number. Chicago has sent 40 foot standards out on the 12 along with artics for months now at least. You just happened to witness a rare occasion where the 40 was a NF standard and not a Chicago assigned Nova Smart Bus. 

[BusHunter]

Hmm why do we have artics on the #152 at 7PM.?

[garmon757]

3 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Hmm why do we have artics on the #152 at 7PM.?

Hey, be grateful it wasn't a damn Optima!!!  

[BusHunter]

9 hours ago, garmon757 said:

Hey, be grateful it wasn't a damn Optima!!!  

I've seen those on the #152 too.

[sw4400]

18 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Hmm why do we have artics on the #152 at 7PM.?

My speculation is it was a very late school runner for Lane Tech and Gordon Tech. I usually see them parked around Artesian WB around and after 3p. This one might've started late(maybe closer to 4p), maybe ran into heavy traffic out to Cumberland, got to the end point late and returned EB in traffic too, resulting it being seen on Addison around 7p. From there, the bus probably turned into a #22, #146*, #147*, or just deadheaded back to North Park.

*= If there is still service on the routes at this time.

[BusHunter]

1 minute ago, sw4400 said:

My speculation is it was a very late school runner for Lane Tech and Gordon Tech. I usually see them parked around Artesian WB around and after 3p. This one might've started late(maybe closer to 4p), maybe ran into heavy traffic out to Cumberland, got to the end point late and returned EB in traffic too, resulting it being seen on Addison around 7p. From there, the bus probably turned into a #22, #146*, #147*, or just deadheaded back to North Park.

*= If there is still service on the routes at this time.

Usually buses go east around 4PM, so this is like 3 hours late. I thought at first it might be a Wrigley event, but then I remembered Wrigley is all tore up. If the operator's bus died (#4346) why would he run it out as the rush hour is over. He went in service to LSD, not Kedzie which mean't he probably wasn't pulling in. I can't explain what happened though, I guess it will remain a mystery!! 

[sw4400]

Just now, BusHunter said:

Usually buses go east around 4PM, so this is like 3 hours late. I thought at first it might be a Wrigley event, but then I remembered Wrigley is all tore up. If the operator's bus died (#4346) why would he run it out as the rush hour is over. He went in service to LSD, not Kedzie which mean't he probably wasn't pulling in. I can't explain what happened though, I guess it will remain a mystery!! 

Another Unsolved CTA Mystery.....