Red Line South Reconstruction Bus Changes

[Busjack]

...And on a sidenote, I'm pretty sure it's in an article on the home page, but an article mentions that they plan on using 200 buses to help out (for supplementary service on other routes?). I'll find it and post later.

The number always given was 100. Again, by a strange coincidence, bus 4399 was reported sighted last week.

Unless they are counting every bus on 3, 4, 6, 14, etc. as now on this service, they don't have the equipment.

This is #journalism?

Also, if they are using Metra, I guess they do prefer $4.25 over free. Or maybe a $121.00 monthly.

[jajuan]

Looks like Bushunter and I were right about both 77th and 103rd. He called it on 77th and I figured both. I think he called it on 74th doing R69.

Also on the N9 owl variation Mr CTA announces the route as "Route N9 Ashland to 95th Station." The actual destination has not changed though. Still shows displays as "N9 ASHLAND VIA 95" flip "N9 TO RED LINE"'

*****Edited post to correct a couple of typos made on my smartphone*******

[BusHunter]

What time of day did you make these observations?

About 3PM, one mistake the south side riders might make is to go around the shuttles. I was surprised how smooth it was running yesterday. I don't think CTA is adding buses to the other routes (that aren't shuttles) If a crowd of people uses the #J14 for instance they might run into overcrowding, but that would affect the #J14 riders up the street south of 67th more than anyone.

[BusHunter]

Looks like Bushunter and I were right about both 77th and 103rd. He called it on 77th and I figured both. I think he called it on 74th doing R69.

Also on the N9 owl variation Mr CTA announces the route as "Route N9 to 95th Station." The actual destination has not changed though. Still shows displays as "N9 Ashland VIA 95" flip "N9 TO RED LINE"'

Looks like I was right (in a way) about the #4300's being used for the shuttles. I was wondering why Kedzie got just 15 #4300's. To do the #R22. So I was right, even though it wasn't what I expected. The question is how is the #R69 doing today if it's not using artics? I'll be back over there today.

[BusHunter]

The number always given was 100. Again, by a strange coincidence, bus 4399 was reported sighted last week.

Unless they are counting every bus on 3, 4, 6, 14, etc. as now on this service, they don't have the equipment.

This is #journalism?

I believe the last #4300's are at 103rd, just not in service yet.

[trainman8119]

"As news have stated while I was walking out, a lot of people have used Metra as an alternate which probabaly is a reason for the lower crowds."

If they were, I didn't see them. Nobody on the platforms south of 63rd except lonely Metra bosses, and the locals through there were running normal. From the talk, there was little, if any, CTA traffic on the Electric this morning.

Also, I noticed that the 71 is going to Garfield not 69th. Seemed that there were wider gaps in service than what I normally see there mid morning.

[artthouwill]

The 35th bus is still stopping st the Dan Ryan Red Line station and picking up passengers there even though the station is closed. I don't if some passengers are RI transfers or if the 39 is still routed to the Red Line station and passengers are transferring between the two routes. Before this project began, that was not unusual.

[jajuan]

The 35th bus is still stopping st the Dan Ryan Red Line station and picking up passengers there even though the station is closed. I don't if some passengers are RI transfers or if the 39 is still routed to the Red Line station and passengers are transferring between the two routes. Before this project began, that was not unusual.

No on the 39. It, 43, 51, and 59 are not doing their route diversions to the Dan Ryan Red Line stations. They're keeping straight in both directions on their respective streets until the project is over in October. Only the 75 is still diverting to a Dan Ryan station, and I think that's so it can connect to the R79 at 79th/Dan Ryan. Since there are no R routes between Cermak and 63rd, CTA apparently sees no reason to divert the other routes that usually turn to connect to a Dan Ryan station.

[CircleSeven]

You know what day I'm really worried about? Ten weeks from now, on the beginning of the second half or the duration of the Red Line Shutdown.

August 10 is the day of the Bud Billiken Parade and where the parade disbands at (west of Garfield & King Drive) is basically the same vicinity where all those shuttle buses come in and go out off at Garfield. And it will certainly won't help in any other stations north of 55th because Buses can't turn around before you get to King Drive, because that will no doubt be closed throughout the parade.

I would love to see where those shuttle buses will be going because Garfield will be a congested mess, come August 10.

[renardo870]

I think the parade disbands in the park so I believe all of the shuttles will come in and out just fine. There is a cut in the median @ Calumet so the buses can turn into the terminal. The buses crossing King Drive #15, #43, #47 and #55 will have the normal reroutes/splits and the #3 will run Nb on Indiana and Sb on Michigan from 31st to 59th.

[CircleSeven]

I think the parade disbands in the park so I believe all of the shuttles will come in and out just fine. There is a cut in the median @ Calumet so the buses can turn into the terminal. The buses crossing King Drive #15, #43, #47 and #55 will have the normal reroutes/splits and the #3 will run Nb on Indiana and Sb on Michigan from 31st to 59th.

The years I've been to the parade, many of the floats & school buses would be lining up and parked on Garfield, west of King Drive, past the light. After the floats/entries crosses 51st, they go into Payne Drive and then turn right going west to Garfield. That's where they disband at. The real problem is going to be those pedestrians when the Parade ends.

[Busjack]

I think the parade disbands in the park so I believe all of the shuttles will come in and out just fine. There is a cut in the median @ Calumet so the buses can turn into the terminal. The buses crossing King Drive #15, #43, #47 and #55 will have the normal reroutes/splits and the #3 will run Nb on Indiana and Sb on Michigan from 31st to 59th.

The E-W bus routes get disrupted in any event, and I bet there will be sufficient traffic cops.