Chiberia 2015

[NewFlyerMCI]

They did a lot of active bus management tactics in Mayfair today: Saw a 53 short-turn at the Blue Line and later saw an 81 on Elston resetting after short-turning at Pulaski.

Was there a buildup of passengers?

[BusHunter]

I tell you some of these snow mounds are extreme, they are like two feet tall in spots. I feel like I'm playing Cliffhangers on the Price is Right when I board a bus now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWEGNe104To

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

I tell you some of these snow mounds are extreme, they are like two feet tall in spots. I feel like I'm playing Cliffhangers on the Price is Right when I board a bus now...

It's a bit worse out here in Woodstock. Snow drifts are maybe about four feet tall in some places. My school was closed, and I had to reschedule an appointment because I couldn't get from Oak Park to Woodstock in time.

I'm confident my commute back on Metra will be fine though.

[jajuan]

You have good eyes. Also there is an Alt 30 and Ill 1 sign behind it.

But into the late 1960s, most US routes continued through the city. Through Jackson Park and north, they basically followed the boulevard system, with US 20 going up to Wacker Dr. and then west to where it connects with Lake St. now. Alt 30 went up the Calumet [now Bishop Ford] Expressway from US 30 in Lynwood and then west on Roosevelt Road, where it existed until converted to Ill. 38.

US 34 and 66 made it to Michigan Ave. via Ogden and Jackson/Adams. US 54 ran essentially via Vincennes to Michigan Ave. US 14 continued south to Michigan and Jackson (now ends at Bryn Mawr or Foster, depending on the signs on LSD).

Update: I found a 1960 official highway map (click on next to get Chicago on the reverse), which has the city portions of 12 20 as being business routes. I didn't remember how 12 went through the city, but apparently it was north LSD and Foster to Northwest Highway.

In regards to Route 66, I think I remember earlier conversations of this being the reason of seeing "Historic Route 66" signs on Jackson Boulevard downtown and on a few other spots along the remaining one way portion east of Damen.

They did a lot of active bus management tactics in Mayfair today: Saw a 53 short-turn at the Blue Line and later saw an 81 on Elston resetting after short-turning at Pulaski.

I think some of this probably explains why I didn't run into the 30-45 minute waits BusHunter mentioned was prevalent I had to use the #9 and #22 yesterday work during some of the worst periods of the storm. I watched BusTracker closely when going on my outgoing and return trips home as well as gave myself plenty of cushion time just in case since buses were obviously going to move along the streets slowly for safety reasons. And thankfully my waits between transfers were no more than 10 minutes. But I did notice there were long stretches moving along Ashland where no buses in the opposite direction were encountered. And at one point last night, the Tracker showed no northbound buses on the #22 between downtown at about Dearborn/Madison and at least Foster.

[BusHunter]

It's a bit worse out here in Woodstock. Snow drifts are maybe about four feet tall in some places. My school was closed, and I had to reschedule an appointment because I couldn't get from Oak Park to Woodstock in time.

I'm confident my commute back on Metra will be fine though.

I know out on Golf Rd by Pace headquarters the plow trucks will stack that snow high. It's so high you can see over the cars and have to step down into the bus and that was the last big storm when they had high floors. I hate to see what it looks like now.

[BusHunter]

In regards to Route 66, I think I remember earlier conversations of this being the reason of seeing "Historic Route 66" signs on Jackson Boulevard downtown and on a few other spots along the remaining one way portion east of Damen.

I think some of this probably explains why I didn't run into the 30-45 minute waits BusHunter mentioned was prevalent I had to use the #9 and #22 yesterday work during some of the worst periods of the storm. I watched BusTracker closely when going on my outgoing and return trips home as well as gave myself plenty of cushion time just in case since buses were obviously going to move along the streets slowly for safety reasons. And thankfully my waits between transfers were no more than 10 minutes. But I did notice there were long stretches moving along Ashland where no buses in the opposite direction were encountered. And at one point last night, the Tracker showed no northbound buses on the #22 between downtown at about Dearborn/Madison and at least Foster.

The rush today was dicey on the #9. #8004 and #8005 paired up going NB and left it's follower with #6689 in the dust. She ended up 35 minutes behind them. Packed bus. She said get on the follower but he raced by not in service but another was behind that. Turns out that not in service bus followed #8004 SB. The #72's were all packed to the doors saw 3 buses in a row like that. Seems like some of service was missing today. I was thinking if there was school today they would've been screwed.

[garmon757]

You have good eyes. Also there is an Alt 30 and Ill 1 sign behind it.

But into the late 1960s, most US routes continued through the city. Through Jackson Park and north, they basically followed the boulevard system, with US 20 going up to Wacker Dr. and then west to where it connects with Lake St. now. Alt 30 went up the Calumet [now Bishop Ford] Expressway from US 30 in Lynwood and then west on Roosevelt Road, where it existed until converted to Ill. 38.

US 34 and 66 made it to Michigan Ave. via Ogden and Jackson/Adams. US 54 ran essentially via Vincennes to Michigan Ave. US 14 continued south to Michigan and Jackson (now ends at Bryn Mawr or Foster, depending on the signs on LSD).

Update: I found a 1960 official highway map (click on next to get Chicago on the reverse), which has the city portions of 12 20 as being business routes. I didn't remember how 12 went through the city, but apparently it was north LSD and Foster to Northwest Highway.

What's very interesting is Michigan Avenue was US-14 and Cermak Road was IL-55 (Why was it removed?). The twisted part about US-12 was that it was supposed to be a freeway between Chicago and Madison, WI but it was killed due the portion between Genoa City and Elkhorn was already being built at the time via the interstate program and the fact that Wisconsin couldn't obtain right-of-way land north of Elkhorn.

[strictures]

I managed to make one round trip on the 22, by watching Bustracker at home & then got lucky returning.

But the driver was a jerk & refused to lower the bus unless someone requested it & then got annoyed when that was done. He also wasn't wearing his number badge. The CTA needs to come up with a way that the bus always lowers when the front door opens. I'm now 65, with arthritic knees & need that done. When I got home I reported him. It was ridiculous watching people far older than me trying to get up or down from the front step that wasn't lowered. When the bus stops on the street, anyone older needs the bus lowered.

Not one stop was able to get to the curb due to the snow piled up by the plows & the fact that while almost all of the businesses had shoveled their sidewalks, none made cuts through the piles to get to the buses.

[Busjack]

In regards to Route 66, I think I remember earlier conversations of this being the reason of seeing "Historic Route 66" signs on Jackson Boulevard downtown and on a few other spots along the remaining one way portion east of Damen....

US 66 was dedesignated nationwide when replaced by interstates. However, someone wanted to bring it back with the Historical markers.

What's very interesting is Michigan Avenue was US-14 and Cermak Road was IL-55 (Why was it removed?)....

I wasn't around then, but the only thing I can figure out from the map is that Butterfield Road west of Oakbrook was Ill 55, and they decided to make all of Butterfield Road Ill 56.

Another strange thing is that Addison St. is Ill. 21-72.

It looks like most state route numbers were cut off at Harlem, although 19 and 64 continue to LSD.Maybe it has something to do with whether the state is responsible for maintenance, although the state does maintain some unnumbered routes (such as Willow Road). But getting it back to buses, the Milwaukee ART solicitation notes that the architect has to work with both IDOT and CDOT, so CDOT must own the right of way of Milwaukee Ave. in the city.