Return of the 11 & 31 Bus

[sw4400]

I'm going to park this here for now, barring official word..... but there was some report on WBBM 780 that the #11 Lincoln Bus is going to be restored!!! If so, that's a Christmas present to me, whether it be this year or in 2016!!! I'll try to see if I can find a story or press release to link to.

I don't see any links anywhere, so it's just hearsay over the airwaves. Stay tuned!!!

***Possible Restoration Of #11 Lincoln between Fullerton and Western may be in the works***

[jesi2282]

#31 31st as well...

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20151118/lincoln-square/no-11-bus-on-lincoln-avenue-is-coming-back-cta-announces

[MarioM]

DNAinfo is reporting that both the 11 and the 31 are being restored in the spring of 2016.

 

The No. 11 Bus On Lincoln Avenue Is Coming Back, CTA Announces

 

Edited to add:  Sorry, jessi2282 beat me to it.

Edited November 18, 2015 by MarioM

[Busjack]

Somehow Carter got someone to turn up the power on Peterson's hearing aid. I guess Claypool's job is now to assure a teachers' strike, but at least there is a change of policy at CTA.

The DNAInfo article indicates that they haven't figured out yet what goals the trials are supposed to meet,

[BusHunter]

Yeah, if they can justify saturday service on the #39, (I only saw 3 riders between Red and Orange lines) the #11 surely has more riders than that. The #31 I don't know, it was kind of weak when it was in service before. You would think the #41 might have a small chance to return as well, at least the south part of it. Those areas have seen an explosion of retail since the 90's, especially along Clybourn at North. Even up to Fullerton is respectable, plus it would give some red line riders options, if their train fails or overcrowds. There's also Target on Division, which wasn't there before.

[Busjack]

...You would think the #41 might have a small chance to return as well, at least the south part of it.....

That seems to depend on whether CTA can get a match for the JARC grant. While stating that 11 "does not need additional budgetary resources," they didn't say what the source of funds was (ICE?).

[BusHunter]

When the #31 ran before, I believe it was on a 30 minute interval. I rode that route long ago in the 90's when it ran to the Orange line, most of the ridership seemed to be within Halsted and the Orange line. It will probably do as good as a #39 or better. I don't know if many IIT riders will ride it. What would help it is to run it through 35th/red and green lines. That might get it enough riders for it to stick around. Back then I believe it ran to Mercy hospital and they had Reese hospital which is now gone. Maybe it could pick up a few riders along King Drive and Cottage Grove. If they route it as a feeder to the "L" both ways it might do better than expected.

[Busjack]

...Back then I believe it ran to Mercy hospital and they had Reese hospital which is now gone....

When they did the study for 35 on 31st St west of Kedzie, one issue seemed to be whether the area east of the Dan Ryan was sufficiently redeveloped to support ridership. IIRC, they basically punted the issue by saying there were enough northbound buses east of the Red Line.

Given how other routes that didn't use to feed into the Red Line now do, if reinstated,this probably feeds into 35th.

[BusHunter]

When they did the study for 35 on 31st St west of Kedzie, one issue seemed to be whether the area east of the Dan Ryan was sufficiently redeveloped to support ridership. IIRC, they basically punted the issue by saying there were enough northbound buses east of the Red Line.

Given how other routes that didn't use to feed into the Red Line now do, if reinstated,this probably feeds into 35th.

I would just run it down 35th from Wentworth to State and let it have a stop for Green line at 35th/state on the corner. It would have the same stop as #35 and #39 does for the Red line as well. One issue would be how does a wb bus serve the red line being that Wentworth only goes south, west of the expressway there. There might be a drive for the White Sox over there to assist in parking, perhaps they could use that. I suppose they could just do 31st/wentworth/35/wentworth back to 31st, but that kills the green line transfer.   

Edited November 19, 2015 by BusHunter

[jajuan]

Well at least they are using the thinking I said made sense in response to improving south side bus service, and that's at least do a test trial to see what works and go from there instead of always being so stuck on saying a cut from half or a full decade or more says it's justified to leave that cut in place. Different development projects has things changing too much to stay that keep a cut going mentality. Like BH said if some form of weekend service can come back and stay in place on 39, routes that had higher ridership becomes a higher possibility to revisit. Heck we didn't even think X9 and X49 were possible just a few months ago.

[ChicagoNova]

When the #31 ran before, I believe it was on a 30 minute interval. I rode that route long ago in the 90's when it ran to the Orange line, most of the ridership seemed to be within Halsted and the Orange line. It will probably do as good as a #39 or better. I don't know if many IIT riders will ride it. What would help it is to run it through 35th/red and green lines. That might get it enough riders for it to stick around. Back then I believe it ran to Mercy hospital and they had Reese hospital which is now gone. Maybe it could pick up a few riders along King Drive and Cottage Grove. If they route it as a feeder to the "L" both ways it might do better than expected.

It was actually once an hour.

[BusHunter]

It was actually once an hour.

Really?? No CTA bus has an interval like that unless your talking #X98 or possibly #X99.

[TaylorTank1229]

Really?? No CTA bus has an interval like that unless your talking #X98 or possibly #X99.

Actually..

[garmon757]

Actually..

Look at you coming in the clutch! Where have you been??? 

[Juniorz]

I don't know about the return of the 31, the 35 serves all area's the 31 serves, i don't know why the cta doesn't make the 31st street portion east of the Orange Line as a branch  of the 35, operate it on low frequencies (give it 35 to 45 minute intervals), that way it can concentrate on the high level 35 while also catering to the customers that desire to have the 31 back. I know that might not should feasible or even logical for the cta, but at least give it a notion. 

Edited November 20, 2015 by Juniorz

[strictures]

The CTA also ran the 155A on 30 minute headways in the 1970s & it flopped

I just don't trust them with the 11. I'm assuming that those at 567 that wanted it gone will figure out ways to make a mess out of it.

[Busjack]

I don't know about the return of the 31, the 35 serves all area's the 31 serves, i don't know why the cta doesn't make the 31st street portion east of the Orange Line as a branch  of the 35, operate it on low frequencies (give it 35 to 45 minute intervals), that way it can concentrate on the high level 35 while also catering to the customers that desire to have the 31 back. I know that might not should feasible or even logical for the cta, but at least give it a notion. 

Basically this gets down to either you are cutting 35 service east of Ashland (including Sox Park) or getting into the problem noted in the report on the 35 extension that you would have duplicate service between California and Ashland on 35th, Archer, or both. Maybe you were picking up on the once an hour point and thought cutting  one bus wasn't that much, but with intervals of 12-20 minutes, that's still one out of 3 or 5 buses cut east of Ashland. Just put one bus between Archer and King Dr. and see if it works.

The CTA also ran the 155A on 30 minute headways in the 1970s & it flopped

I just don't trust them with the 11. I'm assuming that those at 567 that wanted it gone will figure out ways to make a mess out of it.

On the once an hour point during the rush hour, that probably depends on whether that satisfies community demand for "a bus."

Depends on how much stock you can put in "'I can't speak to the process that occurred four years ago,' Carter said" and "'The board members spent a lot of time working with us,' said Pawar. 'It's a real change in the relationship.'" Remember what I said earlier about Claypool putting the collar on the Northwestern Transportation Institute, and Peterson lying about listening. Maybe Emanuel meant it about "I could have listened better," or with all the problems he now has, just wants Pawar off his back. The unanswered question, of course, is what is the source of the "test cases" fund.

[ChicagoNova]

Really?? No CTA bus has an interval like that unless your talking #X98 or possibly #X99.

Oh I remember looking at a map that had 31 31st on it. It said "Every 60 minutes (once an hour) during the times shown above.

[Busjack]

Sun-Times article has one explanation, that Ald. Patrick [Daley] Thompson, 11th was in on the coalition. Somehow, I don't see that mentioned in DNAInfo.

[geneking7320]

What will CTA do at the east end of route 31?

Presently it would be difficult for a 40ft bus to navigate 29th Place and Vernon Ave because of local parking.

OTOH, maybe that can be used as a wedge to get the city to reopen the streets closed by the Reese demolition.

[BusHunter]

Actually..

You shocked me!!

[Busjack]

What will CTA do at the east end of route 31?

 

Presently it would be difficult for a 40ft bus to navigate 29th Place and Vernon Ave because of local parking.

OTOH, maybe that can be used as a wedge to get the city to reopen the streets closed by the Reese demolition.

Probably no point to that, as Reese isn't there to be served.

However, the following in the Sun-Times appears to provide the summer answer:

"In Bridgeport, that included a 31st Street bus’ ability to link the area to the 31st Street beach and its new amenities, Thompson noted."

Probably, other than that, only goes to King Dr., unless there is some reason to go to Mercy Hospital.

[jajuan]

Probably no point to that, as Reese isn't there to be served.

However, the following in the Sun-Times appears to provide the summer answer:

"In Bridgeport, that included a 31st Street bus’ ability to link the area to the 31st Street beach and its new amenities, Thompson noted."

Probably, other than that, only goes to King Dr., unless there is some reason to go to Mercy Hospital.

And depending on what service interval CTA decides to go with and if weekend service is included in the test restoration, the question becomes how might it affect beach service on the #35.

Edited November 21, 2015 by jajuan

[artthouwill]

I could be wrong but any CTA route  with daytime intervals of once an hour will probably fail.

I envision a test of this route from the Orange Line to the Lake or McCormick area,  If somehow that proves successful, then perhaps CTA would consider linking the 31st street portion of route 35 to the new 31 and let 35th be a  stand alone route.

[artthouwill]

My question concerning the 11 is this, where will the south terminal be?  Will it terminate at Clark/Wisconsin?  Will we see another 11/37 combo?  Will the 11 be routed into downtown along the Mag Mile?