Ashland Extension to new northern terminal?

[TaylorTank1229]

  On 8/26/2024 at 2:15 AM, Busjack said:

The Advance Timetable link was for all changed routes.  The 9 webpage was and still is correct. What's on street corners, I don't know.

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If you mean the bus stops signs, they’re still the same & haven’t been changed yet to reflect the new routing.

[jajuan]

  On 8/26/2024 at 2:15 AM, Busjack said:

The Advance Timetable link was for all changed routes.  The 9 webpage was and still is correct. What's on street corners, I don't know.

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The bus stop I waited this afternoon is still one that says to Clark/Belle Plaine. So they're good on that front for now. Don't know if actual destination signs are updated yet since the one northbound bus I saw, bus 8051, had a broken sign that's stuck on 11 Lincoln to Foster and a paper sign on the windshield with 9 Ashland on it.

[TaylorTank1229]

  On 8/26/2024 at 7:41 PM, jajuan said:

The bus stop I waited this afternoon is still one that says to Clark/Belle Plaine. So they're good on that front for now. Don't know if actual destination signs are updated yet since the one northbound bus I saw, bus 8051, had a broken sign that's stuck on 11 Lincoln to Foster and a paper sign on the windshield with 9 Ashland on it.

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They are. The destination signs as well as the route/destination announcements say “To Ravenswood Metra Station”.

[jajuan]

  On 8/26/2024 at 8:24 PM, TaylorTank1229 said:

They are. The destination signs as well as the route/destination announcements say “To Ravenswood Metra Station”.

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As I suspected. Of course that couldn't be helped given that the original plan was to implement the extension yesterday along with the other Fall pick updates. So obviously the update in signs and announcements had to come with other fall run updates.

[NewFlyerMCI]

  On 8/16/2024 at 12:21 AM, TaylorTank1229 said:

According to Alderman Martin (via email), the service date for the #9 Ashland bus extension  has been delayed an additional week to Tuesday, September 3th in order for the CDOT to conduct road work in some areas along the extension route.

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I saw some folks grumbling about this; it might've also been helpful to mention that concrete bus pads are apparently also going in.

Slightly related, the city & CTA should probably consider some sort of informational campaign about why this kind of work is necessary (although I can understand being annoyed that it wasn't completed prior to the start date), especially since I'm sure folks often think the city = CTA and vice versa

[jajuan]

So apparently CTA has recycled old destination codes for the extension. For the second day in a row I'm seeing northbound buses flashing "11 to Foster" signs. Matter of fact, they're signs for the 11 Lincoln/Sedgwick from when CTA experimented with running the 11 south of the Western Brown Line again.

[TaylorTank1229]

  On 8/27/2024 at 3:20 AM, NewFlyerMCI said:

I saw some folks grumbling about this; it might've also been helpful to mention that concrete bus pads are apparently also going in.

Slightly related, the city & CTA should probably consider some sort of informational campaign about why this kind of work is necessary (although I can understand being annoyed that it wasn't completed prior to the start date), especially since I'm sure folks often think the city = CTA and vice versa

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Seem like the concrete pads and well as the road work is something they could’ve take care of weeks beforehand, if you ask me, instead of waiting this late.

[YoungBusLover]

  On 8/27/2024 at 7:43 PM, jajuan said:

So apparently CTA has recycled old destination codes for the extension. For the second day in a row I'm seeing northbound buses flashing "11 to Foster" signs. Matter of fact, they're signs for the 11 Lincoln/Sedgwick from when CTA experimented with running the 11 south of the Western Brown Line again.

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It was a sight to see yesterday morning that's for sure. 😅 

[Sam92]

  On 8/27/2024 at 8:35 PM, TaylorTank1229 said:

Seem like the concrete pads and well as the road work is something they could’ve take care of weeks beforehand, if you ask me, instead of waiting this late.

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  On 8/28/2024 at 10:31 PM, YoungBusLover said:

It was a sight to see yesterday morning that's for sure. 😅 

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You'd think by now they'd learn to clear old codes knowing they tend to reuse them by now 🥴🥴

[Busjack]

  On 8/29/2024 at 12:18 AM, Sam92 said:

 

You'd think by now they'd learn to clear old codes knowing they tend to reuse them by now 🥴🥴

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Besides, it's a new bus that should have never had that reading.

[TaylorTank1229]

  On 8/28/2024 at 10:31 PM, YoungBusLover said:

It was a sight to see yesterday morning that's for sure. 😅 

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Not surprised, that happened last year when the 84 started going to Thorndale. Some of them would say “145 - MICHIGAN EXP; to WILSON”. 😅

 

Also there was a woman today who was waiting at SW corner of Lawrence and Ashland waiting for the bus. The bus driver for the EB #81 there asked “What bus are you waiting for?” and she said “the #9 Ashland”. And crazy enough, this old married couple waiting at future #9 layover spot at Ravenswood Metra, and it doesn’t seem like the CDOT hasn’t started it road work there. This is why putting a few notices at bus stops along Ashland and it new upcoming stops to inform themselves of the start date is probably is important & why waiting till the last minute to get preparations done is not advised.

[jajuan]

  On 8/29/2024 at 1:06 AM, Busjack said:

Besides, it's a new bus that should have never had that reading.

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Crazy part is that the glitch up when I've seen it here and there has mainly been with Nova buses, both 7900s and 8350s. I haven't yet see any 1000s with that reading.

  On 8/29/2024 at 2:19 AM, TaylorTank1229 said:

Not surprised, that happened last year when the 84 started going to Thorndale. Some of them would say “145 - MICHIGAN EXP; to WILSON”. 😅

 

Also there was a woman today who was waiting at SW corner of Lawrence and Ashland waiting for the bus. The bus driver for the EB #81 there asked “What bus are you waiting for?” and she said “the #9 Ashland”. And crazy enough, this old married couple waiting at future #9 layover spot at Ravenswood Metra, and it doesn’t seem like the CDOT hasn’t started it road work there. This is why putting a few notices at bus stops along Ashland and it new upcoming stops to inform themselves of the start date is probably is important & why waiting till the last minute to get preparations done is not advised.

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Yes notices on bus stops would have helped. Not everyone is familiar with the option CTA provides to get direct updates on specific routes. Nor are there as many who get information from Block Club Chicago, where a lot of us in the forum first heard about the extension. The local alderman of the area has been touting it with constituents, but the only traditional local media outlet I saw mention it was the Chicago Sun-Times. 

On the road work front, the way I understood it the vast majority of the work had to do with Ashland itself along the extension and entailed creating bulbouts at intersections to place the new bus stops so that buses wouldn't need to maneuver out of and back into the travel lane to meet the curb. At the layover spot, it seemed the major concern there was removal of enough parking spaces to make room for the buses to have their layovers.

[Busjack]

  On 8/29/2024 at 12:45 PM, jajuan said:

Crazy part is that the glitch up when I've seen it here and there has mainly been with Nova buses, both 7900s and 8350s. I haven't yet see any 1000s with that reading.

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Would depend, though, whether they are the original Novas with Luminator signs (which 1000s also have), or the newer ones with Hanover signs (as pictured). IIRC, the first buses with Hanover signs were 700s, and it seems like #11 Lincoln Sedgwick was canceled at the same time (2012). Why CTA would load a 12-year old file is beyond me.

[Sam92]

  On 8/29/2024 at 1:06 AM, Busjack said:

Besides, it's a new bus that should have never had that reading.

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  On 8/29/2024 at 2:00 PM, Busjack said:

Would depend, though, whether they are the original Novas with Luminator signs (which 1000s also have), or the newer ones with Hanover signs (as pictured). IIRC, the first buses with Hanover signs were 700s, and it seems like #11 Lincoln Sedgwick was canceled at the same time (2012). Why CTA would load a 12-year old file is beyond me.

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If the code isn't erased any bus could pull it up. I've seen 4300s with 145 readings lol

[jajuan]

  On 8/29/2024 at 2:00 PM, Busjack said:

Would depend, though, whether they are the original Novas with Luminator signs (which 1000s also have), or the newer ones with Hanover signs (as pictured). IIRC, the first buses with Hanover signs were 700s, and it seems like #11 Lincoln Sedgwick was canceled at the same time (2012). Why CTA would load a 12-year old file is beyond me.

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It's been both Nova sets, the original 7900s set with Luminators and the 8350s set with the Hanovers. 8051 is a main culprit which was the first I visually spotted earlier this week. There were a couple of others out of 74th's original Novas that I spotted but couldn't get a clear view because each time I was spotting them in traffic from another vehicle traveling the opposite direction, and an SUV or commercial truck was always blocking the fleet number. @YoungBusLover's picture shows that at least one 8350 has this glitch. It seems it's like in prior times. It's a random glitch that makes certain individual buses, regardless of model or type of destination signs, show readings from the past. The vast majority of buses show '9 TO RAVENSWOOD METRA STATION'. 

[Busjack]

  On 8/29/2024 at 3:09 PM, Sam92 said:

 

If the code isn't erased any bus could pull it up. I've seen 4300s with 145 readings lol

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But if it is a fresh file, it should have pulled up to Ravenswood, as  @jajuan says others do.

[YoungBusLover]

As far as codes are concerned the CTA updates the signage every 6 - 12 months and very often they will reuse old codes from discontinued routes so in theory any bus can pull up the code if it is indeed available. You'd be surprised with how much old stuff hasn't been replaced yet.

[artthouwill]

  On 8/30/2024 at 2:11 PM, YoungBusLover said:

As far as codes are concerned the CTA updates the signage every 6 - 12 months and very often they will reuse old codes from discontinued routes so in theory any bus can pull up the code if it is indeed available. You'd be surprised with how much old stuff hasn't been replaced yet.

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So are the updates supposed to be downloaded on every individual bus?  

[Sam92]

  On 8/30/2024 at 2:51 PM, artthouwill said:

So are the updates supposed to be downloaded on every individual bus?  

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They used to go in every bus and plug in a card. Now every bus revives updates wirelessly when parked for the day. 

[TaylorTank1229]

  On 8/29/2024 at 12:45 PM, jajuan said:

Crazy part is that the glitch up when I've seen it here and there has mainly been with Nova buses, both 7900s and 8350s. I haven't yet see any 1000s with that reading.

Yes notices on bus stops would have helped. Not everyone is familiar with the option CTA provides to get direct updates on specific routes. Nor are there as many who get information from Block Club Chicago, where a lot of us in the forum first heard about the extension. The local alderman of the area has been touting it with constituents, but the only traditional local media outlet I saw mention it was the Chicago Sun-Times. 

On the road work front, the way I understood it the vast majority of the work had to do with Ashland itself along the extension and entailed creating bulbouts at intersections to place the new bus stops so that buses wouldn't need to maneuver out of and back into the travel lane to meet the curb. At the layover spot, it seemed the major concern there was removal of enough parking spaces to make room for the buses to have their layovers.

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Well as far I’ve seen currently, people are still parking in the upcoming layover spot. Just think the city would’ve put a notice by there saying that cars will not be permitted to park here at said effective date, or something like that. Unless they planning to do so the upcoming holiday weekend, you think when the extension starts people will still be putting their cars there?

  On 8/30/2024 at 2:11 PM, YoungBusLover said:

As far as codes are concerned the CTA updates the signage every 6 - 12 months and very often they will reuse old codes from discontinued routes so in theory any bus can pull up the code if it is indeed available. You'd be surprised with how much old stuff hasn't been replaced yet.

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Wow, they still have the codes for routes like #25 & #27? Codes that old!? And the #169… I assume it used to terminate at the Halsted Green Line station at one point before going to 69th Red Line?

[Sam92]

  On 8/30/2024 at 3:52 PM, TaylorTank1229 said:

Well as far I’ve seen currently, people are still parking in the upcoming layover spot. Just think the city would’ve put a notice by there saying that cars will not be permitted to park here at said effective date, or something like that. Unless they planning to do so the upcoming holiday weekend, you think when the extension starts people will still be putting their cars there?

Wow, they still have the codes for routes like #25 & #27? Codes that old!? And the #169… I assume it used to terminate at the Halsted Green Line station at one point before going to 69th Red Line?

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169 to 63rd/Halsted was a detour from the Dan Ryan shutdown to still connect with the red line same with 8A

[TaylorTank1229]

  On 8/30/2024 at 4:06 PM, Sam92 said:

169 to 63rd/Halsted was a detour from the Dan Ryan shutdown to still connect with the red line same with 8A

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On yeah, that’s right. When the Red Line Southbound Construction project was happening and Red Trains were ending at Ashland/63rd.

[Sam92]

New Novas on J14 show up as J14 Jeffery Express 🤣🤣

[YoungBusLover]

  On 8/30/2024 at 2:51 PM, artthouwill said:

So are the updates supposed to be downloaded on every individual bus?  

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Yes, the software update takes a while for every singal bus to receive depending on the garage they're at. Hence why alot of 103rd's #8350s still display the old centered signage. Any bus that has been oos for let's say anytime before the left aligned update will also take a while to recieve it.

 

  On 8/30/2024 at 3:15 PM, Sam92 said:

They used to go in every bus and plug in a card. Now every bus revives updates wirelessly when parked for the day. 

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That is correct.

[Busjack]

  On 8/30/2024 at 5:05 PM, Sam92 said:

New Novas on J14 show up as J14 Jeffery Express 🤣🤣

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That's very inconsistent, historically speaking. Either it was 14 Jeffrey Express or J14 Jeffery Jump.

Only thing I conclude is that CTA doesn't have proofreaders.