[Speculative] Service Planning beyond 2025 (was: March 25 System Pick)

[artthouwill]

24 minutes ago, Tcmetro said:

The 19 was quietly extended to Michigan/Delaware. 

https://www.transitchicago.com/bus/19/

This is interesting.   First, I thought rhe opening if the Damen Green Line station would have some effect on this service.   But I could see the 19 still being the preferred choice to get to Ogluvie, Union  and Millennium Stations.  When I rode the 19, the bus was empty after Millennium Station, which was the reason why the rourw was truncated to begin with.  I don't know if safety is a factor in extending back to Michigan/Delaware. 

I have walked from the United Center to the IMD Blue Line station * which seems to be a popular choice), but I'm not sure how people feel about walking from the United Center to Damen/Lake.  While the Damen station may be a benefit to the neighborhood,  i think the 19 sticks around until a Pink Line United Center station gets built  

[Busjack]

1 hour ago, artthouwill said:

This is interesting.   First, I thought rhe opening if the Damen Green Line station would have some effect on this service.   But ee the 19 still being the preferred choice to get to Ogluvie, Union  and Millennium Stations. 

I gtuess the only issue is whether Wirtz is willing to pay for it.

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

I’ve been noticing block “22-513” has not been doing its final 22 trip that leaves Harrison at 3:42pm and appears to be doing a 134 trip for several days now. I am noticing that there have been missing PM 134’s nearly every day this pick, so Kedzie appears to be running short on operators.

[$100KBusoperator]

Kedzie definitely is having manpower issues last weekend they had to use Operators from Chicago garage to do the blue line shuttle 

[jajuan]

On 8/28/2025 at 4:32 PM, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

I’ve been noticing block “22-513” has not been doing its final 22 trip that leaves Harrison at 3:42pm and appears to be doing a 134 trip for several days now. I am noticing that there have been missing PM 134’s nearly every day this pick, so Kedzie appears to be running short on operators.

Yeah, that Friday before that, the supervisor monitoring the Jackson/Franklin intersection had instructed a North Park operator who was set to start a 135 trip to operate as a 134 instead to keep the route on schedule.

[renardo870]

Are there any ridership numbers for the 16 bus routes that had service improved to 10 minutes or better and service extended (4/N4, J14, 18, 20, 34, 47, 49, 53, 54, 55, 60, 63, 66/N66, 77, 79, 82, 93, 95, 147 & 157) 

[Sam92]

2 minutes ago, renardo870 said:

Are there any ridership numbers for the 16 bus routes that had service improved to 10 minutes or better and service extended (4/N4, J14, 18, 20, 34, 47, 49, 53, 54, 55, 60, 63, 66/N66, 77, 79, 82, 93, 95, 147 & 157) 

Probably for the first 2 releases but you'll probably only find the impact for Saturday and Sunday. I don't think weekdays split the data by off peak or peak

[renardo870]

According to the 2026 CTA Growth Budget, 20 more bus routes will be added to the Frequency Bus Network to bring the total number to 40 bus routes in the FBN for next year and more bus route extension and expansion will be in store for next year.

Can't wait to see what  bus routes will be selected for the Frequency Bus Network. But to take a guess, I think  Routes 3, 6, 8, 21, 22, 29, 35, 52, 56, 62, 67, 74, 80, 87, 94, 119, 146, 147, 151 and 152. At least half of them will be added for frequent service 10 minutes or better.

[EasyMoney]

1 hour ago, renardo870 said:

According to the 2026 CTA Growth Budget, 20 more bus routes will be added to the Frequency Bus Network to bring the total number to 40 bus routes in the FBN for next year and more bus route extension and expansion will be in store for next year.

Can't wait to see what  bus routes will be selected for the Frequency Bus Network. But to take a guess, I think  Routes 3, 6, 8, 21, 22, 29, 35, 52, 56, 62, 67, 74, 80, 87, 94, 119, 146, 147, 151 and 152. At least half of them will be added for frequent service 10 minutes or better.

They might as well bring back the X3

[Busjack]

1 hour ago, renardo870 said:

According to the 2026 CTA Growth Budget

 

I guess there's a reason why this thread was renamed "speculative." If CTA is scheduled to go off the fiscal cliff in July, and the NITA Act takes effect in June, there won't be money to implement a growth budget until planning authority is turned over to NITA. CTA just proposed a growth budget only because the RTA told it to.