[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.

[pudgym29]

22 hours ago, EasyMoney said:

They might as well bring back the X3

And the X54, which would help me a lot when returning from a trip. It the charging apparatus was installed in a lane at Jefferson Park, the route could be served by battery electric vehicles.

[renardo870]

On 6/13/2025 at 9:30 PM, YoungBusLover said:

Well one thing is for sure and two things are for certain, I do not approve of 77th getting the #39 back from Kedzie. 😂😂😂😂

Is the Kedzie supplemental 77 Belmont service from Belmont/Kimball to Halsted or Sheridan weekdays only?

Are the proposed changes still a go for 75 to 79th/Western, 81W E River Rd routing daily and 93 to Logan Square Blue Line for the Winter 2025 pick?

[Elkmn]

4 minutes ago, renardo870 said:

Is the Kedzie supplemental 77 Belmont service from Belmont/Kimball to Halsted or Sheridan weekdays only?

The supplemental Kedzie service on 77 is from the 156, which only runs on weekdays, so yes, it is weekday only.

[renardo870]

On 11/3/2025 at 6:14 PM, pudgym29 said:

And the X54, which would help me a lot when returning from a trip. It the charging apparatus was installed in a lane at Jefferson Park, the route could be served by battery electric vehicles.

I always felt that the X3 AM/PM Rush, X54 and X80 should be reinstated and X9 and X49 should run midday. 54/X54 should be extended to Jefferson Park Blue Line Bus Terminal. 

[renardo870]

8 minutes ago, Elkmn said:

The supplemental Kedzie service on 77 is from the 156, which only runs on weekdays, so yes, it is weekday only.

So is it just a PM supplement. I would've thought it would supplement the AM for 134/143/156.

151 service from Kedzie is still reduced, correct?

[renardo870]

Now that the 2025 Transit Bill has been passed, will CTA take a look at restoring owl bus service 🦉🚍 that was discontinued years ago? With the full restoration of the N4 and N66 Owl services and extension of the N53 to the Orange Line, it's definitely time to restore partial or full overnight service. It should be generally owl service every mile and should be able to connect or terminate to a L Station.

[Elkmn]

37 minutes ago, renardo870 said:

 

151 service from Kedzie is still reduced, correct?

I believe that the only K trips on the 151 run from Belmont/Halsted, so yes, very much so.

[Sam92]

On 11/15/2025 at 8:55 AM, Elkmn said:

The supplemental Kedzie service on 77 is from the 156, which only runs on weekdays, so yes, it is weekday only.

 

On 11/15/2025 at 9:09 AM, renardo870 said:

So is it just a PM supplement. I would've thought it would supplement the AM for 134/143/156.

151 service from Kedzie is still reduced, correct?

These came from 134, 143, 165 in the PM. There was one or 2 in the AM that cta mentioned along with the afternoon trips when this started these but AM runs from K have been a thing on and off since the 2010 cuts. I know one that became a 134 or 156, but it started further west than Kimball so it didn't work 82 like these do. 

On 11/15/2025 at 9:48 AM, Elkmn said:

I believe that the only K trips on the 151 run from Belmont/Halsted, so yes, very much so.

K runs on 151 are reduced to Peak SB AM rush, peak NB PM rush. No more midday Belmont-Halsted runs except the 2 weird ones on the weekend*. 

*I don't know if this is still planned but CTA wants to get rid of the weekend K trips possibly. 

[Sam92]

On 11/15/2025 at 9:48 AM, Elkmn said:

I believe that the only K trips on the 151 run from Belmont/Halsted, so yes, very much so.

 

On 11/15/2025 at 9:09 AM, renardo870 said:

So is it just a PM supplement. I would've thought it would supplement the AM for 134/143/156.

151 service from Kedzie is still reduced, correct?

Wild fact. Chicago had to pick up some of 77 for a brief time after Archer closed.

[Mr.NewFlyer1279]

31 minutes ago, Sam92 said:

These came from 134, 143, 165 in the PM. There was one or 2 in the AM that cta mentioned along with the afternoon trips when this started these but AM runs from K have been a thing on and off since the 2010 cuts. I know one that became a 134 or 156, but it started further west than Kimball so it didn't work 82 like these do. 

all the kedzie help that’s on 77 goes to 156 in the AM (2 buses) and in the PM 2 come off the 156 and work 77 to kimball and pull in from there

[TaylorTank1229]

Does anyone know when the winter pick officially go into effect?

[Elkmn]

Most likely, it's on the 21st

[Sam92]

13 hours ago, TaylorTank1229 said:

Does anyone know when the winter pick officially go into effect?

 

12 hours ago, Elkmn said:

Most likely, it's on the 21st

Like end of December 

[Mr.NewFlyer1279]

13 hours ago, TaylorTank1229 said:

Does anyone know when the winter pick officially go into effect?

December 21st

[MetroShadow]

On 11/15/2025 at 7:30 AM, renardo870 said:

Now that the 2025 Transit Bill has been passed, will CTA take a look at restoring owl bus service 🦉🚍 that was discontinued years ago? With the full restoration of the N4 and N66 Owl services and extension of the N53 to the Orange Line, it's definitely time to restore partial or full overnight service. It should be generally owl service every mile and should be able to connect or terminate to a L Station.

Moved to the speculation topic.

I believe at some point in 2026 they'll look at what Owl service needs to be provided. Seeing that N201 was discontinued back in 2012, and Orange will have 24/7 service, there should be a second look at what can be rationalized to connect.