Pulse - Harlem Ave

[Tcmetro]

Pace has added a map of proposed stops to the Harlem Pulse Line webpage. 

https://www.pacebus.com/project/pulse-harlem-line

[Busjack]

17 minutes ago, Tcmetro said:

Pace has added a map of proposed stops to the Harlem Pulse Line webpage. 

https://www.pacebus.com/project/pulse-harlem-line

 

Two interesting things I noted:

• The original study started at North Ave., but on this map, north of the Green Line is marked "Alternate Stop" and "Alternate Alignment." Combined with the CTA document on extending 90, is this an indication that Pace is generally going to abandon north of the Green Line?  As it is, only about half of the 307 weekday trips go to Grand (schedule).
• The prior study was for the Central Harlem Corridor, so I guess it was not going to Tinley Park.  But the terminal at the SW Division  garage is curious. Maybe the explanation is that it is the only connection to Pulse-95th. But is it an indication that SW will operate it?

[artthouwill]

12 hours ago, Tcmetro said:

Pace has added a map of proposed stops to the Harlem Pulse Line webpage. 

https://www.pacebus.com/project/pulse-harlem-line

I think the Green Line works for a northern terminal for Harlem Pulse.  I would hope the 407 would still terminate every other trip at Grand/Nordica, especially if Pace realigns 318 away from the Harlem Green Line and Forest Park Blue Line stations.  Maybe CTA should consider extending 90 to Forest Park Blue Line via Harlem,  Madison,  and Desplaines. 

 

While @Busjack's idea of Pulse Harlem operating out of SW seems plausible,  even great, the 307 should probably remain st W

  While that might sound odd, remember SW operates 381 while S. operates the neatly identical 395 UPS route. Yes 395 operates only a few trips and there's the question of whether Pace would want to split Harlem Ave operations.

 

My question is has Harlem Pulse taken priority over Cermsk Pulse?

[Busjack]

24 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

Maybe CTA should consider extending 90 to Forest Park Blue Line via Harlem,  Madison,  and Desplaines. 

 

The CTA Planning document so stating is what started the discussion about 318.

26 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

 

My question is has Harlem Pulse taken priority over Cermsk Pulse?

That's not clear, one way or the other, but both are behind Halsted and 95th. But I guess it doesn't. Also, personally, I think that Harlem is a tougher nut to crack, because of all the congested, narrow portions, including in Oak Park, Berwyn, and what's now called Little Palestine. It may be a glorified skip-stop service, but it never opens up like Dempster once it leaves Evanston.

[artthouwill]

4 minutes ago, Busjack said:

The CTA Planning document so stating is what started the discussion about 318.

That's not clear, one way or the other, but both are behind Halsted and 95th. But I guess it doesn't. Also, personally, I think that Harlem is a tougher nut to crack, because of all the congested, narrow portions, including in Oak Park, Berwyn, and what's now called Little Palestine. It may be a glorified skip-stop service, but it never opens up like Dempster once it leaves Evanston.

The main traffic issue is directly connected to the Eisenhower Expressway.  That is a chokepoint where something you can sit through 2 or 3 cycles of traffic lights to turn on or off the expressway.  This is despite Harlem having 2 travel lanes in each direction between North Ave and Cermak.  Between Cermak and 31st, it's 3 in each direction. There  it goes back to 2.  You obviously have another chokepoint at the Metra/BNSF tracks.  I think Harlem south of the Stevenson is no picnic either. Especially through Bridgeview.  I

[Busjack]

22 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

The main traffic issue is directly connected to the Eisenhower Expressway.  That is a chokepoint where something you can sit through 2 or 3 cycles of traffic lights to turn on or off the expressway. 

Hasn't IDOT talked about fixing that for about 10 years? The whole Eisenhower mess has become so protracted that it looks (from the solicitation) that CTA is moving on with the Blue Line rehab, in part, without IDOT.

[Busjack]

On 7/14/2026 at 4:49 PM, artthouwill said:

My question is has Harlem Pulse taken priority over Cermsk Pulse?

Turns out there is an answer starting here in the July meeting video. The Harlem planning process just started, and the sequence is Halsted (2028-9), 95th   (same), Cermak (2029-2030), and Harlem (2030-32).