Fall 2026 Pick & Service Changes

[Busjack]

3 hours ago, Rhys Pate said:

Likely, the 49B will take the bus stop at Howard Station that the 201 currently uses (between the 97 and the 213).

Since Howard is still served by 97 and 215 (and 206 peak), and 201 is only 1/2 mile on Howard between Ridge and Paulina, I still think the 49B terminal is being moved because the Birchwood turnaround doesn't have room for both 49B and X49. I agree that this works with 49B taking 201's slot.

[Rhys Pate]

1 hour ago, Busjack said:

Since Howard is still served by 97 and 215 (and 206 peak), and 201 is only 1/2 mile on Howard between Ridge and Paulina, I still think the 49B terminal is being moved because the Birchwood turnaround doesn't have room for both 49B and X49. I agree that this works with 49B taking 201's slot.

Not enough room at Western/Birchwood is another potential reason for the 49B extension. Also, this will give better access to Western Avenue from Howard Station (and better access to the Red, Yellow, and Purple Lines from Western Avenue). The above is in addition to the 49B replacing the 201 on Howard Street, so that Howard Street does not lose service.

Additionally, in 2026, as listed in a previous post on this thread, the 206 will have an expansion of its service hours, which will also cover Howard Street (for the loss of the 201 on Howard Street), in addition to the 49B extension.

[Rhys Pate]

Is the CTA planning to combine the 54, the 54A, and the 54B into 1 route (Chicago and Forest Glen changes for 2027)?

[Busjack]

20 minutes ago, Rhys Pate said:

Is the CTA planning to combine the 54, the 54A, and the 54B into 1 route (Chicago and Forest Glen changes for 2027)?

No. It looks like 54A will become whatever Pace does under NITA oversight of ReVision, and 54B is discontinued, with Pace 379, 383, 384, and 385 picking up the slack south of Midway (look at the Ford City Closed topic). Only  CTA plan posted here is 54 and X54 from the north side to Midway.

[Rhys Pate]

6 minutes ago, Busjack said:

No. It looks like 54A will become whatever Pace does under NITA oversight of ReVision, and 54B is discontinued, with Pace 379, 383, 384, and 385 picking up the slack soyj of Midway (look at the Ford City closed topic). Only published CTA plan is 54 and X54 from the north side to Midway.

So almost all of the 54A (Montrose to Skokie Courthouse) as well as a portion of the 54B (Midway to Ford City) will taken over by Pace? That makes sense. Like 49A/349 on Western and to 205/213 on Chicago Avenue in Evanston.

[Elkmn]

Hopefully this new pace 54A (254) has better service! Apparently, in the "medieval ages", cta used to run weekday rush trips and pace did off peak weekdays and all of saturdays. 

[Busjack]

15 minutes ago, Elkmn said:

Hopefully this new pace 54A (254) has better service! Apparently, in the "medieval ages", cta used to run weekday rush trips and pace did off peak weekdays and all of saturdays. 

At least 20-30 years ago, Pace did only Saturday. At a restructuring hearing, the Pace consultant said they were cutting 254 because "you don't provide better service on Saturday than during the week." Another anomaly of the time was that Pace continued running 204 Dodge on Saturday even after CTA extended 93.

I think you confused this with 17/317, which ran on that pattern until CTA cut 17. 

[sht6131]

Noticed the fall 6 AM NB and the 3 PM SB school trips on the 82 did not appear as there was not a schedule change at all, What happened?

[Rhys Pate]

19 hours ago, Busjack said:

No. It looks like 54A will become whatever Pace does under NITA oversight of ReVision, and 54B is discontinued, with Pace 379, 383, 384, and 385 picking up the slack south of Midway (look at the Ford City Closed topic). Only  CTA plan posted here is 54 and X54 from the north side to Midway.

With the elimination of the 54A, the 206 will be the only Forest Glen route in the Evanston/Skokie area. Should the 206 be reassigned to North Park?

[Busjack]

5 minutes ago, Rhys Pate said:

With the elimination of the 54A, the 206 will be the only Forest Glen route in the Evanston/Skokie area. Should the 206 be reassigned to North Park?

One might think so, but since I've seen trips starting at Central/Crawford,it probably doesn't make any difference.

[Rhys Pate]

7 minutes ago, Busjack said:

One might think so, but since I've seen trips starting at Central/Crawford,it probably doesn't make any difference.

It doesn’t make a difference (coming from Forest Glen or North Park). You’re right.

[MetroShadow]

22 minutes ago, mail666 said:

I wish they could give route 68 to Pace and incorporate it into a route 290 for example. 

Perhaps this might be brought up in the appropriate topic.

[Rhys Pate]

Due to the extension to Jefferson Park Transit Center, should the 57 be reassigned to Forest Glen?

[Elkmn]

12 hours ago, sht6131 said:

Noticed the fall 6 AM NB and the 3 PM SB school trips on the 82 did not appear as there was not a schedule change at all, What happened?

The 3pms from northside may or may not exist from anecdotal experience. All the streets in that area are really messed up right now so they might've just cancelled the trips until kimball reopens.

 

6 hours ago, Rhys Pate said:

Due to the extension to Jefferson Park Transit Center, should the 57 be reassigned to Forest Glen?

Didn't they have to cut 90s for frequent 81? I imagine the 57 will still be a Chicago route.

[Sam92]

13 hours ago, Rhys Pate said:

Due to the extension to Jefferson Park Transit Center, should the 57 be reassigned to Forest Glen?

All boils down to work balance. Chicago taking on more of the FBN compared to FG could be an incentive to.

[Mr.NewFlyer1279]

15 hours ago, Rhys Pate said:

Due to the extension to Jefferson Park Transit Center, should the 57 be reassigned to Forest Glen?

for right now that route will stay with Chicago, operations might change over to Forest Glen soon. 

[Rhys Pate]

4 hours ago, Mr.NewFlyer1279 said:

for right now that route will stay with Chicago, operations might change over to Forest Glen soon. 

Is it also possible for the 57 to be jointly operated by Chicago and Forest Glen (like how the 49 is jointly operated by 74th and North Park)?

[TaylorTank1229]

1 hour ago, Rhys Pate said:

Is it also possible for the 57 to be jointly operated by Chicago and Forest Glen (like how the 49 is jointly operated by 74th and North Park)?

I was gonna bring that up too. 49 is still mainly operated by 74th but it still shares buses from the north end with North Park.

I could see the possibility of the same situation if 57 becomes a heavier route. Still primarily operated by Chicago but shared with Forest Glen to pick up extra slack.

Also, anyone has any word on what the southern terminus point of 57 will be during the extension? It was said it would be extended south of Lexington, unless they chose to keep its terminating point at the Blue Line on Cicero. If it extended south, I think it could either end at 54th/Cermak Pink Line. Or potentially 24th/Cicero, especially if the 54 is gonna be extended to Midway Airport next year. Could serve to end there in place of the 54.

[Busjack]

3 minutes ago, TaylorTank1229 said:

If it extended south, I think it could either end at 54th/Cermak Pink Line.

I believe the posted document said 54th/Pink Line, although some posters saidthat overlapped Pace 316 too much.

[Mr.NewFlyer1279]

39 minutes ago, Busjack said:

I believe the posted document said 54th/Pink Line, although some posters saidthat overlapped Pace 316 too much.

i believe the new southern terminal will be 54th, i’ll ask around but they are also extending the 91 Austin to 54th sometime in 2027 and that’ll overlap the 315 from lake to cermak so we shall see what the top shots downtown decide to do

[TaylorTank1229]

58 minutes ago, Mr.NewFlyer1279 said:

i believe the new southern terminal will be 54th, i’ll ask around but they are also extending the 91 Austin to 54th sometime in 2027 and that’ll overlap the 315 from lake to cermak so we shall see what the top shots downtown decide to do

Think it would still serve the Blue Line at Cicero or just stay on Laramie?

 

I still don’t believe the 91 needs to be extended south of Roosevelt. You already have 315 running more frequently service between the Green Line and Midway Airport. And you have enough service with 21 & 322 on Cermak if you going east. 
 

If anything, 85 could’ve potentially had that extension. It is closer to the Pink Line at Cermak.

[Mr.NewFlyer1279]

13 minutes ago, TaylorTank1229 said:

 

I still don’t believe the 91 needs to be extended south of Roosevelt. You already have 315 running more frequently service between the Green Line and Midway Airport. And you have enough service with 21 & 322 on Cermak if you going east

i believe the only reason they are focusing on the 91 and not 85 is because they don’t want it to sit outside of a apartment building and going down mason allegedly due to safety concerns 

[sht6131]

18 hours ago, Elkmn said:

The 3pms from northside may or may not exist from anecdotal experience. All the streets in that area are really messed up right now so they might've just cancelled the trips until kimball reopens.

 

Didn't they have to cut 90s for frequent 81? I imagine the 57 will still be a Chicago route.

Just confused as the 6 AM NB school trips were in existence for many years out of K. Last year it was out of NP. Believe it served 2 high schools up north.

Also regarding the 72. CTA web site still shows June 7 summer schedule indicating beach service when in fact buses are going to Clark the regular terminal.

[TaylorTank1229]

I also noticed the 35 has later service to/from 24th Place & Cicero now, about more than an hour later from it previous times.

https://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/6/bus-tt_35.pdf

 

[sht6131]

15 hours ago, sht6131 said:

Just confused as the 6 AM NB school trips were in existence for many years out of K. Last year it was out of NP. Believe it served 2 high schools up north.

Also regarding the 72. CTA web site still shows June 7 summer schedule indicating beach service when in fact buses are going to Clark the regular terminal.

82 schedules now appear with AM and PM school trips out of NP