My day at the Jefferson Park Terminal (August 31, 2007)

[Buslover88]

I just thought that some of you would like to hear about my day at the Jefferson Park Terminal earlier today and some very interesting things with buses took place. Well, first of all, as many of you would know, I went to photograph buses because of course i'm a fan of buses and because it'll be a very long time before I can photograph buses again (since school starts on September 4). I had a great time watching all the buses with my sister, but there are a few things I noticed:

1) There were ALOT of Optimas out (counted at least 4 on route #81W, 1 on #68, 2 on #56A and 1 on #88)

2) Almost every NOVA I saw today was an 6700 (FG NOVAs anyway)

3) Two 6000s had to be towed back to the garage because they broke down at the terminal

4) On the subject of bus bunching: on #56 Milwaukee around 4pm, there were at least 6 northbound buses pulling into the terminal following each other. One bus, #67XX, had wall to wall passengers. The one following it, #68XX, was somewhat crowded. The thrid one was nearly empty, and the other 3 following it were empty. Can anybody tell me what happened? I know there's a festival just east of the terminal until Tuesday, but it shouldn't have been that bad. I bet after 4pm it was just downright awful for commuters, but other than that, I had no problems.

[BusExpert32]

I've never seen bus bunching that bad on the 56 Milwaukee at any point of the route. But how could the "Taste of Polonia Festival" just east of the terminal be the cause of this.

I was wondering if you posted your pictures, and if you did on which website can they be found.

[Buslover88]

I've never seen bus bunching that bad on the 56 Milwaukee at any point of the route. But how could the "Taste of Polonia Festival" just east of the terminal be the cause of this.

I was wondering if you posted your pictures, and if you did on which website can they be found.

Unfortunely, I didn't get to take pictures of the buses (they went by too fast), but if you want, you can go to my profile and the link to my website is there.

[BusExpert32]

Unfortunely, I didn't get to take pictures of the buses (they went by too fast), but if you want, you can go to my profile and the link to my website is there.

That's too bad. I've been to your website though, ctabuses.bravehost.com, you've got some pretty good recent pictures of buses there. By the way, when is your website having its next update?

[Buslover88]

That's too bad. I've been to your website though, ctabuses.bravehost.com, you've got some pretty good recent pictures of buses there. By the way, when is your website having its next update?

I should be updating today or tomorrow :D

[RIPTA42]

Can anybody tell me what happened? I know there's a festival just east of the terminal until Tuesday, but it shouldn't have been that bad. I bet after 4pm it was just downright awful for commuters, but other than that, I had no problems.

The Taste of Polonia is on Lawrence, so I doubt it would affect buses on Milwaukee Avenue (unless there was extremely heavy passenger loading by people who didn't want to walk the block and a half to the Blue Line). I'm guessing the cause was traffic on Milwaukee Avenue, which is bad enough when it isn't the Friday afternoon before a holiday weekend.

[BusExpert32]

The Taste of Polonia is on Lawrence, so I doubt it would affect buses on Milwaukee Avenue (unless there was extremely heavy passenger loading by people who didn't want to walk the block and a half to the Blue Line). I'm guessing the cause was traffic on Milwaukee Avenue, which is bad enough when it isn't the Friday afternoon before a holiday weekend.

Traffic from Milwaukee and Lawrence to the south terminal at Jefferson Park could not have caused this kind of extreme bus bunching (6 buses on 56 Milwaukee). It's too short of a distance.

[cta_44499_FG]

Traffic from Milwaukee and Lawrence to the south terminal at Jefferson Park could not have caused this kind of extreme bus bunching (6 buses on 56 Milwaukee). It's too short of a distance.

I challenge you go take a ride on Milwaukee from downtown ALL the way to Jefferson Park, you tell me how long it takes you. Observe the following on Milwaukee Avenue all the way through:

1- Street loaded with bicycles

2- ABSOLUTELY slow traffic, stopping and going

3- people walking in the street outside of crosswalks

4- reroute, you have to ride it southbound to the south terminal at Wabash to see that.

5- DOWNTOWN in general

6- Better yet....do it on a FRIDAY

7- Six corners at Irving Park and Cicero (BOTH directions) and the final stretch from Sunnyside to the terminal.

Let me put it to you this way...the last time I worked 56 Milwaukee on a Friday after one round trip my Clever Device indicated 96 minutes late, when I arrived at Jeff Park I should of already been at downtown comming back the second time...and it was only the first time. And there were three busses following me. If you've seen spare busses there a lot, they're there for that very same reason...so that the reliefs can leave on time...ONLY to get screwed too

See for yourself if you don't believe it...

[BusExpert32]

I challenge you go take a ride on Milwaukee from downtown ALL the way to Jefferson Park, you tell me how long it takes you. Observe the following on Milwaukee Avenue all the way through:

1- Street loaded with bicycles

2- ABSOLUTELY slow traffic, stopping and going

3- people walking in the street outside of crosswalks

4- reroute, you have to ride it southbound to the south terminal at Wabash to see that.

5- DOWNTOWN in general

6- Better yet....do it on a FRIDAY

7- Six corners at Irving Park and Cicero (BOTH directions) and the final stretch from Sunnyside to the terminal.

Let me put it to you this way...the last time I worked 56 Milwaukee on a Friday after one round trip my Clever Device indicated 96 minutes late, when I arrived at Jeff Park I should of already been at downtown comming back the second time...and it was only the first time. And there were three busses following me. If you've seen spare busses there a lot, they're there for that very same reason...so that the reliefs can leave on time...ONLY to get screwed too

See for yourself if you don't believe it...

I was only talking about the traffic between Lawrence and Milwaukee and the south terminal (because someone mentioned the "Taste of Polonia" Festival being the cause of this but it is at Lawrence only), not about all the commotion that goes on between Jefferson Park and Downtown. I already knew about all those things. I ride on the 56 Milwaukee to get to some of the Polish neighborhoods south of Jefferson Park mainly to Logan Square most of the time. The people (mainly Poles and Latinos) walk out on to the middle of the street to cross and don't even look either way for oncoming cars and buses, practically ignoring crosswalks and other traffic signs (this is by the way the soul cause of a few deaths in the past years in the Avondale neighborhood). Also, the traffic at six corners is just like you said, slow moving or not moving at all for minutes. Bottom line: I understand why there were six buses bunched up on the 56 Milwaukee at Jefferson Park that day, but I do not agree that any festivals or other events caused this.

[cta_44499_FG]

I was only talking about the traffic between Lawrence and Milwaukee and the south terminal (because someone mentioned the "Taste of Polonia" Festival being the cause of this but it is at Lawrence only), not about all the commotion that goes on between Jefferson Park and Downtown. I already knew about all those things. I ride on the 56 Milwaukee to get to some of the Polish neighborhoods south of Jefferson Park mainly to Logan Square most of the time. The people (mainly Poles and Latinos) walk out on to the middle of the street to cross and don't even look either way for oncoming cars and buses, practically ignoring crosswalks and other traffic signs (this is by the way the soul cause of a few deaths in the past years in the Avondale neighborhood). Also, the traffic at six corners is just like you said, slow moving or not moving at all for minutes. Bottom line: I understand why there were six buses bunched up on the 56 Milwaukee at Jefferson Park that day, but I do not agree that any festivals or other events caused this.

my apologies, i wasn't aiming to accuse of misunderstaning but underlining the causes to the few people (mainly the passengers who know nothing about it) that don't grasp such a concept.

[amartin1982]

I've never seen bus bunching that bad on the 56 Milwaukee at any point of the route. But how could the "Taste of Polonia Festival" just east of the terminal be the cause of this.

I was wondering if you posted your pictures, and if you did on which website can they be found.

Hope you enjoyed eating Polish foods at Taste of Polonia Festival.

[BusExpert32]

Hope you enjoyed eating Polish foods at Taste of Polonia Festival.

Thanks, I had a great time. B)

[BusExpert32]

my apologies, i wasn't aiming to accuse of misunderstaning but underlining the causes to the few people (mainly the passengers who know nothing about it) that don't grasp such a concept.

It's OK, an apology wasn'y really needed here since you said nothing wrong or offending. Also, I am a passenger of the CTA (and the #56 Milwaukee), but I do grasp the concept of the reason for bus bunching, especially on the 56.