Main CTA routes

[Danielsmusic]

So, what is considered the main North Side N-S route? 151? 22? 36?

What about the main South Side N-S route? 3? 4?

Main West Side N-S route? 49?

[Busjack]

So, what is considered the main North Side N-S route? 151? 22? 36?

What about the main South Side N-S route? 3? 4?

Main West Side N-S route? 49?

There doesn't seem to be any official designation. So, you can have your own opinion.

The only official designation is between the primary and secondary system. As previously noted, the primary system is what survived the 97 cutbacks without being affected much. Also, if owl service enters into the calculation, 22 would be over 36, and 4 over 3.

[Buslover88]

According to the CTA, #79 79th is the main route of the entire system.

In my opinion, #151 Sheridan is the main route of the north side, #79 79th of the southside, #12 Roosevelt of the west side and #147 Outer Drive Express in Downtown.

[Danielsmusic]

According to the CTA, #79 79th is the main route of the entire system.

When was this said?

[BusExpert32]

According to the CTA, #79 79th is the main route of the entire system.

In my opinion, #151 Sheridan is the main route of the north side, #79 79th of the southside, #12 Roosevelt of the west side and #147 Outer Drive Express in Downtown.

When did the CTA say that #79 is their main route?

#151 and #79 could be the main routes on the north and south sides, but #12 and #147 leave me wondering. Regarding the west side, #20 Madison would almost have to be the main route in that part of the city (if there was such a thing as "main routes" in each area) because of Bustracker and it is run through the heart of the west side. It also runs on weekends and owl service. Regarding downtown, #124 Navy Pier would almost have to be the main route there because it runs solely in downtown, and it connects with quite a few major attractions- Navy Pier, Union Station, the Loop, and S. Michigan Ave. It runs on both Saturday and Sunday as well. #147 wouldn't be considered a main route for downtown because around 75% of it is run on the north side.

By the way, what about the other parts of the city. In my opinion the main route of the Northwest area would be #56 Milwaukee, the main route of the Southwest area #62 Archer, the main route of the far South side #34 South Michigan, and the main route of the far North side/Skokie/Evanston would almost have to be #201 Central/Ridge- it runs owl service and connects with the Red Line, Purple Line and with downtown Evanston.

[Kevin]

When was this said?

I believe he's referring to the fact that the #79 has the highest ridership (last I checked).

[busfan4022]

Southside would probably look something like this:

79

4

3

14

15

63

87

And the west are probably just 49 and 9

[Buslover88]

When did the CTA say that #79 is their main route?

#151 and #79 could be the main routes on the north and south sides, but #12 and #147 leave me wondering. Regarding the west side, #20 Madison would almost have to be the main route in that part of the city because of Bustracker and it is run through the heart of the west side. It also runs on weekends and owl service. Regarding downtown, #124 Navy Pier would almost have to be the main route there because it runs solely in downtown, and it connects with quite a few major attractions- Navy Pier, Union Station, the Loop, and S. Michigan Ave. It runs on both Saturday and Sunday as well. #147 wouldn't be considered a main route for downtown because around 75% of it is run on the north side.

In my opinion the main route of the Northwest area would be #56 Milwaukee, the main route of the Southwest area #62 Archer, the main route of the far South side #34 South Michigan, and the main route of the far North side/Skokie/Evanston would almost have to be #201 Central/Ridge- it runs owl service and connects with the Red Line, Purple Line and with downtown Evanston.

Well, the CTA has said before #79 79th was the highest route in the system.

I would think #12 Roosevelt was more busy since more people ride it then #20 Madison (which in my opinion is the second busiest route on the West side). About the Downtown part, I was reffering to the fact that #147 has more costumers and it does run a good portion into Downtown.

I don't think #56 Milwaukee is busy at all. Sure, it may get kind of crowded when Schurz High (the worst high school, in my opinion) starts and closes, but about on mid-days and weekends? I don't see many people at all.

I will agree that #62 Archer, #34 S. Michigan and #201 Central/Ridge are the main routes in their part of the city.

Southside would probably look something like this:

79

4

3

14

63

And the west are probably just 49 and 9

I agree with you for the most part, however, I think #15 Jeffery Local isn't that busy. Probably the same thing goes for #87 87th.

I would disagree about #49 Western and #9 Ashland because they serve the northside, West side and southside.

[BusExpert32]

Well, the CTA has said before #79 79th was the highest route in the system.

I would think #12 Roosevelt was more busy since more people ride it then #20 Madison (which in my opinion is the second busiest route on the West side). About the Downtown part, I was reffering to the fact that #147 has more costumers and it does run a good portion into Downtown.

I don't think #56 Milwaukee is busy at all. Sure, it may get kind of crowded when Schurz High (the worst high school, in my opinion) starts and closes, but about on mid-days and weekends? I don't see many people at all.

Well, what do you think the main route of the Northwest area is then? That would mainly include routes terminating at Jefferson Park and Harlem Blue Line Stations. I chose #56 because it is the highest ridden route out of those two stations. And let's remember that for a route to be considered a main route in an area has to actually run mostly in that area. But for #147 it operates around 3/4 of the route on the north side, and the rest of the portion in downtown.

[Buslover88]

Well, what do you think the main route of the Northwest area is then? That would mainly include routes terminating at Jefferson Park and Harlem Blue Line Stations. I chose #56 because it is the highest ridden route out of those two stations.

I would say that #77 Belmont is the main route of the Northwest side. I chose this route because it serves much of the Northwest side.

[BusExpert32]

I would say that #77 Belmont is the main route of the Northwest side. I chose this route because it serves much of the Northwest side.

Well, #77 has a diverse combination of North and Northwest area service, so it's too hard to decide between the two areas. But nonetheless, the CTA has never had a "main route" statistic for every area of the city, and we can all see how difficult it would be to choose.

[cta5658]

What about the #119 Michigan/119th and the #34 South Michigan

[BusExpert32]

What about the #119 Michigan/119th and the #34 South Michigan

I've already mentioned #34 in my previous posts. But #119 would do for the far south side "main route"as well.

[Buslover88]

Well, #77 has a diverse combination of North and Northwest area service, so it's too hard to decide between the two areas. But nonetheless, the CTA has never had a "main route" statistic for every area of the city, and we can all see how difficult it would be to choose.

I'll come to the conclusion that I think all CTA routes are busy.

[jajuan]

"I would think #12 Roosevelt was more busy since more people ride it then #20 Madison (which in my opinion is the second busiest route on the West side). About the Downtown part, I was reffering to the fact that #147 has more costumers and it does run a good portion into Downtown.

I don't think #56 Milwaukee is busy at all. Sure, it may get kind of crowded when Schurz High (the worst high school, in my opinion) starts and closes, but about on mid-days and weekends? I don't see many people at all."

Since I live along the 12 Roosevelt route I would have to agree that it is busier. I would say it's busiest from Pulaski eastward on through to State Street. It's always jammed westbound starting at State Street with everyone coming off the buses on State and add in the Orange, Red, and Green Lines, it gets ridiculous. Regardless of what time it is up through late evening on any giving day, it seems to be enough people boarding at this point to fill two buses. Factor in the remodeling in the UIC area along the way, the VA and two high schools, this bus route is really worked.

It's opinion as to whether 56 is the main route of the northwest side if you consider the Belmont and Irving Park corridors but I'll disagree about this route not being busy. Most of the time I've ridden it, it was pretty busy.

[Buslover88]

It's opinion as to whether 56 is the main route of the northwest side if you consider the Belmont and Irving Park corridors but I'll disagree about this route not being busy. Most of the time I've ridden it, it was pretty busy.

Well, when i've ridden it in rush-hour (I only ride it north of Diversey, most of the time) and the buses weren't usually crowded when I was on, so that's why I disagree. Mid-day on #56 is really quiet.

[Busjack]

As I previously said, a "main route" debate is meaningless. Very little from Jefferson Park is important if most of the routes there are on the cut list (except 81, which is more considered to be a north side cross town route). That includes 56, which parallels the Blue Line, and I am sure that through riders take the Blue Line instead of, again, sitting at a bus stopped at all the 6 way intersections.

I could say that 422 is the main route in Northbrook, because it is the only route (at least through downtown), but what would that prove, except being off topic? Maybe on topic, 30 could be said to be the main bus to the southeast side only because CTA saved it in its 2008 Doomsday budget because there wouldn't be any other service to that part of town.

As buslover indicates, ridership statistics are as good an indicator as any, as well as being on the primary system or having owl service (and the three are undoubtedly connected).

Face it, on the north and south sides, the Main Route is the Red Line (again, off topic, as not bus, but in fact what hauls the most passengers). Again, the debate is somewhat meaningless, given that CTA has a grid system designed to feed into the L. Routes such as 56 and 62, which now parallel the L, are somewhat throwbacks to the prior era, and their main function is local traffic.

[jajuan]

Well, when i've ridden it in rush-hour (I only ride it north of Diversey, most of the time) and the buses weren't usually crowded when I was on, so that's why I disagree. Mid-day on #56 is really quiet.

Ok. I can see your point since most of the time I use the 56, it's south of Diversey. And that's included midday hours. I guess I just happen to ride the busier part of the route.

[qwantae]

I've already mentioned #34 in my previous posts. But #119 would do for the far south side "main route"as well.

I think that #108 was the main route for far south side (Wild 100s) when it ran Owl service in the 90s until 352 took over the most of the timetable. It would be great if 8A would run for frequently maybe Owl service to be put back on South Halsted.

[jajuan]

As I previously said, a "main route" debate is meaningless. Very little from Jefferson Park is important if most of the routes there are on the cut list (except 81, which is more considered to be a north side cross town route). That includes 56, which parallels the Blue Line, and I am sure that through riders take the Blue Line instead of, again, sitting at a bus stopped at all the 6 way intersections.

I could say that 422 is the main route in Northbrook, because it is the only route (at least through downtown), but what would that prove, except being off topic? Maybe on topic, 30 could be said to be the main bus to the southeast side only because CTA saved it in its 2008 Doomsday budget because there wouldn't be any other service to that part of town.

As buslover indicates, ridership statistics are as good an indicator as any, as well as being on the primary system or having owl service (and the three are undoubtedly connected).

Face it, on the north and south sides, the Main Route is the Red Line (again, off topic, as not bus, but in fact what hauls the most passengers). Again, the debate is somewhat meaningless, given that CTA has a grid system designed to feed into the L. Routes such as 56 and 62, which now parallel the L, are somewhat throwbacks to the prior era, and their main function is local traffic.

Just because a route is on the current cut list doesn't mean it's not a primary route in terms of ridership. For example, X49 Western Express has been on that same list and it's among the busiest bus routes in the system. And that's according to both CBS2 and ABC7 news reports from August when the Sept. 4 doomsday was looming on us. Other examples are 145, 146, 147, and 148 which are also on the list and have high ridership numbers. Yes 49 is an alternative for X49 and the Red Line or 151 is an alternative for the North Side Lake Shore express buses. However, those alternatives are already heavily used as is. Like it or not the funding situation is bad enough to affect both the primary and secondary routes.

As far as the bus service feeding the L system, there are plenty of who need to get places that don't involve riding the L. Not only that, the L can only hold so many people and operate safely especially considering there's only one CTA employee on the train now, and that person has to operate the train.

[Busjack]

Just because a route is on the current cut list doesn't mean it's not a primary route in terms of ridership. For example, X49 Western Express has been on that same list and it's among the busiest bus routes in the system. And that's according to both CBS2 and ABC7 news reports from August when the Sept. 4 doomsday was looming on us.

X49 must be growing lately. The January 2007 report has productivity at 39 (which is more typical of prior reports), and the September one at 52.

As far as the bus service feeding the L system, there are plenty of who need to get places that don't involve riding the L. Not only that, the L can only hold so many people and operate safely especially considering there's only one CTA employee on the train now, and that person has to operate the train.

However, the topic name was "main routes" not what some people ride. I would contend that a conveyance that has the capacity to carry 1000 people every 3 minutes is main over, say, the #3 bus that is scheduled every 8 minutes in the rush hour and has the capacity to carry, even at crush, 70. Since 3 is on the grid, it is hard to argue that it is more important than the 4, 8 or 29, although each serves its strip. Also, I doubt that very many people are riding 3 all the way from downtown to 95th, a 1:25 ride. They are taking the L.

[jajuan]

X49 must be growing lately. The January 2007 report has productivity at 39 (which is more typical of prior reports), and the September one at 52.

However, the topic name was "main routes" not what some people ride. I would contend that a conveyance that has the capacity to carry 1000 people every 3 minutes is main over, say, the #3 bus that is scheduled every 8 minutes in the rush hour and has the capacity to carry, even at crush, 70. Since 3 is on the grid, it is hard to argue that it is more important than the 4, 8 or 29, although each serves its strip. Also, I doubt that very many people are riding 3 all the way from downtown to 95th, a 1:25 ride. They are taking the L.

True but not everyone who rides from downtown to the southside is riding all the way to 95th either. Though you'd be surprised to see how many people ride from downtown to a bus route's terminal. In doing so, these people are trying to avoid being packed into an L train like sardines. I've heard plenty of people say so. 147 Outer Drive Express is a good example of this. Not everyone likes riding on an up to 8 car train with just one CTA employee on board. And yes the topic is 'main routes,' but the topic is in the CTA bus section. So I'm sure it's free to assume the person who started the topic was referring mostly to main routes among CTA buses. Now if the person wanted to include the L, then yes I agree with you about the Red and Blue Lines being main routes. However, since we are in the bus section, I'm going to remain on topic and stick with buses in this discussion. I'll be glad to discuss this topic further regarding the L in the CTA rail section of the forum. Or perhaps the general section if you want to talk about both.