The CTA today announced yesterday that it will begin rehabbing stretches of track along the Green and Pink lines, which will involve several weekend service cuts beginning this weekend through November. The work is part of the agency's FastTracks program, a multi-year $179 million project in track and electrical upgrades intended to provide straphangers with a faster and a smoother ride.
The first of 14 scheduled weekend service disruptions, also known as "line cuts," is scheduled for this weekend between the Roosevelt and 35th-Bronzeville-IIT Green Line stations from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day on Saturday, May 25, and Sunday, May 26.
During the shutdown, a free bus shuttle will be available to riders who need to commute between the shuttered stations. Passengers will be guided to the bus shuttles via signs at both stops. Customers who use the free bus shuttle will be granted a free transfer when they reenter the rail system and re-tap their Ventra payment devices at the turnstile. Riders are encouraged to budge for extra travel time.
The line cuts will allow crews to replace worn-out rail ties and track components. Work is planned for the South branch of the Green Line between 17th and 30th streets and along the shared Green and Pink line tracks between the Loop and Ashland Avenue.
FastTracks is program of track repairs and maintenance on the four busiest rail lines: Red, Blue, Brown and Green. Work includes repairing and upgrading rail, rail ties and electrical power in many locations throughout the system. The initiative is funded through a now-20-cent surcharge on Chicago ride-hailing trips to pay for transit improvements, which passed in November 2017, the first such tax in the U.S.
Streetsblog Chicago will resume publication on Tuesday, May 28. Have a great Memorial Day.
