Jeffery Jump

Editor’s note: Last November the J14 Jeffery Jump bus launched as the CTA’s first attempt at creating an express bus service with some of the elements of bus rapid transit. While the 15 Jeffery Local makes 37 stops between 103rd Street and Lake Shore Drive, the Jump only makes 19 stops. Between 83rd and 67th streets, inbound buses travel in a dedicated lane during the morning rush hour and vice versa for the evening rush. This year the city will install a “queue jump” at 83rd Street, allowing buses to cut to the front of the line of stopped cars, and the stretch from 83rd to 73rd streets will get bus-priority stoplights, expediting transit trips.

Last week the CTA and Chicago Department of Transportation unveiled the proposed lane configuration for the Central Loop East-West Transit Corridor. According to the city’s press release, the improvements will include dedicated bus lanes on Canal, Washington, Madison and Clinton, delineated with colored pavement and additional signs. The system, which is slated to open for service next year, would serve some 1,700 buses and would include level boarding via “island” bus platforms, plus queue jumps at key intersections.

After Streetsblog Chicago readers voiced concerns that eliminating local bus stops on bus rapid transit streets would hurt senior citizens and people with disabilities, I contacted CTA spokeswoman Lambrini Lukidis, who confirmed that at least part, if not all, of current service would be preserved. "CTA would retain some local service, which provides immediate access for CTA customers, while adding the new BRT service," she wrote.