TRANSIT: Chicago transit agencies preparing passengers for Red Line shutdown

With the shutdown of roughly 10 miles of the Red Line looming, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra and others have begun a campaign to inform riders of their options until the rail project is completed in mid-October.

CTA is closing the Red Line south of Roosevelt Road along the Dan Ryan Expressway—a total of nine stations from Cermak/Chinatown to 95th Street—to undertake a $425 million track replacement project.

To help passengers cope, CTA workers have been handing out fliers and answering questions at each of the affected stations, while also going door to door to homes and businesses in the impacted South Side neighborhoods. In total, the agency has set aside $13 million of the total project budget to provide extra and alternative transportation.

Those options include free express and local shuttle buses from the four stations south of 63rd Street to the Garfield station on the Green Line. Fares will be reduced by 50 cents on other bus routes in the area and waived for those boarding the Green Line at Garfield.

At the same time, Pace will offer two new express routes on weekdays for a total of six inbound and six outbound buses during peak travel periods. Metra will extend train service to Red Line riders, primarily on its Electric District and Rock Island District lines.

All three agencies will offer a new fare package, which includes a CTA/Pace five-day pass and a Metra 10-ride ticket.