Ald. Daley implores CTA to save owl service bus routes in Lincoln Park
Effective Sunday, February 7, most CTA bus routes servicing Lincoln Park will strand you overnight if you're seeking a lift after midnight or before 6:00am. Teaming with several other city council seats to appeal certain
CTA's service cut decisions,
Ald. Daley blasted the ending of owl service in a press release sent to all major media outlets in Chicago,
and us!
Flickr user Mike Miley depicts better times, before CTA services elminated commuter convenience of any kind.
Hoping to preserve the North Avenue, Armitage, Fullerton, Diversey, and Halsted bus routes late night and early morning schedules, Daley aims primarily to protect the impacted workforce of residents and workers in the 43rd Ward.
Groaning about the suckiness of the whole thing is one thing, but Daley's points are undeniable. The routes she calls "essential" transport workers to and from early and late shift work and help red-eye commuters to O'Hare.
Daley's press release outlines her reasons, but not her strategy. She says,
The [routes] will be ending service earlier and resuming later, eliminating public transit options for nearly all of Lakeview, Wrigleyville, and Lincoln Park from midnight to 6 A.M. "These routes ferry workers heading home in the late evening and early morning hours and residents hoping to catch the Blue Line to redeye flights at O'Hare," explained Daley making her case for Owl route preservation.
"The men and women who staff the important hospitality industry in Chicago rely on these routes for safe and simple transportation home," said Daley. "The busboys, bartenders, cooks, kitchen employees and wait staff are the backbone of an economic and cultural treasure that is the Chicago and Lincoln Park dining and nightlife," Daley argued, "and they cannot afford to sacrifice their jobs to these inconveniences."
Daley agrees that due to budget constraints tough choices and service cuts are necessary but that those cuts should only be made after serious deliberation. An across the board cut of early morning service in an area densely occupied with shops, restaurants, and bars does not meet that test, Daley believes.
Stretching beyond the inconvenience of longer waits in larger crowds, the termination of a worker's only way to and from a job is likely going to harm them, deplete late night customers at bars, and strand Chicagoans in a more vulnerable position on the city streets waiting for taxis.
So here are all the route changes in Lincoln Park copied from the CTA announcement.. Cuts include routes #8 Halsted, #8A Halsted South, #11 Lincoln/Sedgwick, #22 Clark, #36 Broadway, #72 North, #73 Armitage, #74 Fullerton, #76 Diversey.
Ugh. Care to echo my ugh? Comment away, commuters!
#8 Halsted Reduced Hours of Service and Frequency Change
The hours of service on this route will be reduced. Service periods will be revised as follows:
Weekdays:
- Service will begin later, with the first northbound trip leaving Halsted/79th at 4am and the first southbound trip leaving Broadway/Waveland at 4:05am.
- Service will end earlier, with the last northbound trip leaving Halsted/79th at 12:05am and the last southbound trip leaving Broadway/Waveland at 12:30am.
Saturdays:
- Service will begin later, with the first northbound trip leaving Halsted/79th at 4:05am and the first southbound trip leaving Broadway/Waveland at 4am.
- Service will end earlier, with the last northbound trip leaving Halsted/79th at 12:25am and the last southbound trip leaving Broadway/Waveland at 12:30am.
Sundays/holidays:
- Service will begin later, with the first northbound trip leaving Halsted/79th at 4:05am and the first southbound trip leaving Broadway/Waveland at 5am.
- Service will end earlier, with the last northbound trip leaving Halsted/79th at 12:30am and the last southbound trip leaving Broadway/Waveland at 12:40am.
Service will also operate less frequently during the following periods:
Weekdays:
- During the morning rush period, service will operate approximately every 7-20 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 8-13 minutes.
- During the afternoon rush period, service will operate approximately every 6-11 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 13-20 minutes.
- During the late evening, service will operate approximately every 18-30 minutes.
Saturdays:
- During the morning, service will operate approximately every 15-20 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 12-15 minutes.
- During the afternoon, service will operate approximately every 12 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 12-18 minutes.
- During the late evening, service will operate approximately every 20 minutes.
Sundays/holidays:
- During the morning, service will operate approximately every 18-20 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 15-18 minutes.
- During the afternoon, service will operate approximately every 12-18 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 15-20 minutes.
- During the late evening, service will operate approximately every 20 minutes.
Please allow extra travel time.
#8A South Halsted Service Frequency Change
Service will also operate less frequently during the following periods:
Weekdays:
- During the morning rush period, service will operate approximately every 12-20 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 15-20 minutes.
- During the afternoon rush period, service will operate approximately every 12-18 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 20-25 minutes.
Saturdays:
- During the morning, service will operate approximately every 18-30 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 14-18 minutes.
- During the afternoon, service will operate approximately every 15-18 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 18 minutes.
Sundays/holidays:
- During the morning, service will operate approximately every 20-30 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 20 minutes.
- During the afternoon, service will operate approximately every 20-25 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 25-30 minutes.
Please allow extra travel time.
#11 Lincoln/Sedgwick Service Frequency Change
Service will operate less frequently during the following periods:
Weekdays:
- During the morning rush period, service will operate approximately every 11-15 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 16-20 minutes.
- During the afternoon rush period, service will operate approximately every 11-18 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 17-20 minutes.
Saturdays:
- During the morning, service will operate approximately every 19 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 19-24 minutes.
- During the afternoon, service will operate approximately every 20-21 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 21 minutes.
Sundays/holidays:
- During the morning, service will operate approximately every 21-22 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 21-23 minutes.
- During the afternoon, service will operate approximately every 18-21 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 21 minutes.
Please allow extra travel time
#22 Clark Service Frequency Change
Service will operate less frequently during the following periods:
Weekdays:
- During the morning rush period, service will operate approximately every 3-18 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 7-13 minutes.
- During the afternoon rush period, service will operate approximately every 5-9 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 8-20 minutes.
- During the late evening and Owl (overnight) periods, service will operate approximately every 20-30 minutes.
Saturdays:
- During the morning, service will operate approximately every 12-20 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 9-12 minutes.
- During the afternoon, service will operate approximately every 8-9 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 9-15 minutes.
- During the late evening and Owl (overnight) periods, service will operate approximately every 15-30 minutes.
Sundays/holidays:
- During the morning, service will operate approximately every 15-23 minutes.
- During the midday and afternoon, service will operate approximately every 9-15 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 12-18 minutes.
- During the late evening and Owl (overnight) periods, service will operate approximately every 15-30 minutes.
Please allow extra travel time.
#36 Broadway Reduced Hours of Service and Frequency Change
The hours of service on this route will be reduced. Service periods will be revised as follows:
Weekdays:
- Service will begin later, with the first southbound trip leaving Clark/Devon at 4am and the first northbound trip leaving Wells/Harrison at 5am.
- Service will end earlier, with the last southbound trip leaving Clark/Devon at 11:10pm and the last northbound trip leaving Wells/Harrison at 12:30am.
Saturdays:
- Service will begin later, with the first southbound trip leaving Clark/Devon at 4:15am and the first northbound trip leaving Wells/Harrison at 5:05am.
- Service will end earlier, with the last southbound trip leaving Clark/Devon at 11:05pm and the last northbound trip leaving Wells/Harrison at 12:30am.
Sundays/holidays:
- Service will begin later, with the first southbound trip leaving Clark/Devon at 4:15am and the first northbound trip leaving Wells/Harrison at 4:55am.
- Service will end earlier, with the last southbound trip leaving Clark/Devon at 11:15pm and the last northbound trip leaving Wells/Harrison at 12:30am.
Service will also operate less frequently during the following periods:
Weekdays:
- During the morning rush period, service will operate approximately every 8-20 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 12-13 minutes.
- During the afternoon rush period, service will operate approximately every 8-11 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 13-20 minutes.
- During the late evening, service will operate approximately every 17-25 minutes.
Saturdays:
- During the morning, service will operate approximately every 15-20 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 9-15 minutes.
- During the afternoon, service will operate approximately every 9-12 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 11-15 minutes.
- During the late evening, service will operate approximately every 17-20 minutes.
Sundays/holidays:
- During the morning, service will operate approximately every 18-20 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 9-15 minutes.
- During the afternoon, service will operate approximately every 9 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 11-18 minutes.
- During the late evening, service will operate approximately every 18-20 minutes.
Please allow extra travel time.
#72 North Reduced Hours of Service and Frequency Change
The hours of service on this route will be reduced. Service periods will be revised as follows:
Weekdays:
- Service will end earlier, with the last eastbound trip leaving North/Narragansett at 12:25am and westbound trip leaving North/Clark at 12:30am.
Saturdays:
- Service will begin later, with the first eastbound trip leaving North/Narragansett at 5:30am.
- Service will end earlier, with the last eastbound trip leaving North/Narragansett at 11pm.
Sundays/Holidays:
- Service will end earlier, with the last eastbound trip leaving North/Narragansett at 10:40pm and westbound trip leaving North/Clark at 9:55pm.
Service will also operate less frequently during the following periods:
Weekdays:
- During the morning rush period, service will operate approximately every 5-19 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 10-13 minutes.
- During the afternoon rush period, service will operate approximately every 7-9 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 10-20 minutes.
- During the late evening, service will operate approximately every 20-30 minutes.
Saturdays:
- During the morning, service will operate approximately every 14-25 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 9-12 minutes.
- During the afternoon, service will operate approximately every 8-10 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 10-18 minutes.
Sundays/Holidays:
- During the morning, service will operate approximately every 18-30 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 10-16 minutes.
- During the afternoon, service will operate approximately every 10-12 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 10-18 minutes.
Please allow extra travel time.
#73 Armitage Service Frequency Change
Service will operate less frequently during the following periods:
Weekdays:
- During the morning rush period, service will operate approximately every 7-20 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 15-20 minutes.
- During the afternoon rush period, service will operate approximately every 10-13 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 19-20 minutes.
Saturdays:
- During the morning, service will operate approximately every 18-21 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 16-18 minutes.
- During the afternoon, service will operate approximately every 15-18 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 18-29 minutes.
Please allow extra travel time.
#74 Fullerton Reduced Hours of Service and Frequency Change
The hours of service on this route will be reduced. Service periods will be revised as follows:
Weekdays:
- Service will end earlier, with the last eastbound trip leaving Grand/Nordica at 11:45pm and westbound trip leaving Fullerton/Halsted at 12:30am.
Saturdays:
- Service will end earlier, with the last eastbound trip leaving Grand/Nordica at 11:35pm and westbound trip leaving Fullerton/Halsted at 12:30am.
Sundays/Holidays:
- Service will end earlier, with the last eastbound trip leaving Grand/Nordica at 11:35pm and westbound trip leaving Fullerton/Halsted at 12:30am.
Service will also operate less frequently during the following periods:
Weekdays:
- During the morning rush period, service will operate approximately every 8-18 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 10-13 minutes.
- During the afternoon rush period, service will operate approximately every 8-11 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 13-20 minutes.
- During the late evening, service will operate approximately every 20-30 minutes.
Saturdays:
- During the morning, service will operate approximately every 12-19 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 9-12 minutes.
- During the afternoon, service will operate approximately every 10-12 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 11-20 minutes.
- During the late evening, service will operate approximately every 20-30 minutes.
Sundays/Holidays:
- During the morning, service will operate approximately every 16-20 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 11-15 minutes.
- During the afternoon, service will operate approximately every 12-15 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 14-20 minutes.
- During the late evening, service will operate approximately every 20-30 minutes.
Please allow extra travel time.
#76 Diversey Reduced Hours of Service and Frequency Change
The hours of service on this route will be reduced. Service periods will be revised as follows:
Weekdays:
- Service will end earlier, with the last eastbound trip leaving Diversey/Harlem at 10:20pm and westbound trip leaving the Nature Museum at 10:30pm.
Saturdays:
- Service will be adjusted, with the last eastbound trip leaving Diversey/Harlem at 9:15pm and westbound trip leaving the Nature Museum at 8:15pm.
Sundays/Holidays:
- Service will be adjusted, with the first westbound trip leaving the Nature Museum at 8:30am.
- Service will end earlier, with the last eastbound trip leaving Diversey/Harlem at 7:45pm and westbound trip leaving the Nature Museum at 7:45pm.
Service will also operate less frequently during the following periods:
Weekdays:
- During the morning rush period, service will operate approximately every 7-18 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 12-16 minutes.
- During the afternoon rush period, service will operate approximately every 8-11 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 17-20 minutes.
Saturdays:
- During the morning, service will operate approximately every 15-23 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 12-15 minutes.
- During the afternoon, service will operate approximately every 12-15 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 12-20 minutes.
Sundays/Holidays:
- During the morning, service will operate approximately every 20 minutes.
- During the midday, service will operate approximately every 15-20 minutes.
- During the afternoon, service will operate approximately every 15 minutes.
- During the evening, service will operate approximately every 15-20 minutes.
Please allow extra travel time.
3 Comments
jennkloc said:
Great post, Molly, and chock full of interesting/useful information! I'm personally quite devastated by the complete elimination of the X9 and X80 buses, even though they don't service Lincoln Park. I hadn't considered how CTA service cuts would affect people with night shift jobs though--I hope that the aldermen can come through with something!
Molly Horan said:
Thanks, Jenn! Yes, I can handle the terrible truth that some waits for service could last 20 to 30 minutes in some instances, but the CTA Bus Tracker can help you at least plan for that.
During my time in Ireland, all public transportation finished at 11:30 p.m. So, in order to catch the last bus home to where I lived to the south of Dublin city, I would be able to leave on the 11:30 train to catch the last bus hit my area around midnight. People coped with this, drove, or took taxis. But on weekends, there was an owl service bus that was the equivalent of $7. I'm sure given the alternative to having no service at all, people would agree to pay more money.
How about people who chose their residence on the basis of certain routes at these times?
I guess it'll be good business for Chicago taxi drivers.
jack said:
Maybe Ald. Daley should first figure out from where the $330 million to make up lost sales and real estate transfer taxes will come. Also, she might want to talk to her fellow alderpersons who, reportedly, also demanded that buses that do not meet service standards be retained. Finally, there is someone with the same last name as hers who runs the CTA, through his appointees such as Rodriguez.
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