CTA's Blue Line work means station closings
Suburbanites heading to work or play this spring and summer on the CTA's Blue Line O'Hare Branch should be prepared for a little variety on weekends.
As part of its revamp of the Blue Line, the Chicago Transit Authority will be closing parts of the route and offering shuttle buses between stops March through August.
Tentative schedules allow for seven weekend closures of the Western to Logan Square station stretch and three weekend closures of the Damen to Western sections. Free shuttle buses will run continuously between closed stations and passengers will receive transfers back to the train.
Stations would be shut down 10 p.m. Fridays and open by 4 a.m. Mondays, with the first closures expected to start March 21 to 24.
The CTA is spending $492 million to improve and renovate the Blue Line, which was built out to O'Hare International Airport in the early 1980s.
The first phase of repairs involves removing and replacing wooden rail ties on the track between Damen and Logan Square stations.
Other 2014 work includes makeovers at the Western, Damen and California rail stations. The four-year Blue Line project also includes new water-management systems, updated signals and tracks and other system improvements aimed at increasing reliability.
To learn more, go to www.transitchicago.com/yournewblue.