CTA and Pace are providing free rides during the rebuild of CTA’s Forest Park Branch Blue Line, the latest example of cooperation among the region’s transit providers to benefit customers.
Between August 20 and early October, the Racine station is closed and trains do not pass through this section. Blue Line service is running in two sections:
- Between O’Hare and UIC-Halsted and
- Between Forest Park and Illinois Medical District
Blue Line service does not run between UIC-Halsted and Illinois Medical District in this shorter work area, and only the Racine station is fully closed. A local shuttle bus runs between the accessible Illinois Medical District and UIC-Halsted stations.
Pace riders are encouraged to use the Transit app to plan a public transportation trip that avoids the closed section of the Blue Line, including potentially using the Green or Pink Lines. Download the app and learn more at: https://transitapp.com/. There are many CTA and Pace bus routes that connect Green and Pink Line stations, and riders can board these buses for FREE in the project area.
Free rides on Pace’s regular, fixed routes include Routes 307, 311, 315, 316 and 318 in the area that connects the Forest Park Branch Blue Line to the Pink and Green lines. Free CTA bus routes include north-south stops between the Green and Pink lines from Ashland (#9 and #X9 routes) on the east to Austin (#91 route) on the west.
CTA and Pace are proud partners in providing safe, reliable and fast travel while improving customer service in our region’s transportation network. CTA's Forest Park Branch Rebuild construction project between the Illinois Medical District (IMD) and LaSalle stations on the Blue Line started July 23, 2023 and lasts until October 7, 2023. The Forest Park Branch Rebuild is a multi-year, multi-phased investment to make service along the Blue Line’s Forest Park Branch faster, safer, more reliable, and accessible for riders. The purpose of this construction is to upgrade the Racine station to be ADA compliant, eliminate slow zones, and upgrade the tracks and other infrastructure.
For additional details about the project, including CTA’s shuttle bus alternative and maps, visit: https://www.transitchicago.com/fprebuild/.