Pace’s second Pulse line will operate on Dempster Street between Evanston and O’Hare International Airport. Connections to other Pace and CTA bus routes, the CTA Yellow and Purple lines, as well as to Metra’s Union Pacific North, Northwest, and North Central Service rail lines will provide passengers with a variety of local and regional travel options.
Dempster Street is a heavily traveled route with a variety of connections to major destinations, including O’Hare International Airport, and other public transit services, such as Pace and CTA bus routes and Metra and CTA rail lines. The Pulse Dempster Line will provide service between the Davis Street CTA/Metra Station in Evanston and the O’Hare Airport Multi-Modal Facility.
Pace initiated the planning phase in late 2015 and met with agencies and local municipalities to develop initial design concepts and preliminary station locations. A Dempster Line Project Definition Report was developed and outlines preliminary service and operating plans and project cost estimates. Coordination continued during the environmental analysis and advanced conceptual design which was completed in February, 2018. The project then advanced through the final design phase which was completed in 2020.
In 2017, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning approved a $10 million grant for construction of the Dempster Line. That construction grant is funded through the Federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) 2018-2022 program.
Stakeholder and public outreach are ongoing throughout the program.
Construction of the Pulse Dempster Line is advancing in 2022 and will continue throughout the year. Construction activities are being funded by a Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) grant.
The Pulse Dempster Line will complement existing Route 250 service by providing faster, more frequent service to the most popular destinations along the Dempster Street corridor.
The Pulse stations will be strategically located to serve current Pace customers along the corridor. The Dempster Line stations will be located roughly every half mile between Evanston and the O’Hare International Airport.
Pace anticipates that many current Route 250 riders will use the Dempster Line because of the faster travel times, increased frequency, and improved on-time performance. While changes to Route 250 service frequency may be considered, any significant changes will be subject to a public hearing.
Throughout the project, stakeholder involvement activities for the project will involve outreach to stakeholders and coordination with communities, businesses, public agencies, interest groups, and the general public.
Pace held more than 30 meetings in 2020 with municipal officials, property owners, and other stakeholders along the corridor. These discussions allowed Pace to finalize the engineering drawings for each of the Pulse stations that are being constructed.
As the project proceeds, continued public involvement and outreach efforts will be a priority. Pace will continue to connect with current customers, the general public, affected property owners, communities, and business groups through a variety of outreach activities.
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