Chicago City Wire

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) have announced new investments on Chicago Avenue aimed at enhancing bus reliability for the #66 Chicago Avenue route. This week, CDOT will begin installing red bus-only lanes on Chicago Avenue between Sangamon Street and Larrabee Street, while completing the installation of new bus priority lanes between Grand Avenue and Campbell Avenue. These developments are part of an ongoing effort to create a nearly continuous 3.9-mile bus lane from Grand to Ashland and from Milwaukee to Michigan Avenue.

Upon completion, nearly 40% of the #66 Chicago Avenue route will feature a dedicated bus lane.

The new bus-only lane between Sangamon and Larrabee will complement CDOT’s upcoming project to replace the existing temporary Chicago Avenue Bridge over the river and the Chicago-Halsted viaduct. The design work is being finalized, which includes upgrades to the Chicago-Halsted intersection to enhance safety for all road users and improve bus efficiency on Chicago Avenue.

Approximately half a mile of eastbound and westbound Chicago Avenue will soon feature newly designated bus-only lanes marked with red paint that will remain in effect 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These lanes aim to help buses avoid traffic congestion, maintain schedules, and provide easier boarding, making bus travel more reliable.

“The 66 Chicago Avenue route is one of our most frequent and most heavily utilized, providing roughly 17,000 rides on an average weekday, and our ability to efficiently move riders along that corridor is critical to connecting communities on the east and west sides of the city,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter Jr. “This latest addition builds on years of improvements made to this route, cumulatively speeding up average travel times by several minutes.”

Chicago Avenue is part of a network identified in the Better Streets for Buses Plan released by CDOT and CTA last fall. The plan provides a framework for implementing bus priority infrastructure throughout the city.

“Through the Better Streets for Buses Plan, CDOT and CTA are working together to improve every step of the transit experience – from building better bus stops, improving access to transit, and using infrastructure to achieve faster bus service,” said CDOT Commissioner Tom Carney. “The new bus lanes on Chicago Avenue will help improve bus efficiency on this busy and growing corridor."