Loop BRT goes live: Expected to affect our neighborhoods

The Loop Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, referred to as the Loop Link is scheduled to open Sun., Dec. 20. Red Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) bus lanes and raised boarding platforms on Madison and Washington Streets as well as all general traffic lanes will be open for cars on those two major downtown streets. The #56 Milwaukee Ave. is among six bus lines affected by the project. The line goes from Madison and Washington, through Division, Milwaukee and Damen and Logan Square and Kedzie to Jefferson Park

Mayor Emanuel said, “The Loop Link will deliver fast, safe, and reliable access to the vast array of economic and cultural opportunities that are available in the heart of the city for all Chicagoans. Whether you live on the South Side, the West Side or the North Side, the Loop Link is part of the city’s efforts to widen access to jobs and educational opportunities for all of Chicago’s residents."  

According to Ron Burke, The Active Transportation Alliance's (ATA or Active Trans) Executive Director, “The Loop Link is an exciting improvement for the thousands of Chicagoans who ride the bus, bike and walk across the Loop every day. The addition of dedicated bus lanes rightly gives transit riders priority downtown while freeing up space for protected bike lanes and people walking. We urge the city to continue to improve the corridor by adding more features like prepaid boarding that will further speed up service.” 

In addition to red dedicated bus lanes on Madison St. and Washington Blvd. connecting Ogilvie and Union Stations to Michigan Ave., the project includes eight new downtown bus stations with better protection from weather for waiting passengers and raised platforms to ease the boarding process. 

The prediction from the Mayor's office is that the Loop Link will improve CTA bus service on six routes by eliminating bottlenecks on the most congested portion of the routes and speeding their passage through downtown. That anticipated efficiency and speed factor is expected to have a positive ripple effect on the portions of these routes outside downtown, benefiting neighborhoods throughout the City. The six routes are the J14, 20, 56, 60 124 and 157. A seventh route, the 19, provides service to and from the United Center for Bulls and Blackhawks home games.  

Included in the Improvements which are part of this project are: red pavement and enhanced signage clearly delineating the CTA bus lanes; raised station platforms to provide easier boarding; early signals for buses at key intersections to get ahead of traffic; distinct bus stations with large canopies, CTA Bus Tracker screens, and generous amounts of seating for waiting customers.  

This is the project which had new bus lanes on Washington torn up at the beginning of November.

Street configuration
Eastbound Washington will feature a red bus-only lane that will be served by four island bus-boarding platforms. Two general traffic lanes will remain for traffic through the Loop. A bike lane against the southern curb on Washington will be protected from auto and bus traffic. Madison Street will have similar lane configurations and four bus-boarding platforms. A new westbound bike lane will be installed on Randolph Street in 2016.

Clinton Street also features a red CTA bus only lane and two general traffic lanes. A two-way bike lane has been installed on Clinton, similar to Dearborn Street.

The routes for two buses, the #J14 and #124, will be modified in the eastbound direction in order to take full advantage of the Loop Link corridor. Beginning Sunday, December 20th, the #J14 Jeffery Jump bus route will run on Washington instead of Monroe between Clinton and Michigan Avenue; and the #124 Navy Pier bus route will run on Washington instead of Wacker between North Wacker and Michigan Avenue. Both routes currently use Madison in the westbound direction. 

Car  usage
For cars and other motor vehicles, the Loop Link includes 20 new left turn and right turn arrows at key intersections designed to improve traffic flow. These dedicated turn signals will increase turning capacity and reduce conflicts with people walking and biking. 

City officials urge motorists to pay close attention to lane markings and new signage as they become accustomed to the new, modernized traffic configuration. 

Cars will be prohibited from driving in the red, CTA bus only lanes. To prevent conflicts at the locations where motorists must cross the CTA bus lane to access a right turn lane, CTA buses will have a “queue jump,” or a special traffic signal before general traffic. This will allow buses to cross the intersection first; motorists will then be able to cross the CTA bus lane behind any buses. This will position right-turning motorists to the right of the CTA bus lane in a dedicated right turn lane at the intersection. Motorists will have a protected right turn arrow and bicyclists will have a dedicated bicycle signal, eliminating conflicts between right turning cars and either bicyclists or pedestrians.  

Right turns have been restricted at four locations on the Loop Link corridors, where traffic patterns showed there were relatively few turning vehicles and nearby alternatives:

• Washington to southbound LaSalle
• Madison to northbound Dearborn
• Madison to northbound Wacker
• Jackson to southbound Canal  

 

Bicyclists and pedestrians
City officials are also advising bicyclists to pay close attention to the pavement markings and safety signage on the new green bike lanes. Bicyclists are required to yield to pedestrians who are crossing the bike lane.

Likewise, pedestrians are urged not to walk or stand in the green bike lanes and to obey signals when crossing at intersections. At 19 crosswalks, the crossing distance has been shortened to make it safer and easier for pedestrians to cross. 

The project is a partnership of the CTA and the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) with support from Active Trans, the Chicago Metropolitan Planning Council, Chicago Community Trust and the Rockefeller Foundation.