Loop Link
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The Loop Link, also called the Central Loop BRT during planning, is a completed busway project in the Chicago Loop and the Near West Side, serving multiple Chicago Transit Authority bus routes that run along Canal Street, Washington Street, Madison Street, and Clinton Street.
History
[edit]Background
[edit]Throughout the mid-20th century, aside from the already-opened State Street and Milwaukee–Dearborn subways, city planners had proposed a third downtown subway lines that would run east–west.
In the 1958 New Horizons project, two east–west lines were proposed: a subway line under Jackson Boulevard and an underground busway under Washington Street.[1][2]
In 1968, a newer plan, the Chicago Urban Transportation District, called for a east–west downtown subway line, running from the University of Illinois Chicago campus to Grant Park primarily along Monroe Street. In addition, another subway line would parallel the lakefront from McCormick Place to the Streeterville neighborhood. Ultimately, by the late 1970s, growing project cost and insufficient funding led to the planned subway system and the project as a whole being canceled.[2][3][4]
In 1989, the Chicago Central Area Circulator light rail project was proposed. The system would serve as far south as McCormick Place, as far west as Clinton Street (Chicago Union Station and Chicago and North Western Terminal), as far north as Streeterville, and as far east as Navy Pier. While the project gained support, it also gained opposition from certain businesses, citing disruption from the project. As a result, certain segments were realigned, leading to delays. The project was eventually canceled in 1995 due to state and federal funding being pulled.[2][4]
Busway project
[edit]In the mid to late 2000s, a bus improvement project was proposed with its project limit spanning from Union Station to Navy Pier; part of the project included the addition of busways.[4] The project received a $24.6 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration in July 2010[5] as well as an additional $7.3 million from the city's tax increment financing in February 2012.[4][6]
In February 2013, the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) announced the addition of dedicated bus lanes as well as protected bike lanes. The agencies also announced a bus transportation center adjacent to Union Station.[7][8][9]
The busway was originally scheduled to become operational in 2014;[7][8] however, construction was delayed to 2015 and the project scope was reduced to just the east–west busways.[10][11] Construction began on March 16, 2015; earlier that month, the Central Loop BRT was rebranded as Loop Link.[12][13] The busway system opened on December 21, 2015.[14][15][16][17]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Transit Plans - New Horizons Plan, 1958". Chicago "L".org. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
- ^ a b c Schlickman, Stephen E.; Klabunde, Laura (2 April 2018). "The History of the City of Chicago Central Area Transit Circulation Efforts" (PDF). Bureau of Transportation Statistics. National University Rail Center. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
- ^ "Transit Plans - Chicago Central Area Transit Planning Study, 1968". Chicago "L".org. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
- ^ a b c d Freemark, Yonah (22 February 2012). "Chicago Commits to Downtown Bus Priority". The Transport Politic. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
- ^ Hilkevitch, Jon (7 July 2010). "Chicago gets grants for transit projects". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 11 July 2010.
- ^ Mitchell, Chip (21 February 2012). "$7.3 million OKed for downtown 'bus rapid transit'". WBEZ. Archived from the original on 23 February 2012.
- ^ a b "Bus Rapid Transit in Central Loop East-West Corridor will provide balanced separation of bus, bike and traffic lanes". Metropolitan Planning Council. 20 February 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
- ^ a b Vance, Steven (21 February 2013). "CTA and CDOT Unveil Proposed Designs for Central Loop BRT Corridor". Streetsblog Chicago. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
- ^ Dunlap, Aaron (28 May 2014). "Get On Board: Central Loop Bus Rapid Transit Is Coming Soon". Curbed Chicago. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
- ^ Greenfield, John (29 September 2014). "CDOT Is Finally Moving Forward With the Loop BRT Project". Streetsblog Chicago. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
- ^ Jaffe, Eric. "The Cracks in Chicago's Grand Plans for the Bus". Bloomberg. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
- ^ "Chicago to Start Loop Link Construction March 16". Mass Transit Magazine. 2 March 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
- ^ Stanley, Jenn. "CTA Plan Will Double Some Chicago Bus Speeds". Next City. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
- ^ Matthews, David; Cox, Ted (21 December 2015). "Loop Link Buses Start Rolling Downtown". DNAinfo Chicago. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
- ^ "Loop Link launches downtown, faster bus service expected". FOX 32 Chicago. 21 December 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
- ^ Greenfield, John (14 December 2015). "The Loop Link Bus Rapid Transit System Launches This Sunday". Streetsblog Chicago. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
- ^ Kamin, Blair (9 January 2016). "Chicago's Loop Link not exactly rapid, but a step in right direction". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 17 May 2025.