advertisement

---

Although many public transportation providers are reducing services in response to the weak economy’s effect on local funding, others, including Chicago Transit Authority, are expanding services.



CTA plans to extend hours on two rail routes based on CTA’s service standards, which calculate the distance an average customer travels to reach a bus stop or "L" station; the hours and days a route operates; frequency of service; level of ridership at the route’s busiest location; and the number of customers a CTA vehicle carries per hour.



Based on these parameters, CTA’s board decided to permanently expand service on its rush-period Purple Line Express, which the agency’s been testing since December. The first Purple Line Express train leaves Linden at 5:24 a.m., and arrives at the Merchandise Mart at 6:04 a.m. The last afternoon train leaves Linden at 6:29 p.m. and arrives at the Merchandise Mart at 7:09 p.m.



Weekday trains on the Orange Line will leave Midway from 3:55 a.m. to 12:55 a.m. and arrive in downtown Chicago from 4:19 a.m. until 1:19 a.m.



Weekend service also has been expanded, but CTA plans to conduct another 180-day testing period before board members decide whether to make those changes permanent, as well.



In addition to changing rail routes, CTA’s board also is changing 13 bus routes.



The changes to the rail routes will take effect Dec. 29.