Central Loop BRT designs unveiled

We were so busy preparing for last week’s Transit Summit that we didn’t get a chance to share with you CDOT’s recently-unveiled designs for central Loop BRT and the Union Station Transit Center!

Riders for Better Transit has closely followed this project as part of our effort to bring Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) to Chicago. The project includes plans to provide an east-west BRT route through the loop, connecting Union Station and Ogilvie Station with destinations such as Navy Pier. It also includes plans for the Union Station Transit Center, the new off-street transportation center just south of Union Station, which will provide key connections with other modes of transport to the BRT system.

Check out these renderings of the eastbound Washington Ave. and westbound Madison Ave. routes. Notice they include dedicated lanes for the bus and for bikes, as well as a station where riders waiting for the bus can stand.

Ron Burke, executive director of Active Trans, voiced our support by saying, "By making the cross-Loop trip fast and reliable, transit becomes an even better option for Chicagoans traveling through downtown. BRT is an incredible opportunity to provide the kind of transportation options that Chicagoans need.”

The Metropolitan Planning Council, which we have partnered with on our outreach efforts for Bus Rapid Transit in Chicago, expressed support for this project in this op-ed that appeared in Crain’s Chicago Business.

This is an exciting announcement for BRT in Chicago! Next in the works is the plan for Bus Rapid Transit on the Western/Ashland corridor. We’re still awaiting the announcement of a locally preferred alternative, which should happen this spring! Sign on here to show your support for BRT on Western and Ashland Ave.!