CTA announces schedule changes ahead of anticipated spring ridership rush
The CTA announced changes in schedules — largely on the Blue Line — ahead of an anticipated spike in ridership as the weather warms up, the agency announced Monday night.
Starting April 20, the Blue Line O’Hare Branch will have two extra trips added each weekday, six extra trips added on Saturdays and five extra trips on Sundays, while the Blue Line Forest Park Branch will see even more: 30 additional trips each weekday, 17 additional trips on Saturdays and two additional trips on Sundays.
Red and Yellow Line trains are having their early morning schedules shifted to better align with each other, the agency said, as the first northbound Yellow Line train will depart Howard at 4:40 a.m., with southbound service from Dempster-Skokie starting at 4:55 a.m.
“Over the last three years, CTA has added service to the Blue Line to improve its reliability and we are excited to add even more service in 2025,” said Acting President Nora Leerhsen. “This investment makes the Blue Line an even better transportation alternative for those affected by the reconstruction of the Kennedy Expressway. We are eager to welcome new riders to our system and support existing riders with more frequent service.”
The changes come as the third and final phase of the Kennedy Expressway improvement begins, closing two outbound lanes and making the inbound reversible express lanes completely outbound Tuesday morning.
The reversible lanes’ mid-gate entrance and exit will also remain closed through mid-July; drivers heading to O’Hare won’t be able to use the express lanes.
The Illinois Department of Transportation and CTA both urged further use of public transit as delays were expected due to the project.
“With the work zone starting to go into place with Tuesday morning’s rush, the use of alternative routes and public transportation is once again strongly encouraged,” the Illinois Department of Transportation said in a statement Monday.