CTA aims for faster rides with new bus-only lane on Michigan Avenue
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The new bus-only lane on Michigan Avenue. Photo: Carrie Shepherd/Axios
A new bus-only lane operating on Michigan Avenue could speed up travel for thousands of commuters and tourists traveling through the Loop.
Why it matters: The nearly 1.5-mile lane from Roosevelt to Wacker aims to improve bus service for the estimated 22,000 people who use that stretch each weekday.
- CTA has not estimated how much time the lane will save riders each day, a spokesperson tells Axios.
By the numbers: About 1,490 buses on 21 routes use at least part of the new bus lane, according to the CTA.
- More than 7 million riders travel the route annually.
- The lane cost $543,000 to install, a Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) spokesperson tells Axios.
What they're saying: "The benefits of the bus lane will have ripple effects across CTA's entire network and make traveling easier for the thousands of riders every day, including doctors, students, tourists, and many others who rely on the bus to get where they need to go," CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen said in a statement.
- "This bright red bus lane in the heart of the city sends an important message to residents and visitors alike that public transit is a priority for our region."
Context: The new bus lane falls under the Smart Streets Pilot Program, which allows the city to ticket drivers who park in bus lanes, bike lanes and bus stops.
The big picture: Buses serve more public transit riders than trains and reach neighborhoods not served by the "L," making bus speed and availability a wide-reaching problem.
State of play: Bus-only lanes like the new one on Michigan Avenue are a step in the right direction to implementing Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Chicago, a practice the city has struggled to implement beyond the Loop Link.
- BRT is more than a dedicated bus lane. It's also pay-before-you-board stations, signal prioritization, and at-grade boarding.
Flashback: The city has attempted and failed in recent years to launch BRT on Ashland and Western avenues, two of the most traveled roads in the city.
- The plan hit a wall of opposition from businesses, including Costco, and became a key issue in the 2015 mayoral race, as Streetsblog reported this year.
Between the lines: CTA is not officially classifying the new bus-only Michigan Avenue lane as BRT.
What's next: CDOT and CTA will collect data over the next six months to evaluate travel times, schedules, traffic and safety to determine whether adjustments need to be made.