New shuttle bus system connects University and Argonne

A free shuttle bus system began operating in June between the University and Argonne National Laboratory in west-suburban Argonne as part of a broader effort to promote the partnership between the University and the laboratory.

“Many important scientific opportunities require multi-investigator and multi-disciplinary resources,” said Robert Zimmer, the University’s Vice President for Research and Argonne National Laboratory. “This evolution of science and engineering at the University and Argonne is leading to a closer interaction that offers great opportunities to enhance the work of our faculty and students and Argonne scientists and engineers.”

Both Argonne and the University plan to introduce additional support services in order to facilitate and enhance productive collaborations between the institutions, despite the 27 miles that separate them.

“One of my important goals is to help make Argonne a stronger part of the University of Chicago community,” said Argonne Director Hermann Grunder. “This new shuttle service will make it easier for colleagues to visit one another and for people at both institutionsóincluding students and grad studentsóto attend seminars, conferences and other events at both campuses.”

The shuttle bus was initiated in response to numerous requests by researchers at both institutions, said Renee Carder, Assistant Vice President in Zimmer’s office.

“By reducing the burden of traveling between these two campuses, I believe we can make a dramatic difference in the interaction between the University and Argonne,” Carder said. “In order to do so, the shuttle must become a well-known, regular service, a new feature in our academic equipment. This summer, June 11 to Sept. 21, will serve as a pilot program, allowing us to find the right scope of operation. We welcome feedback from people on both campuses so that we can refine this service to be maximally helpful and effective.”

At Argonne the bus will stop at the front entrance of buildings 221, 223, 202, 212, 205 (east entrance), 401 plaza, 434 and 360. The bus will drop off passengers at building 900 by request only, and it will pick up passengers from this location once daily at 5 p.m. At the University the bus will stop at the southwest corner of East 57th Street and Ellis Avenue, under the sky bridge connecting the Kersten Physics Teaching Center with the Research Institutes. Service is limited to Monday through Friday, and it will not be available on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 3.

The Argonne-University bus schedule is as follows:

A shuttle will depart from Argonne at 6:30 a.m. and arrive at the University at 8 a.m.; depart from Argonne at 10:45 a.m. and arrive at the University at 11:45 a.m.; and depart from Argonne at 5:15 p.m. and arrive at the University at 6:15 p.m.

A shuttle also will depart from the University at 8:15 a.m. and arrive at Argonne at 9 a.m.; depart from the University at noon and arrive at Argonne at 12:45 p.m.; and depart from the University at 6:15 p.m. and arrive at Argonne at 7:15 p.m.

Visitors to Argonne must obtain a pass before entering in order to comply with federal regulations governing the export of sensitive technologies, equipment and information. Visitor passes may be requested at the Argonne Information Center, (630) 252-5755. For more information, visit www.anl.gov/OPA/shuttle.htm.