Bus service changes to take effect Monday, Oct. 31

Campus Bus Routes

The daytime buses will continue to operate on a 30-minute schedule at the current published starting times. For information on where to find campus bus maps and purchase tickets, call the 24-hour bus-information line at 702-3988.

Changes on the Red Line: The route will start its morning runs at 51st Street and Woodlawn Avenue instead of at 48th Street and Greenwood Avenue. The bus will travel its established route north through the South Kenwood neighborhood. At Dorchester Avenue, the bus will turn east on 51st Street to Hyde Park Boulevard, then travel south to 53rd Street and west to Harper Avenue, where it will resume its established route, traveling south to 56th Street and Dorchester Avenue. From there, the bus will continue south to 59th Street, then travel west to Ellis Avenue and turn north. It will continue north on Ellis Avenue to 57th Street, where it will resume the established route. The Red Line will no longer serve campus areas south of the Midway.

Changes on the Green Line: The bus will begin at its regular location and follow the existing route to 53rd Street and Hyde Park Boulevard. There it will turn east to South Shore Drive and travel south to 54th Street, resuming its current route. At 59th Street and Dorchester Avenue, the bus will turn south to 60th Street and travel west to Ellis Avenue, where it will turn north and then travel to 57th Street, resuming the existing route.

Since Ellis Avenue seems to be the centerline for the campus, both Red Line and Green Line buses will travel along Ellis to pick up and discharge passengers. Due to the construction of the Duchossois Center at Cottage Grove Avenue between 58th and 57th streets, the Green Line will no longer travel to Cottage Grove. Medical Center employees will be served by both lines from the Surgery Brain Research Pavilion entrance.

Passengers should note that both the Red Line and the Green Line now serve the area at and around 51st Street and Hyde Park Boulevard. The Red Line will operate approximately five minutes after the Green Line in this area. This change connects both lines with the CTA Jeffery #6 bus, and it also provides more service to an area with a dense concentration of bus passengers. CTA riders with a CTA transfer or a monthly pass and a UCID can board campus buses free of charge.

For the most part, the distances covered by the routes will be shortened by the changes, and the buses should be able to operate on a timely basis. As these changes will slightly alter the arrival times for pickup points along the routes, passengers are requested to allow some extra time in the morning during the transition period until the new schedule is established.

Midway Shuttle

The Midway Shuttle will also begin operation on Monday, Oct. 31. This is a joint venture between the University and the Hospitals, and vehicles supplied by both institutions will serve the route. From 6:40 to 9 a.m. and from 3 to 6 p.m., the route will be served by a bus similar to the University buses. At other times during the day, the shuttle service will be provided by the maroon Hospitals buses. The Midway Shuttle will operate on a 20-minute schedule from 6:40 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The route starts at the 59th Street Metra station and runs west to Cottage Grove Avenue, south to 60th Street, east to Stony Island Avenue and north to 59th Street. After 6 p.m., the shuttle will follow the F evening bus route.

Evening Bus Service

The evening bus service will incorporate several changes beginning Monday, Oct. 31.

Changes on the D route: Due to the Duchossois Center construction, the D route can no longer travel south on Cottage Grove Avenue to 58th Street. Instead, the bus will travel west on 57th Street to Cottage Grove, then north to 56th Street, east to Maryland Avenue and south to 57th Street, where it will resume its established route.

Changes on the F route: The F route will be replaced by the Midway Shuttle Evening Service. The evening route will be a modified form of the daytime shuttle route. The bus will start at 57th Street and University Avenue, not on the Main Quadrangle, following the schedule of the current F route. The bus will travel north to 55th Street, west to Ellis Avenue, then south to 59th Street, from which point it will follow the daytime route. During the 6 to 8 p.m. period, the shuttle will make a loop to Pritzker Hospital at 55th Street and Drexel Avenue. The evening shuttle will operate until 2 a.m. seven days a week.