The Evanston Chamber of Commerce has put together some information on transportation alternatives for folks who work in Evanston and commute on the ‘L’ during the massive construction project that got underway yesterday.
The Evanston Chamber of Commerce has put together some information on transportation alternatives for folks who work in Evanston and commute on the ‘L’ during the massive construction project that got underway yesterday.
CTA
Evanston employees who commute by the CTA Purple Line Express, Red Line, or Brown Line will be impacted by the construction work.
Initially, the reduction from four tracks to three tracks is likely to result in only minor delays for those who travel on the Purple Line Express or Red Lines north to Evanston in the morning and back south to Chicago in the afternoon/evening.
However, those who use the inbound Brown Line to Belmont Station in the morning or the outbound Brown Line from Belmont Station in the afternoon/evening are expected to experience substantial delays.
Also, note that Southport, Addison, and Montrose Stations are now all closed for at least one year on the Brown Line. The CTA’s website and its three-track section have updates and suggestions on bus route alternatives. And, RTA has a trip planner that acknowledges the construction delays and offers commuting suggestions.Â
METRA
Metra has increased train frequencies in the morning from Chicago north to Evanston and in the afternoon and evening south from Evanston to Chicago. Weekday morning service to Evanston leaves Chicago Ogilvie Station at: 5:40, 6:29, 6:35, 6:45, 6:58, 7:25, 7:55, and 8:35. Those trains arrive at Evanston’s Davis Street Station at: 6:05, 6:48, 6:59, 7:08, 7:17, 7:49, 8:19, and 8:58. All of these trains stop at Clybourn Station and all, except for the 6:29 train, stop at Ravenswood Station.
In the afternoon and evening, service to Chicago leaves Evanston Davis Street Station at: 4:00, 4:27, 5:00, 5:43, 6:00, 6:09, and 7:02. These trains arrive at Chicago Olgilvie Station at: 4:25, 4:54, 5:28, 6:09, 6:25, 6:35, and 7:27. All of these trains stop at Clybourn Station and Ravenswood Station. Metra’s website has complete schedule and fare information.
CTA/METRA combo
For residents of Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Roscoe Village, Ravenswood, and other nearby neighborhoods commuting north to Evanston in the morning, The Evanston Chamber recommends the following transit alternative.
Take the Brown Line outbound to the Damen Avenue Station. Walk four blocks east to the Metra Ravenswood Station. Take Metra north to Evanston, just 10 minutes to Davis Street Station.
Trains leave Ravenswood north in the morning at: 6:48, 6:58, 7:11, 7:38, 8:09, and 8:48. Reverse the route south in the afternoon/evening. The Ravenswood Metra Station can also be easily reached via the CTA #50 Damen Ave. bus or the #8 Ashland Ave. bus. For many commuters, this combination alternative is faster than the Purple Line Express because of the outstanding on-time reliability of the Metra trains.