CTA approves Pulaski and California route realignments and other frequent-network expansions

Chicago Transit Authority planners presented and the board approved ordinances to realign the Pulaski corridor and extend service on the California corridor as part of the agency's continuing build-out of a 10-minute-or-better frequent bus network.

Molly Poppy, CTA chief planning and innovation officer, said the realignment would extend the 53A from Peterson south to Ford City Mall (a 6.5-mile extension), provide 10-minute frequent-network service through 76th Street, and truncate the 53 to create better overlapping coverage and transfer points at the Pulaski Orange Line station. CTA staff estimated the Pulaski changes would yield about 2,000 additional rides annually and said the incremental annual operating cost ($3,600,000) is included in the 2025 budget.

Poppy said the second approved ordinance sends the 93 (California/Dodge) through Kedzie and California to meet the Blue Line at Logan Square, closing an existing roughly 2-mile gap and adding Sunday service. CTA staff estimated this change would add about 1,000 annual rides and an annual operating cost of roughly $2,200,000.

The presentation also described several non-board-action service improvements: extending the No. 4 Cottage Grove service south to 95th (about a 5-mile extension), extending overnight (owl) service on Pulaski and Chicago Avenue routes by about 5 miles and 2.5 miles respectively, and several span extensions on high-productivity routes to improve evening and weekend access. Staff said those changes reflect rider feedback and union input and are intended to improve operator layover conditions and off-street facilities.

Directors praised the planning team's outreach to institutions (including Richard J. Daley College), unions and community stakeholders. The committee moved the two ordinances onto the omnibus for board approval; a roll-call vote approved placement and the board later recommended the omnibus to the full board.