Chicago CTA Restores Routes After Bridge Work

CTA routes 88 and 90 return to normal routing March 23 after Harlem station bridge work

CTA Routes 88, 90 Resume Normal Service March 23

Chicago's CTA will restore normal routing for buses #88 Higgins and #90 Harlem starting Monday, March 23, 2026, at 6:00 AM, transit officials announced. The changes follow completion of construction on the Harlem Blue Line station's bus bridge over the Kennedy Expressway. Both routes had been operating on temporary detours during the bridge work, affecting riders traveling between Jefferson Park and northwest Chicago neighborhoods.

Construction Project Enables Route Restoration

The bus bridge reconstruction project at Harlem Blue Line station required temporary reroutes for multiple bus lines serving the area, according to the transit agency. The infrastructure work was part of CTA's ongoing efforts to maintain and upgrade aging transit facilities across the system. Officials said the completed bridge will improve bus operations and passenger connections between bus and rail services. The project's timeline and total cost weren't disclosed by the agency.

New Boarding Locations at Harlem Station

Westbound #88 buses heading to Devon/Canfield will board at the north bus bay on the station's bus bridge instead of the previous temporary stop at Harlem/Bryn Mawr's northeast corner. Eastbound #88 buses traveling to Jefferson Park Blue Line station will use the southbound stop outside the station's east entrance. Route #90 buses will begin and end trips at the center bus bay on the bus bridge, eliminating the temporary routing via Talcott and Sayre that had been in place during construction.

Service Changes Take Effect Monday Morning

The routing restoration takes effect at the start of service on March 23, transit officials confirmed. Riders should allow extra time for their first trips on the restored routes as they adjust to the new boarding locations at Harlem station. The agency said it'll post signage at affected stops to guide passengers to correct boarding areas.

What Riders Need to Know

Passengers using routes #88 and #90 should familiarize themselves with the new boarding locations at Harlem Blue Line station before Monday morning. The changes affect connections between bus and rail services at one of the system's key transfer points. Riders can check real-time bus locations and updated route information through Moovit, which provides current service details for all CTA routes.