CTA Protects Red Line Service Amid Station Work

CTA Red Line southbound trains skip five North Side stations, requiring transfers

CTA Red Line Bypasses 5 North Side Stations

Chicago's Red Line trains heading to 95th Street won't stop at five North Side stations, forcing riders to adjust their commutes. The CTA said 95th-bound trains will skip Jarvis, Morse, Loyola, Granville, and Thorndale stations, affecting thousands of daily commuters. Officials recommend riders use Bryn Mawr station to transfer to Howard-bound trains, then switch back to southbound service.

Service Pattern Creates Extended Travel Times

The station bypasses require affected riders to make two transfers instead of a direct trip, adding significant time to commutes. Transit officials said the service pattern impacts a heavily used section of the Red Line that serves dense residential neighborhoods. Specific details about how long the bypasses will remain in effect weren't available by publication time. The affected stations typically handle substantial ridership during morning and evening peak periods, though exact passenger counts for these locations weren't provided.

Five Consecutive Stations Affected

The bypassed stations span a roughly two-mile stretch of the Red Line's northern segment between Howard and Bryn Mawr. Officials didn't specify whether the service change affects all 95th-bound trains or only certain times of day. The CTA also hasn't said whether northbound Howard-bound trains continue to serve these stations normally. Riders needing to reach the five affected stations must now use the transfer workaround at Bryn Mawr, though officials didn't provide estimates of how much additional travel time this adds.

Implementation Details Remain Unclear

Transit officials haven't announced when the station bypasses began or how long they'll continue. The CTA typically implements such service changes for construction, track work, or operational needs, but the specific reason for these bypasses wasn't provided. Officials also didn't say whether the service pattern affects weekend service differently than weekday schedules. The agency said it will provide updates through its alert system, though a timeline for when normal service will resume wasn't available.

Riders Face Complex Transfer Process

Commuters traveling through the affected stations should expect longer trips and plan extra time for the required transfers at Bryn Mawr. The workaround requires riders to board a northbound train, exit, and then board another southbound train—a process that could prove confusing for occasional riders or visitors. Moovit provides real-time updates for CTA Red Line service, helping riders navigate the temporary service pattern and plan routes that account for the station bypasses.