CTA Reroutes 7 Lines for State Street Work
Seven CTA bus routes detour nightly starting March 23 for State Street construction work
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CTA Reroutes 7 Bus Routes for State Street Work
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Seven Chicago bus routes will detour around State Street construction starting Monday night, affecting thousands of downtown commuters. The Chicago Transit Authority announced the nightly reroutes will begin March 23, 2026, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily while crews work on State Street between Wacker and Randolph. The bus stop at State/Lake's southeast corner won't be served during construction hours.
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The construction project requires closing a key downtown corridor during overnight hours when buses still serve late-shift workers, entertainment venues, and early-morning commuters. Transit officials said the work is necessary to maintain infrastructure in one of Chicago's busiest commercial districts. The affected stretch runs through the heart of the Loop, where multiple bus routes converge. Officials haven't specified what type of street work is being performed or released cost estimates for the project.
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Routes #2 Hyde Park Express, #6 Jackson Park Express, #29 State, #36 Broadway, #62 Archer, #146 Inner Lake Shore/Michigan Express, and #148 Clarendon/Michigan Express will all detour during construction hours. Northbound riders should board at State/Randolph instead of State/Lake, while southbound passengers need to use State/Monroe. The CTA advised riders to allow extra travel time due to the reroutes. Officials didn't say how much additional time passengers should expect for their trips.
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The nightly closures begin at 9 p.m. Monday, March 23, 2026, with normal service resuming at 6 a.m. each morning. Transit officials haven't announced an end date for the construction work. The agency said it'll continue the overnight pattern until street work is complete, but didn't provide a timeline for how long the project might last.
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Riders who regularly use the affected routes during overnight hours should plan alternate boarding locations starting Monday. Transit officials said they'll post updates as the project progresses. Moovit provides real-time CTA bus tracking and can help riders navigate the temporary stop changes during construction hours.
