CTA Adds Lines to Bus Tracker, Mulls High-Speed Bus Lines

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Jan 12, 2009 8:40PM

The CTA announced today they're adding 11 more lines to the popular Bus Tracker. The good news? The Clark and Broadway routes have been added. Bad news? Still no North Ave. The 11 routes being added on January 26 are:

• No. 3 King Drive
• No. X3 King Drive Express
• No. 4 Cottage Grove
• No. X4 Cottage Grove Express
• No. 22 Clark
• No. 36 Broadway
• No. 49B North Western
• No. 82 Kimball/Homan
• No. 93 California/Dodge
• No. 96 Lunt
• No. 97 Skokie

Meanwhile, those plans for bus-only lines that were left for dead after last week's federal grant deadline snafu may still yet have some life. After a weekend meeting with outgoing U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, Mayor Daley said, "They're going to put this on hold so the next administration can deal with it." The odds are good, then, that something will come of this, given that the new Transportation Secretary-designate is Ray LaHood of Peoria. What would the $153 million grant get us?

The grant would allow the CTA to build and equip bus lines on four corridors -- 79th Street, Jeffery Boulevard, Halsted Street and Chicago Avenue. All would get rapid transit-style stations that include fare pre-payment areas, high-tech signals and bus-only lanes to speed service.

Sounds good. But, are wrong or does it seem like there are a few other routes (like Western) that may benefit more from such an upgrade?

Photo by Señor Codo