CTA Express Bus Routes Return To Ashland, Western Monday
(CBS) --Riders on two CTA bus routes Monday get to welcome back an old friend -- the express bus.
The X9/Ashland Express and X49/Western Express routes were the victims of budget cuts in 2010. But ridership has remained high on the 9/Ashland and 49/Western local buses, with nearly 55,000 riders a day. So, with the assistance of the Regional Transportation Authority, which is helping to pay the restart costs, express service is being re-instituted.
Before the 2010 cutbacks, express service was provided all day on weekdays. Revival plans call for both routes to be strictly rush-hour weekday routes. Both Ashland and Western are in line to get priority signaling for buses. That work is expected to be completed in 2017.
CTA has been taking a series of steps to try to combat a national downward trend in bus ridership, which is in contrast with ridership on the 'L,' which is at its highest levels in more than 40 years.
