Pace To Replace Some Discontinued CTA Bus Lines
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Pace is coming to the rescue of a number of CTA bus passengers who are about to lose their ride.
The suburban bus agency made the announcement Wednesday as it unveiled its 2013 budget.
Those who ride CTA's 56A/North Milwaukee, 17/Westchester, 49A/South Western, 64/Foster-Canfield, 69/Cumberland-East River,81W/ West Lawrence and 90N/North Harlem buses will find Pace service replacing it as of Dec. 16.
In some cases there will be a slight reroute, hours will be extended or stop patterns will change, but existing Pace bus routes will handle virtually all of the discontinued CTA lines. Only the Pace 353/95th-River Oaks-Homewood line will be rerouted, so it will use Stony Island Avenue, the Bishop Ford Freeway and 130th Street, speeding up its schedule.
"I think you could say we'll be supporting each other," said Pace Executive Director T.J. Ross.
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Long-time Pace board member, and former Wilmette Village President, Vernon Squires said the changes were long overdue.
"It wasn't a sound use of scarce resources before," he said.
He urged Pace planners to continue to review the route map with CTA to see where other areas of duplication can be eliminated.
The $344 million 2013 Pace suburban bus budget plans no fare increases. Ross said that Pace expects to increase service on I-55 and I-90, add local service in Lake County, restructure bus route in Aurora and expand its newly-introduced call 'n ride service.
The agency plans 13 public hearings across the six-county region Oct. 22-31.
