Friday, April 26, 2013

Tribune: Metra urges CTA riders to try its trains when Red Line closes May 19


Photo by strannik / flickr
While I was very sorry to have missed the very important Role Model Movement event that discussed the closure of the Dan Ryan branch of the CTA Red Line on Tuesday, the discussion continues. An article from the Chicago Tribune that shows Metra is coming up with an alternative during the course of the five-month project to rebuild the Dan Ryan branch:
Attention CTA riders: Metra has its eyes on you when the Red Line shuts down the South Side branch May 19 for major reconstruction.

The commuter rail agency is cooperating with the CTA to accommodate customers left scrambling during the five months when the 10-mile Red Line stretch from Cermak-Chinatown to 95th Street will be rebuilt at a cost of $425 million.

Metra said Thursday it would modify its schedule and ticketing to help the South Side branch's 80,000 weekday Red Line riders during the shutdown. But — no surprise here — Metra also wants to hang on to some of those customers.

"There's a great opportunity … to get (CTA) riders to stay with us," Metra marketing chief Robert Carlton told board members at a recent meeting.

In addition to the CTA's previously announced plans for alternative service for Red Line riders, Metra's Electric and Rock Island lines would be good options, officials said.
Also:
The CTA, Metra and Pace also will offer a new fare package to accommodate Red Line customers. It will include a special CTA/Pace five-day pass and a Metra 10-ride ticket.

The CTA does not normally offer a five-day pass, and it will be priced at a discount, the agency said.

The five-day pass/10-ride ticket package will cost $52 for Metra Zone B riders; $64 for Zone C; and $74 for Zone D.
For those of you who might dread having to take a shuttlebus to Garfield in order to continue your commutes to downtown Chicago at least there are viable alternatives. This five-month shutdown will certainly be a pain, but hopefully when the Dan Ryan branch (or Red Line south) is back online there commutes should be much better!

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