Work returns to the Blue line
 

I got caught in the construction this morning.

The flyer they handed out says "Temporary closures will occur along sections of the subway most weekends through the end of 2009.

Right now, they're in Phase 1, and you get bused between Western and Clark/Lake in both directions. It was pretty slow since the bus I was on (Northbound) went up Clark to Grand to Milwaukee, then went North on Ashland, West on North Ave., and then North on Western. This phase is supposed to last all summer.

The flyer says the actual work is from Division to Grand (isn't this the same section they just finished?)

Phase 2 (summer through fall) shows work between Grand and Lake/Clark.

Phase 3 (fall to end of 2009) shows work between Clark/Lake and Clinton.

To clarify: the buses are in effect on weekends. On weekdays, trains run at <15 mph in the Milwaukee subway (Division to Clark/Lake), which adds about 2-4 minutes to travel times. Those going to Near North hotels on weekends might just want to flag a cab at the Western "L", since you're already most of the way into the city.

The earlier work in the Milwaukee subway was safety work and emergency repairs; this work replaces the remaining tracks and ties. It had been scheduled to take place in a few years, but then some money fell from the sky...

IIRC, the signs say that the work will be from 10 p.m. Fridays until 4 a.m., Mondays.

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8900/4.6.1.114 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

On the upside, a crew was installing a new platform floor at ORD today -- some kind of stone composite covering the bare concrete that's been there a little while. Bye bye bumpys.