The Chicago Transit Authority is adding 10-minutes-or-better service to four more bus routes, further expanding its “Frequent Network” that launched last year.
The Frequent Network will expand starting Sunday to three more lines: the No. 35 31st/35th, No. 74 Fullerton and No. 85 Central. In December, the No. 8 Halsted route will be added to the network.
The expansion brings 24 total bus routes to the Frequent Network, providing service every 10 minutes or better on weekdays from 6 a.m. and 9 p.m., and on weekends from 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Unrelated to the Frequent Network, the CTA is also adding more buses to seven other routes by the end of the year:
- No. 3 King Drive: Earlier Sunday/holiday service
- No. 44 Wallace/Racine: Earlier Sunday/holiday service
- No. 70 Division: Earlier weekday service
- No. 74 Fullerton: More frequent service between 9 PM and midnight on weekends
- No. 73 Armitage: Later Saturday and Sunday service
- No. 76 Diversey: Earlier Sunday/holiday service, later Saturday and Sunday/holiday service
- No. 91 Austin: Earlier Saturday and Sunday/holiday service
The extra scheduled buses — much of them added to the midday, evening hours and weekends— is thanks to new funding from the landmark Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act, according to the CTA.
The CTA said the network provides strong connections to sister agencies Pace and Metra, a requirement of the NITA law that aims to improve coordination between the agencies. The law requires all three agencies to have a unified fare system by 2030.
By the end of the year, 75% of the CTA’s service area will be within a half mile of a frequent bus route, according to the agency.
The other current routes part of the Frequent Network include:
- No. 4 Cottage Grove
- No. 9 Ashland
- No. 12 Roosevelt
- No. J14 Jeffery Jump
- No. 20 Madison
- No. 34 South Michigan
- No. 47 47th
- No. 49 Western
- No. 53 Pulaski
- No. 54 Cicero
- No. 55 Garfield
- No. 60 Blue Island/26th
- No. 63 63rd
- No. 66 Chicago
- No. 72 North
- No. 77 Belmont
- No. 79 79th
- No. 81 Lawrence
- No. 82 Kimball/Homan
- No. 95 95th
