CTA encourages visitors attending the 2009 Taste of Chicago at Grant Park to take public transportation to the event. CTA provides convenient and affordable service and will have extensive bus and rail service available to accommodate the crowds expected to attend the festival and fireworks shows. Longer trains will operate into the Loop until late every night, and extra buses will be available toward the close of each evening’s activities.
On Friday evening, July 3 and Saturday evening, July 4, additional service will be provided for spectators going to Grant Park or Navy Pier for the fireworks displays. To speed travel and reduce lines, customers are encouraged to buy farecards in advance with sufficient value or to add enough value to their existing farecards (either the Chicago Card or magnetic strip Transit Card) for their return trips later in the day.
Bus customers who use CTA fare media pay $2.00 to ride. For rail customers or customers who pay cash on the bus, the fare is $2.25. Customers who use magnetic strip cards or other CTA fare media may transfer for a 25 cent fee. Transfers are not available for customers paying fares in cash.
Extra Service for the Taste of Chicago
- Additional CTA personnel will be on duty at Loop rail stations to help customers and to provide travel information.
- A mobile CTA sales facility will be set up on Jackson just west of Columbus to allow customers to purchase fare media. Visitor Pass vending machines accept credit cards, in addition to cash, and will offer: 3-Day Visitor Passes and 7-Day Passes. Customers also can purchase or add value to transit cards or Chicago Cards at vending machines or use a credit card at Express Vending Machines.
Rail Service – Taste of Chicago
- Blue/Brown/Green/Orange/Pink/Red Lines
Longer trains will operate on all six of these lines each evening until approximately 10:30pm from downtown daily. - Purple Line (connections at Howard with Red Line trains serving downtown)
Longer Purple Line trains will run until midnight from Howard to Linden daily. - Yellow Line (connections at Howard with Red Line trains serving downtown)
Trains will operate later than usual on weekdays; with the last train leaving Howard at 12am. Trains operate on Saturday and Sunday from 6:10 a.m. to 12 a.m. at 15-minute intervals.
Park & Ride Facilities
Parking is available for approximately 6,000 cars at facilities adjacent to 18 CTA rail stations, mainly at terminals, throughout the CTA system. Rates are $5 at Rosemont and Forest Park and $4 at all other locations. Park & Ride locations are listed on CTA’s system map and on the CTA web site, transitchicago.com. Customers also may obtain information on Park & Ride facilities by calling 836-7000 from any local area code.
Street Closures – Taste of Chicago
Effective from 5am Friday, June 26 until 5am Monday, July 6, the following streets will be closed to all traffic:
- Columbus Drive between Roosevelt and Monroe
- Monroe Drive between Michigan and Lake Shore Drive
- Jackson Drive between Michigan and Lake Shore Drive
- Congress Plaza
- Congress Drive between Michigan and Columbus
- Balbo Drive between Michigan and Lake Shore Drive
Bus Service – Taste of Chicago
As Taste activities wind down each evening, additional service will be available for trips out of the downtown area at the following locations:
- #6 Jackson Park Express buses can be boarded at all regular stops southbound on State starting at Lake.
- #20 Madison, #56 Milwaukee and #60 Blue Island/26th buses can be boarded at all regular stops westbound on Madison starting at State.
- #151 Sheridan buses can be boarded at regular stops northbound on State starting at Adams.
- Additional service on the #126 Jackson will be provided only on weekends during the Taste, in addition to Friday, July 3. There is no additional service along the #126 route on Saturday, July 4.
For details about all CTA service call 836-7000 (all local area codes) or visit the CTA web site at transitchicago.com to use the travel planner feature.
MEDIA CONTACT:
CTA Media Relations
ctamedia@transitchicago.com