CTA rail riders need to prepare for weekend disruptions. From 4 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, until 4 a.m. Monday, Oct. 26, the entire elevated Loop in downtown Chicago will be closed.
During that time, the CTA will finish replacing track and switches at the junction of the lines at Wells and Lake streets. It is one of the busiest rail junctions in the country and needs a major overhaul roughly once every 10 years. Work began in the fall of 2025. The agency is now taking advantage of the closure of the Pink and Green lines tied to construction of a new Lake Street bridge, which is being carried out by the city’s Department of Transportation (CDOT).
How Trains Will Run
- Green Line – Trains will run from Harlem/Lake to Clinton, and separately from Roosevelt to the South Side. Replacement buses will run between Clinton and Roosevelt. Riders coming from the south can transfer to the Red Line at Roosevelt.
- Brown Line – Trains will run from Kimball only to Merchandise Mart. From there, riders can take replacement buses to the Harold Washington Library-State/Van Buren station or transfer to the Red Line at Belmont and Fullerton.
- Orange Line – Trains will run from Midway only to Roosevelt. Riders can reach the Loop by taking replacement buses from Roosevelt to Clinton.
- Pink Line – Trains will run from 54th/Cermak only to the Blue Line’s Racine station, with no service through the Loop. To get downtown, riders can transfer to the Blue Line at Racine.
Signs and announcements will be posted at stations and transfer points. The CTA advises riders to allow extra travel time. Replacement bus stop locations are available at transitchicago.com.
Normal service is scheduled to resume at 4 a.m. Monday, Oct. 26, after the work and testing are completed.
Source: Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
