The CTA is adding rail service for runners and spectators attending Sunday's Bank of America Chicago Marathon, which will also cause reroutes of about a quarter of the CTA's 120-plus bus lines.
The CTA is adding extra service to the Red, Brown, Blue, Orange, Purple and Green lines Sunday morning. Meanwhile, 34 bus routes will see reroutes or delays near the marathon route. The CTA recommends bus riders allow extra travel time.
The marathon, which is expected to draw 45,000 runners and 1.7 million spectators, begins at 7:30 a.m. and is expected to wrap up at 2 p.m. The race starts and ends at Grant Park and winds through 29 neighborhoods.
The CTA recommends that riders load transit value or unlimited ride passes to their Ventra cards at rail stations, online or retailers before this weekend to avoid long lines at rail station vending machines.
Last year, riders faced lengthy lines at Ventra machines at the O'Hare Blue Line station, which sees its highest ridership the Friday before the marathon. The CTA was in the middle of transitioning to Ventra, its fare payment system, at the time. The CTA completed its transition in July.
The CTA said additional personnel will be on duty at the O'Hare stop, Midway Orange Line station and other stations along the Blue, Red, Green, Brown, Orange and Pink lines and at major bus stops to help assist riders.
Here is a list of the train and bus lines that will see a change in service Sunday.
Rail lines
>>Blue Line: Longer trains will operate 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. More frequent service also will be provided with trains operating every five to six minutes from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
>>Red Line: Longer trains will operate 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. More frequent service also will be provided, with trains running every six to eight minutes from 5 a.m. to 6:30 a.m.; and every four to five minutes from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
>>Brown Line: Service to downtown will begin earlier than normal, with the first train departing at 5 a.m. from the Kimball stop to the Loop. Longer trains will operate until 4 p.m.
>>Orange and Green Line: Longer trains will operate from 5:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
>>Purple Line: Service will begin earlier than normal, with the first train leaving at 5:30 a.m. from the Linden stop to the Howard stop.
Bus service
Thirty-four bus routes will see reroutes or delays, the CTA said. Reroutes can be expected in the downtown area from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; on the North Side from 6:30 a.m. to noon; on the West Side from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and on the South Side from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The affected routes are the Nos.:
>> 3-King Drive
>> 4-Cottage Grove
>> 6-Jackson Park Express
>> 8-Halsted
>> 9-Ashland
>> 10-Museum of Science and Industry
>> 12-Roosevelt
>> J14-Jeffery Jump
>> 18-16th/18th
>> 20-Madison
>> 21-Cermak
>> 22-Clark
>> 29-State
>> 35 31st/35th
>> 36 Broadway
>> 44-Wallace/Racine
>> 50-Damen
>> 56-Milwaukee
>> 60-Blue Island/26th
>> 62-Archer
>> 65-Grand
>> 66-Chicago
>> 70-Division
>> 72-North
>> 73-Armitage
>> 74-Fullerton
>> 76-Diversey
>> 77-Belmont
>> 124-Navy Pier
>> 126-Jackson
>> 146-Inner Drive/Michigan Express
>> 147-Outer Drive Express
>> 151-Sheridan
>> 152 Addison
See the marathon near these CTA stations
>> Grand Red Line: Miles 1, 3 and 12.
>> Monroe Red Line: Mile #2
>> Chicago Red Line: Miles 3.5 and 11.5.
>> Addison Red Line: Mile 7.75.
>> Sedgwick Brown Line: Mile 10.25.
>> UIC-Halsted Blue Line: Miles 16 and 16.5.
>> 18th Pink Line: Mile 19.
>> Halsted Orange Line: Mile #20.5.
>> Sox-35th Red Line and 35th-Bronzeville-IIT Green Line: Mile 23.
>> Roosevelt Red/Green/Orange Line: Finish Line.