LINCOLN SQUARE — Just when you thought it was safe to ride the Brown Line, the Wells Street Bridge reconstruction project has resurfaced to wreak havoc with commuters, April 26 - May 6.
The sequel, which premieres at 10 p.m. Friday, is sure to cause as many headaches as the original, with reduced service and train re-routes.
Purple Line Express service will be suspended throughout the nine-day project and Brown Line service will be severely reduced and altered.
During weekday rush hours, some Brown Line trains will operate only between Kimball and the Merchandise Mart. Others will be rerouted to Red Line tracks after the Fullerton station and run to Roosevelt — destination signs on these trains will read "Roosevelt."
Some Brown Line trains to Kimball will depart from Roosevelt, making Red Line stops through Fullerton, at which point they will resume the regular Brown Line route. Expect greater than normal overcrowding on Brown and Red Line trains.
A shuttle train will run continuously around the Loop and a free shuttle bus will operate between the Chicago Station and the Loop.
During non-peak hours, Brown Line trains will run between Kimball and the Merchandise Mart; after 8 p.m., trains will only run to Chicago.
On weekends — April 27-28, May 4-5 — CTA is piggybacking Loop Track Renewal work at the Lake and Wells junctions onto the Wells Street Bridge project. This will affect service on the Brown, Green, Orange and Pink lines.
Travel tips from the CTA: avoid rush hours if possible and consider switching to bus service.
Here's hoping the transit authority doesn't make like Peter Jackson and turn this into a trilogy.