By Robert C. Herguth
TRANSPORTATION REPORTER

Date of Publication: May 4, 2000
Source: Chicago Sun-Times

Increasing ridership is leading the CTA to expand service on some bus and rail routes, including longer weekend hours on the Brown Line, officials said Wednesday.

On Saturdays, the Brown Line now operates from 5:45 a.m. to 8 p.m. between the Loop and northwest to Kimball. On Sundays, there is no service south of Belmont.

Starting Sunday, July 16, service to the Loop will stretch from 5 a.m. to 11:50 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Weekday service won't change.

``Prior to the 1950s, it did operate longer hours, but over time it just got cut back,'' said Mary Kay Christopher, the CTA general manager for service planning. With ridership growing, it is now the third most heavily used CTA route.

Meanwhile, the operating hours of 14 stations and entrances on the Red and Blue lines and the Loop L will be expanded. For instance, on the Loop L, the Madison-Wabash, Washington-Wells and La Salle-Van Buren stations are closed Sundays but will soon be open at all hours of train service.

Summer improvements are also being made to the following bus routes: 6 Jeffery Express; 111 Pullman; 34 South Michigan; 145 Wilson-Michigan; 146 Marine-Michigan and the X21-Cermak Express.

Starting Saturday, the CTA will let L riders bring bicycles on trains every weekend from 6 a.m. Saturday through midnight Sunday.

For more information, call (888) 968-7282.