Loop Bridge Repair to Affect Evanston CTA Purple Line Service

The Chicago Department of Transportation’s intensive Wells Street Bridge project -- reconstructing the 90-year-old bascule bridge by replacing one entire leaf of the bascule bridge each day for two 9-day periods -- will interrupt train service on the bridge over the Chicago River on those days, from 10 pm, Friday, March 1 through 4 am, Monday, March 11, and again from 10pm, Friday, April 26 through 4am, Monday, May 6. This will result in no weekday Purple Line Express service to the Loop during these two periods; Purple Line trains will terminate at Howard, where riders can transfer to the Red Line. Additionally, there will be reduced capacity on the Red and Brown lines during the peak of the rush period. CTA is "strongly encouraging" riders to consider alternative transportation (such as the many bus lines that depart from Howard) or at least to plan ahead for longer commutes.