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Chicago Announces Dedicated Bus Lane on Northbound Michigan Avenue
Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago is pictured in a 2022 file photo. (tunart / iStock)
A dedicated bus lane is coming to Michigan Avenue.
The new 1.5-mile dedicated bus lane will be installed on northbound Michigan Avenue between Roosevelt Road and Wacker Drive in an effort to reduce delays along the downtown corridor, the city announced Wednesday.
The Loop’s Michigan Avenue is one of the busiest areas in the CTA bus system, according to the city, with an estimated 22,000 bus riders traveling through the segment every weekday.
An estimated 1,490 buses on 21 different routes are expected to use at least part of the new bus lane each day.
The Chicago Department of Transportation will begin to install new pavement markings and signage for the dedicated bus lane this week. Work will take place overnight and is expected to be completed over the next seven to 10 days, weather permitting, according to the city.
The city said the new bus lane on Michigan Avenue is within the enforcement area of a city program that uses automated cameras to ticket drivers for parking and standing restrictions in bus lanes, bike lanes and at bus stops.
Drivers who blocked bicycle and bus lanes have racked up nearly $4.5 million in fines since the start of the Smart Streets pilot program in November 2024, according to city data released earlier this month.
Following the bus lane’s installation, the city said it will conduct field observations and collect data over the first six months to evaluate bus travel times, traffic operations and safety along the corridor.
The announcement was made in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Northern Illinois Transit Authority, the region’s new oversight body. Michigan Avenue is under IDOT’s jurisdiction, and CDOT worked closely with the agency to develop and secure approval for the project, according to a news release.
“The benefits of the bus lane will have ripple effects across CTA’s entire network and make traveling easier for the thousands of riders every day, including doctors, students, tourists, and many others who rely on the bus to get where they need to go,” Nora Leerhsen, CTA’s acting president, said in a statement. “This bright red bus lane in the heart of the city sends an important message to residents and visitors alike that public transit is a priority for our region.”
Contact Eunice Alpasan: [email protected]
