After being idle for almost five months following the sudden collapse of an embankment in May, the Yellow Line will return to service on Oct. 30, the Chicago Transit Authority announced Friday.
“Restoring Yellow Line service as quickly as possible has remained our top priority while maintaining the safety of our riders,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter Jr. in a statement. “We know how critical access to public transportation is to the livelihood of people across the Chicago area and we look forward to welcoming Yellow Line riders back to the quick, affordable service to which they are accustomed.”
The CTA said track maintenance, inspection and testing will continue through the end of the month.
The tracks were shut down in May after a construction project unrelated to the CTA caused an embankment to collapse.
Officials initially said they expected the service outage to only last “several days” but later said it would take “several weeks” to fix.
Since the closure, the CTA has provided free shuttle service for all Yellow Line riders, though many say the shuttles take much longer than the train. The CTA said Friday it will undertake "significant outreach efforts to riders, residents and local businesses" regarding the reopening.
Carter said he will take a ceremonial first on the line on Oct. 30 with Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen.
Since the collapse, the Yellow Line has seen a steep decline in ridership, with officials estimating about a 50 percent loss.
“We know riders enjoy the Yellow Line,” said CTA spokesman Brian Steele “We have been seeing increased ridership primarily due to the opening of the Oakton station. We are confident that those riders are going to return.”
