At least two CTA lines were facing major delays during the busy Friday morning commute due to service disruptions, according to the Chicago Transit Authority website.
About 5:50 a.m., CTA said Blue Line service was "temporarily suspended" between Damen and Racine due to a medical emergency on the tracks. NBC 5 Traffic Reporter Kye Martin noted the suspension runs from Bucktown to UIC.
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WATCH HEREAccording to CTA, the delay was leading trains to operate in two sections, between O'Hare and Damen, and Racine and Forest Park only, the CTA said.
Around 8 a.m., CTA said Blue Line trains were back up and running, but not stopping at Grand due a police investigation.
The Yellow Line in Skokie was also facing "significant delays," CTA said, due to a staff shortage of "operator availability."
"Personnel are working to restore service," the CTA said. "Allow extra travel time."
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Around 9 a.m., Yellow Line service appeared to be restored.
The delays come as Illinois officials in Springfield scramble to respond to public transit concerns, with COVID funds set to run out for Chicago-area transit agencies. Those include CTA, Metra and Pace, with a $770 million budget hole.
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SIGN UP A report from the Regional Transit Authority, which oversees the agencies, showed worst-case scenarios could include suspension of multiple CTA train lines, cuts to more than 70 bus routes and reduced Metra service during the early morning and late-night hours. Four of the eight CTA train lines could close, with as many as 74 of CTA's 127 bus routes facing elimination.
