If you're a Logan Square, Bucktown or Wicker Park resident who relies on the Blue Line, you can expect your daily commute to get a little longer this fall. The Chicago Transit Authority has announced new dates for the planned closures of the Damen and California Blue Line stations this year as part of the $492 million "Your New Blue'' project. The California station will close on September 4 and reopen on October 16, while the Damen station will close on October 20 and reopen on December 22. Both stations will be receiving extensive structural and cosmetic improvements, including new bike racks, LED lights and public art. The Western station will also be receiving improvements, but it will remain open while work is being completed.
To accommodate passengers affected by the closures, the CTA will be adding additional #56 Milwaukee bus service during weekday rush hours as well as overnight "owl" service to help passengers get to the nearest open station. The CTA is also recommending Divvy as a transportation alternative during the closures, though you'll probably need to head out early to snag a bike. A few weeks without access to the Damen and California stops will definitely be a hassle, but we're happy to see that one of our least favorite El stations is finally getting some much-needed attention.