Milwaukee–Dearborn subway

Milwaukee–Dearborn subway
The subway platform at Clark/Lake
Overview
Type	Rapid transit
System	Chicago "L"
Status	Operational
Locale	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Termini	Division Clinton
Stations	9
Services	Blue Line
Daily ridership	44,584 (average weekday Feb. 2013)
Operation
Opened	February 25, 1951
Operator(s)	Chicago Transit Authority
Character	Subway
Rolling stock	2600-series
Technical
Line length	3.85 mi (6.20 km)
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Electrification	Third rail, 600 V DC
Route map Legend Legend O'Hare branch Northwest branch Division Chicago Grand UP-W MD-N MD-W NCS UP-N UP-NW UP-W MD-N MD-W NCS Chicago River Clark/Lake Washington │ Washington Monroe Jackson │ Jackson Library LaSalle RI Chicago River BNSF HC SWS Clinton Congress branch

The Milwaukee–Dearborn subway is an underground section of the Blue Line "L" and is located in the Loop area in Chicago, Illinois. It is 3.85 mi (6.20 km) long and connects the northwest (O'Hare) branch to the southwest (Forest Park) branch of the Blue Line. As of February 2013, the branch serves an average of 44,584 passengers each weekday.^[1] Since the subway is operated by the Blue Line it serves passengers 24 hours a day/7 days a week and 365 days a year.

History

The Milwaukee–Dearborn subway project was funded by New Deal programs established by Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Great Depression. In 1937, the city of Chicago successfully applied for a federal grant and loan from the Works Progress Administration to fund the construction of two subway tunnels, the first of which would be built beneath State Street and the second beneath Milwaukee Avenue and Dearborn Street. In March 1939, construction began on the Milwaukee–Dearborn subway. The tunnel was buried deep to enable the use of a tunnel boring machine throughout the construction of the subway. Only brief sections were built using the "cut-and-cover" method. Rationing imposed by World War II delayed completion of the subway due to a shortage of materials. Construction on the Milwaukee–Dearborn subway, which was 80% completed in 1942, was temporarily halted to allow for the scarce supply of labor and materials to be used to continue construction of the State Street subway, which was considered a priority. In December 1945, the city of Chicago resumed work on the Milwaukee–Dearborn subway.^[2]

The Milwaukee–Dearborn subway officially opened for passenger service on February 25, 1951. In 1958, the southern branch of the tunnel was extended under Congress Parkway, past its former terminus at LaSalle, to connect to the Congress Branch in the median of the Eisenhower Expressway. A new station was opened at this time at Clinton Street. On February 9, 1992 the Chicago Transit Authority closed the Grand/Milwaukee station due to budget cuts and low ridership. The station reopened on June 25, 1999 at 6:00 a.m. On April 13, 1992, the Milwaukee–Dearborn subway closed due to the great flood of Chicago.^[3]

Incidents

On July 11, 2006, a train derailment caused a fire in the Milwaukee–Dearborn subway, causing the subway to be closed temporarily. 150 people were injured to varying degrees but there were no fatalities.^[4] This incident occurred on the same day as the 2006 Mumbai train bombings.^[5]

Service

On February 21, 1993, the CTA color-coded the lines, making the Milwaukee–Dearborn subway part of the present day Blue Line. The Blue Line runs 24 hours a day/7 days a week, providing service between O'Hare and Forest Park.

Station listing

Milwaukee–Dearborn subway
Station	Location	Points of interest and notes
Division	1200 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago	Goose Island, Polonia Triangle, Wicker Park, Chopin Theatre, Holy Trinity Polish Mission, St. Stanislaus Kostka Noble Square
Chicago	800 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago	St. John Cantius
Grand	502 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago	Closed February 9, 1992; Reopened June 25, 1999
Clark/Lake	124 W. Lake Street, Chicago	James R. Thompson Center, Richard J. Daley Center, Chicago City Hall Transfer station for Orange, Green, Purple, Brown, and Pink Lines
Washington	127 N. Dearborn Street, Chicago	Richard J. Daley Center, Chicago Picasso, Cook County Administration Building, Goodman Theatre Transfer station for the Red Line via the Pedway (as of May 19, 2013). Formerly via a lower level transfer tunnel to the indefinitely closed Washington/State station until October 2006.
Monroe	30 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago	Inland Steel Building
Jackson	312 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago	Kluczynski Federal Building, Flamingo, Harold Washington Library Center Transfer station for Red Line and Brown, Orange, Pink, and Purple Lines via Harold Washington Library – State/Van Buren
LaSalle	150 W. Congress Parkway, Chicago	Metropolitan Correctional Center, LaSalle Street Station, Chicago Stock Exchange
Clinton	426 S. Clinton Street, Chicago	Union Station, Greyhound Terminal, Old Chicago Main Post Office

Image gallery

• 
  The route of the subway as it shows majority of the route in the Loop area
• 
  The subway platform at Clark/Lake, the network's busiest tri-level station
• 
  The Washington station used to have a former tunnel connection to the Red Line's indefinitely closed Washington station

References