CHICAGO BUS AND STREETCAR ROUTES

ROUTES 60-69

Also listed are dates of final elimination of streetcars and conversion to buses. Although some routes used buses during weekends prior to the total elimination of streetcars. Some streetcar routes had bus extensions at one time, which usually are listed.

1863 - horse car service introduced on Blue Island Ave.
1893 - horse car route converted to cable car
1895 - electric streetcar service introduced on 26th St.
7/22/06 - cable car segment converted to electric streetcar
9/3/49 - buses substituted on weekends
5/11/52 - streetcar route converted to buses

Owl service

Carhouse: Blue Island (until 2/15/48)
Lawndale (2/15/48-5/11/52)
Bus Garage: Lawndale (9/3/49-12/16/73)
Kedzie (12/16/73-9/2/79)
Lawndale (9/2/79-6/29/84)
Kedzie (6/29/84-9/7/86)
Lawndale (9/7/86-7/3/94)
Kedzie (7/3/94-3/23/2008)
Archer (3/23/2008-present)

Route number originally skipped, avoiding confusion of route 59 operating via 61st St.

11/25/79 - introduced by CTA as bus route
7/3/94 - discontinued

Operated between Merchandise Mart and Harlem/Archer, making limited stops. Discontinued, with most riders having switched to new Midway rapid transit line.

Operated rush hours only

Bus Garage: Archer

1864 - horse car service introduced on Archer Ave.
1887 - horse car service introduced on 38th St. Segment
1894 - 38th St. Segment converted to electric streetcar
1895 - Archer Ave. converted to electric streetcar
1901 - Chicago & Joliet Electric Railway Co. introduces interurban service to Joliet
6/17/34 - Chicago & Joliet Electric Railway Co. abandons interurban line
6/25/34 - extension bus route 62A introduced west of Cicero Ave., replacing interurban
2/15/48 - 38th St. Segment discontinued
5/30/48 - streetcar route converted to buses, extension route combined into main route

38th St. branch operated west from Archer to Kedzie. Main streetcar route terminated at Cicero Ave., connecting with Chicago & Joliet Electric Railway interurban line, which operated further west on Archer.

Owl service

Carhouse/Bus Garage: Archer

10/21/46 - introduced by CSL as bus route, between downtown and Cicero Ave./63rd St.
8/26/64 - some service operated express via newly opened Stevenson Expressway
9/11/66 - some service operated via Narragansett Ave. between Archer Ave. and 63rd St.
2/29/76 - Stevenson Expressway service redesignated route 99 Stevenson Express
1/4/82 - all service west of Cicero Ave. transferred to route 164 Narragansett Express
7/3/94 - discontinued

Originally operated between downtown and Cicero Ave., making limited stops. Later with some service extended west to Harlem Ave. This was only Chicago Surface Lines express bus route, introduced several months before the replacement with Archer local streetcars with buses. Route served Chicago's southwest side, the only area of Chicago lacking a rapid transit line. Several months after southwest side finally received new rapid transit line to Midway Airport, route was discontinued.

No Sunday service

Bus Garage: Archer

11/7/93 - introduced by CTA as bus route, feeding new rapid transit at Pulaski/Archer
7/3/94 - route revised to serve Midway Airport station

Created as feeder route connecting with newly opened rapid transit line to Midway Airport, supplementing route 62. Originally connected with rapid transit at Pulaski/Archer, changed to serve Midway station.

No Sunday service

Bus Garage: Archer

1888 - horse car service introduced east of Ashland Ave.
1892 - horse car service introduced west of Ashland Ave.
1893 - east segment converted to electric streetcar
1899 - west segment converted to electric streetcar
1/20/02 - service extended west of Cicero Ave. to Central Ave.
7/10/04 - segment west of Cicero Ave. transferred to South Cicero route
1/3/11 - South Cicero route becomes Argo route, extended west on 63rd St. to Archer Rd.
8/13/15 - both 63rd St. segments combined into one route east of Cicero Ave.
12/4/16 - 63rd St. service extended further west, coexisting with Argo route
10/1/29 - Argo route discontinued east of Oak Park Ave., to connect with 63rd St. route
4/11/48 - Argo streetcar route replaced with 63A 63rd-65th bus route
12/7/52 - buses substituted on weekends
5/24/53 - streetcar route converted to buses
11/7/93 - segment west of Cicero Ave. transferred to route 63W West 63rd

Before 1929 and after 1993, service on 63rd St. was basically split at Cicero Ave., by Midway Airport. From 1929 until 1993, service was split further west. The 63rd St. and the Argo streetcar routes were split at Oak Park Ave. And when the Argo streetcar route was replaced with the West 63rd bus route, the split point was relocated east to Narragansett Ave. Narragansett Ave. remained the split point after the main 63rd St. route was converted to buses. After opening of rapid transit line to Midway Airport, 63rd St. service restructured to terminate at Midway Airport terminal, with new route 63W operating west of Cicero Ave.

Owl service

Certain rush hour trips limited stops 6/18/56-9/7/75

Carhouse: 69th St.
Bus Garage: 77th St. (12/7/52-5/30/54)
69th St. (5/30/54-6/18/95)
74th St. (6/18/95-present)

1/20/02 - 63rd St. streetcar route from east extended from Cicero Ave. to Central Ave.
7/10/04 - segment transferred to South Cicero route, operating south from Archer Ave.
1/3/11 - South Cicero route becomes Argo route, extended west on 63rd St. to Archer Rd.
12/4/16 - 63rd St. service extended further west, coexisting with Argo route
10/1/29 - Argo route discontinued east of Oak Park Ave., connecting with 63rd St. route
4/11/48 - Argo streetcar route replaced with 63A 63rd-65th bus route
12/7/52 - buses substituted on weekends
5/24/53 - 63rd St. streetcar route converted to buses
9/13/64 - certain route 63 trips extended via 65th St. between Cicero and Harlem Ave.
1/4/82 - route 63A replaced with route 164 Narragansett Express to and from downtown
11/7/93 - present route structure adopted after opening of Midway rapid transit line

Upon replacement of Argo streetcar route with buses, route 63 63rd St. cut back to Narragansett Ave., with Argo streetcars replaced with 63A 63rd-65th bus route, operating via 65th St. from Narragansett to Harlem, and 63rd St. from Harlem to Archer Rd. Effective 9/13/64, with certain route 63 trips extended during rush hours to serve industries along 65th St. between Cicero Ave and Harlem Ave., route 63A became West 63rd route, operating entirely on 63rd St. Present route structure adopted after opening of Midway rapid transit line, when route 63W was created. At the same time, the route 63 65th St. service was replaced with new rush hour route 165.

Carhouse/Bus Garage: Archer

Original number of segment which evolved to present route 54B South Cicero.

5/23/46 - introduced by CSL extending route 90 Harlem, west on Foster Ave. to Canfield
10/28/46 - service becomes route 92A West Foster, split from route 90
10/17/48 - service extended east from Harlem Ave. to Higgins Ave.
10/22/50 - service extended east from Higgins Ave. to Milwaukee Ave.
2/20/55 - route combined into route 85A Foster-Central
2/1/70 - restructured as route 64 Foster-Lawrence
2/27/83 - route 64 restructured into three separate routes 69, 81W, and 92W
1/24/88 - present route structure adopted, with route 92W discontinued.

Upon extension of rapid transit from Logan Square to new Jefferson Park terminal, route reconfigured as route 64 Foster-Lawrence, operating in loop from new Jefferson Park terminal via Lawrence, Canfield, and Foster. When rapid transit was extended further west, route further restructured into three separate routes 69 Foster-East River, 81W West Lawrence, and 92W West Foster. Route 92W operated between Jefferson Park and the new Harlem station. And route 69 operated from the Harlem station via Foster, Canfield, and Higgins, to the new Cumberland station, and via a loop serving East River Rd. Present route structure adopted 1/24/88, with route 69 split into present routes 64 and 69, and route 92W discontinued.

No weekend service

Bus Garage: Lawrence (5/23/46-5/30/54)
North Park (5/30/54-12/4/55)
Forest Glen (12/4/55-present)

1875 - horse car service introduced
1896 - service converted to electric streetcar
12/4/49 - buses substituted on weekends
4/1/51 - streetcar route converted to buses
12/16/51 - converted to trolleybuses
1/15/73 - trolleybuses replaced with motor buses

Owl service discontinued 9/13/81

Carhouse: North Ave.
Bus Garage: North Ave. (12/4/49-9/7/86)
Kedzie (9/7/86-7/3/94)
Chicago Ave. (7/3/94-present)

1859 - horse car service introduced
1894 - Cicero & Proviso introduces electric streetcar service west of Cicero Ave.
1895 - horse car segment converted to electric streetcar
12/27/10 - Chicago Railways acquires Cicero & Proviso trackage in city of Chicago
5/11/52 - streetcar route converted to trolleybuses
3/26/67 - trolleybuses replaced with motor buses

Chicago Ave. service originally included service into downtown via Milwaukee Ave., changed to operate via Wells St. effective 3/11/18, discontinued 9/14/24. Segment west of Cicero Ave. originally owned by Cicero & Proviso Street Railway, extending as far west as Harlem Ave. under Cicero & Proviso Street Railway ownership. Austin Blvd. was established as the Chicago city limits in 1899, and on 12/27/10, segment east of Austin went to Chicago Railways, while segment west of Austin went to County Traction Co., later Chicago & West Towns Railways. Service west of Austin eventually discontinued by Pace.

Owl service

Carhouse: North Ave. (until 12/3/50)
Kedzie (12/3/50-5/11/52)
Bus Garage: North Ave. (5/11/52-9/7/86)
Kedzie (9/7/86-7/3/94)
Chicago Ave. (7/3/94-present)

1887 - horse car service introduced on 69th St.
1893 - electric streetcar service introduced on 67th St.
1895 - horse car segment converted to electric streetcar
9/26/10 - 67th St. and 69th St. segments combined into one route
11/23/24 - service extended west on 71st St.
5/24/53 - streetcar route converted to buses

Owl service discontinued 2/2/92, replaced by route 5

Carhouse: 69th St.
Bus Garage: 69th St. (5/24/53-6/18/95)
74th St. (6/18/95-present)

Original number of Division downtown service, which evolved to present route 70 Division.

4/21/35 - introduced by CSL as bus route 89 Northwest Highway
1/27/43 - route combined into route 92 Foster-Northwest Highway
2/1/70 - route formed as separate route again, assigned new number 68

Through route 92 Foster-Northwest Highway formed as part of wartime conservation efforts, split again at new Jefferson Park station, when rapid transit service was extended to Jefferson Park.

Sunday and owl service discontinued 9/13/81
Sunday service restored 1982

Bus Garage: North Ave. (4/21/35-1/27/43)
Lawrence (1/27/43-5/30/54)
North Park (5/30/54-9/7/57)
Forest Glen (9/7/57-present)

Route number originally skipped, avoiding confusion of route 67 operating via 69th St.

6/7/71 - introduced by CTA as branch of route 40 O'Harexpress, operating express
5/29/72 - service to Cumberland becomes extension of route 64 Foster-Lawrence
3/31/76 - route 64X Cumberland Express renumbered route 69
2/27/83 - routes restructured into three separate routes 69, 81W, and 92W
1/24/88 - present route structure adopted, with service discontinued on Higgins Ave.

First CTA service to the new office area near Cumberland Ave. and the Kennedy Expressway, was a branch of route 40 O'Harexpress, operating nonstop via Kennedy Expressway. After a year, route 64 Foster-Lawrence was extended to the office area, and the route 40 service was redesignated route 64X Cumberland Express, later renumbered route 69. Routes restructured when rapid transit line opened at Cumberland Ave., with express bus discontinued. Route 64 segment became route 81W West Lawrence, while new route 69 Foster-East River operated from the Harlem station via Foster, Canfield, and Higgins, to the Cumberland station, and via a loop serving East River Rd. Present route structure adopted 1/24/88, with route 69 split into present routes 64 and 69.

No weekend service

Bus Garage: Forest Glen

Most routes created as streetcar routes had "owl" service, or operated 24 hours a day. Most routes created as bus routes never had owl service. Owl service is mentioned, although dates of introduction are not available. Much of the owl service was eventually scaled back or discontinued. Not mentioned are situations where only a portion of a route has owl service, or where hours of service are different for different portions of a route. All routes have generally operated at least throughout the daytime, 7 days a week, unless noted.