CHICAGO BUS AND STREETCAR ROUTES

ROUTES 80-89

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.

1896 - electric streetcar service introduced
10/3/28 - CMC extends its route 33 Narragansett-Austin on Irving Park west to Harlem
3/8/30 - CMC route 33 discontinued on Irving Park Rd.
7/6/30 - extension bus route 80A introduced between Neenah Ave. and Harlem Ave.
11/7/48 - streetcar route converted to trolleybuses, route 80A remains separate route
5/30/54 - route 80A combined into route 86 North-Narragansett-Irving Park
2/1/70 - route 80A formed as separate route again
1/13/73 - trolleybuses replaced with motor buses, route 80A remains separate route
4/7/75 - some route 80A service extended west of Cumberland Ave. into Schiller Park
2/27/83 - route 80A renumbered to 80W, extended north to Rosemont/River Road station
1/24/88 - extension route 80W combined into main route, Schiller Park extension to Pace

When the Irving Park service was combined into present route 80, the Schiller Park extension was replaced by newly created Pace route 326.

Owl service discontinued 2/2/92

Certain rush hour trips limited stops introduced 6/24/2002
Certain daily all day trips limited stops introduced 8/29/2004

Carhouse: Elston
Bus Garage: North Ave. (7/6/30-12/4/55)
Forest Glen (12/4/55-present)

1896 - electric streetcar service introduced
4/1/51 - streetcar route converted to trolleybuses
12/13/69 - trolleybuses replaced with motor buses

Owl service

Carhouse: Devon (until 11/11/46)
Elston (11/11/46-1/21/51)
Devon (1/21/51-4/1/51)
Bus Garage: Lawrence (4/1/51-5/30/54)
North Park (5/30/54-12/4/55)
Forest Glen (12/4/55-present)

9/11/66 - CTA extends route 85A Foster-Central on Lawrence from Harlem to Canfield
2/1/70 - service restructured as route 64 Foster-Lawrence
5/29/72 - route 64 Foster-Lawrence extended to Cumberland/Higgins
2/27/83 - route 64 restructured into three separate routes 69, 81W, and 92W

Original service on West Lawrence was an extension of route 85A Foster-Central into a loop serving Harlem, Lawrence, Canfield, and Foster. 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 81W assumed its present form.

Bus Garage: Forest Glen

Internal accounting number for local streetcar service, not publically used. By the time route numbers were used for all streetcars and buses, route combined with Broadway route, later route 155 Devon.

1896 - electric streetcar service introduced on Lawndale branch of Cermak route
6/21/31 - CSL introduces trolleybus route 82 Kimball, between Lawrence and Peterson
7/1/37 - trolleybuses replaced with motor buses, route extended south to Logan Square
10/7/41 - CSL introduces bus route 82A Homan, operating south of Logan Square
12/1/42 - routes 82 and 82A suspended as part of wartime conservation efforts
10/1/45 - routes 82 and 82A restored, route 82A extension replaces Lawndale streetcar
12/4/49 - route 82A becomes Kedzie-Homan route, replacing north Kedzie streetcar
9/9/56 - route 82A combined with North California bus route
2/1/70 - present route structure adopted, with north Kedzie transferred to route 93

Kimball Ave. and Homan Ave. are basically the same street, changing names at North Ave. The 82A Kedzie-Homan bus route was formed by extending Homan route north via Fullerton and Kedzie north to Bryn Mawr Ave., replacing a streetcar extension.

Bus Garages: Elston (6/21/31-7/1/37)
Ardmore (7/1/37-10/7/41)
Ardmore/Lawndale (10/7/41-5/29/50)
Lawndale/North Park (5/29/50-12/16/73)
Kedzie/North Park (12/16/73-9/2/79)
Lawndale/North Park (9/2/79-6/29/84)
Kedzie/North Park (6/29/84-9/7/86)
Lawndale/North Park (9/7/86-7/3/94)
Kedzie (7/3/94-present)

9/18/39 - introduced by CSL as bus route, operating east of Jeffery/South Chicago
9/8/63 - route combined into route 95 83rd-93rd-95th, connected at east ends
12/28/97 - 83rd St. segment discontinued

Sunday service discontinued 9/10/61
Sunday service restored 9/13/81

Bus Garage: 77th St. (9/18/39-9/8/63)
Beverly (9/8/63-4/3/77)
77th St. (4/3/77-6/26/88)
103rd St. (6/26/88-12/28/97)

Internal accounting number for local streetcar service, not publically used. By the time route numbers were used for all streetcars and buses, all Ashland service was identified as route 9.

6/19/39 - introduced by CSL as bus route

Bus Garage: Ardmore (6/19/39-1/27/43)
Lawrence (1/27/43-5/30/54)
North Park (5/30/54-9/7/57)
Forest Glen (9/7/57-present)

10/3/28 - introduced by CMC as bus route 38 Central
6/8/30 - CMC route 38 replaced by CSL trolleybus route 85
1/7/70 - trolleybuses replaced with motor buses

The Chicago Motor Coach Co. originally had been granted permission in 1928 by the Illinois Commerce Commission to expand on Chicago's northwest side. But the following year, with a new governor and with new appointees on the Illinois Commerce Commission, the commission ruled in favor of Chicago Surface Lines instead operating the new routes.

Owl service discontinued 4/26/98

Certain rush hour trips limited stops 3/21/55-2/1/70

Bus Garage: North Ave. (6/8/30-1/27/43)
North Ave./Lawrence (1/27/43-5/30/54)
North Ave./North Park (5/30/54-12/4/55)
Forest Glen (12/4/55-present)

10/7/40 - introduced by CSL as bus route
2/20/55 - combined with route 92A West Foster, forming route 85A Foster-Central
2/1/70 - route formed as separate route again

Upon extension of rapid transit from Logan Square to new Jefferson Park terminal, present route adopted, serving Jefferson Park station.

Sunday service discontinued 9/13/81
Sunday service restored 4/18/82
Sunday service discontinued 2/2/92

Bus Garage: North Ave. (10/7/40-1/27/43)
Lawrence (1/27/43-5/30/54)
North Park (5/30/54-12/4/55)
Forest Glen (12/4/55-present)

10/3/28 - introduced by CMC as extended bus route 33 Narragansett-Austin
6/29/30 - CMC route 33 on Narragansett replaced by CSL trolleybus route 86
1/31/53 - trolleybuses replaced with motor buses, combined with route 72A West North
5/30/54 - combined with route 80A West Irving Park
2/1/70 - Irving Park segment transferred again to route 80A West Irving Park
1/29/84 - extended south to Lake St., North Ave. segment transferred to route 72
6/18/2006 - extended north via Nagle to Devon, replacing segment of route 91

Originally a part of Chicago Motor Coach route 33 Narragansett-Austin, introduced 10/12/25 on Austin between Roosevelt Rd. and North Ave., extended 10/3/28 via North and Narragansett and Irving Park Rd. to Harlem Ave. CMC Irving Park extension later replaced with CSL bus service. Present 86 routing replaced a portion of Pace suburban bus route 315. Main North Ave. route 72 meanwhile extended west to Harlem Ave.

Weekend service discontinued 10/5/97

Bus Garage: North Ave. (6/29/30-12/4/55)
Forest Glen (12/4/55-12/4/60)
North Ave. (12/4/60-9/7/86)
Forest Glen (9/7/86-present)

10/3/15 - electric streetcar service introduced east of Stony Island Ave.
10/15/30 - electric streetcar service introduced between State St. and Vincennes Ave.
11/25/30 - electric streetcar service introduced between Cottage Grove and State St.
5/5/35 - extension bus route 87B introduced west of Vincennes Ave.
5/2/37 - electric streetcar line completed between Cottage Grove and Stony Island Ave.
5/27/51 - streetcar route converted to buses, extension route combined into main route
6/18/56 - CTA extends route west to Cicero Ave.

Through streetcar route from Commercial to Vincennes formed on 5/2/37, when Chicago's last significant segment of streetcar trackage was completed between Stony Island and Cottage Grove. Prior to then, east streetcar was route 87 and west streetcar was 87A. Combined streetcar route became route 87A. A west extension bus route 87B, later 87, was created two years prior to the completion of the streetcar route.

Owl service introduced 1995

Carhouse: 77th St.
Bus Garage: 77th St. (5/5/35-5/27/51)
Beverly (5/27/51-3/26/72)
77th St. (3/26/72-present)

4/21/35 - introduced by CSL as bus route

Owl service discontinued 2/2/92

Bus Garage: North Ave. (4/21/35-1/27/43)
Lawrence (1/27/43-5/30/54)
North Park (5/30/54-12/4/55)
Forest Glen (12/4/55-present)

4/12/45 - introduced by CSL as bus route 89 Jeffery-100th
12/15/46 - CMC introduces bus route 4 Jeffery, duplicating much of CSL route
12/4/49 - CSL route revised by CTA to route 89 Yates-95th
1970's - route replaced by route 5B Yates-Colfax.
1980's - route 5B discontinued

Original bus route operated between Stony Island/93rd and 103rd/Torrence. Revised route 89 Yates-95th operated a short distance between 91st/Baltimore and 104th/Torrence.

Bus Garage: 77th St.

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.