Midway station (CTA)

Last updated
Midway Pictograms-nps-airport inverted color.svg
 
5900S
4600W
Chicago 'L' rapid transit station
Train and empty track at Midway.jpg
General information
Location4612 West 59th Street
Chicago, Illinois 60629
Coordinates 41°47′12″N87°44′16″W / 41.78661°N 87.737875°W / 41.78661; -87.737875
Owned by Chicago Transit Authority
Line(s)Midway Branch
Platforms1 island platform
1 side platform
Tracks3
Connections
Construction
Structure typeAt-grade
Parking Aiga parking inv.svg 299 spaces
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes
History
OpenedOctober 31, 1993;30 years ago (1993-10-31)
Passengers
20221,377,794 [1] Increase2.svg 36.9%
Rank14 out of 143
Services
Preceding station Chicago "L" Following station
Terminus Orange Line Pulaski
toward Loop
(Library)
Location
Midway station (CTA)

Midway is an 'L' station on the CTA's Orange Line. It is the southwestern terminus of the Orange Line and serves Midway International Airport in Chicago, the city's second-largest airport. The turnstiles at the station's entrance are somewhat wider than most to accommodate airport passengers and their luggage. The station, along with the rest of the Orange Line, opened on October 31, 1993 after a long wait by Chicago's southwest side for 'L' access. It is also the closest station to SeatGeek Stadium, former home of the Chicago Fire, which is approximately 4 miles away. Although in the Garfield Ridge community area, the station serves many residents in the West Elsdon and West Lawn neighborhoods.

Contents

History

Midway destination sign Midway-sign.svg
Midway destination sign
20150321 05 CTA buses @ Midway Orange Line.jpg

Prior to 1993, the southwest side was served only by the Douglas Park Branch of the West-Northwest Line. As the city expanded, this service became insufficient. As early as the 1940s, when subways were being constructed under State and Dearborn Streets, the city planned to expand the 'L' to Midway Airport. However, this plan was not approved.

On January 22, 1990, there was a groundbreaking ceremony held at the future site of Midway Station. Many people attended, including Mayor Daley; Bernard Ford, the CTA Acting Executive Director; and David Williams, the Chicago public works commissioner. In 1993, the CTA finished building the new Orange Line. It cost $500 million despite the use of abandoned railroad right-of-ways. Midway Station includes a three-track terminal, a rail yard, a car maintenance facility, an island and side platform, elevators leading to the sidewalk, and escalators and stairs connecting to the moving walkway heading to the airport.

When the garage was built on the east side of Cicero, it bisected the walkway from the station to the airport. In 2002, the Department of Aviation built a walkway through the garage.

Bus connections

CTA

Pace

River Valley Metro

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicago "L"</span> Rapid transit system in Chicago, Illinois, US

The Chicago "L" is the rapid transit system serving the city of Chicago and some of its surrounding suburbs in the U.S. state of Illinois. Operated by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), it is the fourth-largest rapid transit system in the United States in terms of total route length, at 102.8 miles (165.4 km) long as of 2014, and the third-busiest rapid transit system in the United States. In 2016, the "L" had 1,492 rail cars, eight different routes, and 145 train stations. In 2023, the system had 117,447,000 rides, or about 373,800 per weekday in the fourth quarter of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orange Line (CTA)</span> Rapid transit line in Chicago, Illinois

The Orange Line is a rapid transit line in Chicago, Illinois, operated by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) as part of the Chicago "L" system. It is approximately 13 miles (21 km) long and runs on elevated and at grade tracks and serves the Southwest Side, running from the Loop to Midway International Airport. As of 2022, an average of 15,098 riders board Orange Line trains on weekdays.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Line (CTA)</span> West-Northwest section of Chicago Rail System (L)

The Blue Line is a 26.93-mile-long (43.34 km) Chicago "L" line which extends through The Loop from O'Hare International Airport at the far northwest end of the city, through downtown via the Milwaukee–Dearborn subway and across the West Side to its southwest end at Forest Park, with a total of 33 stations. At about 27 miles, it is the longest line on the Chicago "L" system and second busiest, and one of the longest local subway/elevated lines in the world. It has an average of 64,978 passengers boarding each weekday in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Line (CTA)</span> Rapid transit line, part of the Chicago L system

The Green Line is a rapid transit line in Chicago, Illinois, operated by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) as part of the Chicago "L" system. It is the only completely elevated route in the "L" system. All other routes may have various combinations of elevated, subway, street level, or freeway median sections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashland/63rd station</span> Chicago "L" station

Ashland/63rd is an 'L' station and the terminal of the CTA Green Line's Ashland branch, located in the West Englewood neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Situating at 6315 S. Ashland Avenue, the station contains a Park 'n' ride lot with 235 spaces as well as a Kiss 'n' Ride lane. This is one of two stations on the Green Line to be named Ashland. The other station is on the Lake Street branch and is shared between the Green and Pink Lines. The Red Line served this station from May 19, 2013 to October 20, 2013, April 3, 2017 to November 22, 2017, and July 30, 2018 to April 26, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cottage Grove station</span> Chicago "L" station

Cottage Grove, is an 'L' station and the terminus of the CTA Green Line's East 63rd branch, located in the Woodlawn neighborhood. The station is situated at 800 East 63rd Street and opened on April 23, 1893.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashland station (CTA Green and Pink Lines)</span> Chicago "L" station

Ashland is an 'L' station on the CTA's Green and Pink Lines. It is an elevated station with two side platforms, located in Chicago's Near West Side neighborhood at 1601 West Lake Street. Just to the west of the station, the Pink Line branches off from the Lake Street branch to follow the Paulina Connector to the Douglas branch. The adjacent stations are California (Green), which is located about 1+12 miles (2.4 km) to the west, Polk (Pink), which is located about 1 mile (1.6 km) to the south, and Morgan station, approximately 34 mile (1.2 km) to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pulaski station (CTA Green Line)</span> Chicago "L" station

Pulaski is a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system, serving the Green Line. Pulaski is located at the intersection of Lake Street and Pulaski Road in the West Garfield Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The station opened in March 1894.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cicero station (CTA Green Line)</span> Chicago "L" station

Cicero is a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system, serving the Green Line. It opened on March 3, 1894, and serves the Austin neighborhood on Chicago's West side. Until 1948, the next station towards the Chicago Loop was Kostner. The station is 24 blocks east and 2 blocks north of Harlem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austin station (CTA Green Line)</span> Chicago "L" station

Austin is a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system. It is located between the Ridgeland and Central stations on the Green Line, which runs from Harlem/Lake and to Ashland/63rd and Cottage Grove. The station is located at the intersection of Austin Boulevard and Corcoran Place in the Austin neighborhood on Chicago's West Side and borders the village of Oak Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ridgeland station</span> Chicago "L" station

Ridgeland is a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system, serving the Green Line. It is located in the suburb of Oak Park just west of Chicago. To the north of the station is the triple tracked Union Pacific West Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashland station (CTA Orange Line)</span> Chicago "L" station

Ashland is a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system, serving the Orange Line. It is located at the intersection of Ashland Avenue and 31st Street near the Stevenson Expressway. Although located within the Lower West Side community area, the station mostly serves the Bridgeport and McKinley Park neighborhoods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pulaski station (CTA Orange Line)</span> Chicago "L" station

Pulaski is an 'L' station on the CTA's Orange Line, which runs between Midway Airport and The Loop; it is situated between Midway and Kedzie stations. Pulaski is located at Pulaski Road and 51st Street on the Southwest Side of Chicago, Illinois. The station is within the Archer Heights neighborhood, which is both residential and commercial, and the station itself is in a commercial district on Pulaski Road. Pulaski opened on October 31, 1993, the opening date of the Orange Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garfield station (CTA Red Line)</span> Chicago "L" station

Garfield is an "L" station on the CTA's Red Line. The station is located in the median of the Dan Ryan Expressway. It is located in the Fuller Park neighborhood. This is the Red Line's closest stop to the University of Chicago and the Museum of Science and Industry, although the museum is more than two miles away. The station shares its name with its Green Line equivalent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">63rd station</span> Chicago "L" station

63rd is a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system, serving the Red Line. The station is located in the median of the Dan Ryan Expressway and serves the Englewood neighborhood. It is near the former site of the Englewood Union Station, which served the Pennsylvania Railroad, New York Central, and Rock Island Lines. The former Pennsylvania Railroad tracks pass over the station. Also visible from the station is the Ashland branch of the Green Line which runs on an elevated structure immediately west of the expressway at the location before turning west on 63rd Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western station (CTA Blue Line Forest Park branch)</span> Chicago "L" station

Western is a station on the 'L' system, serving the Blue Line's Forest Park branch. It is located in the median of the Eisenhower Expressway. It serves the Near West Side neighborhood and Crane Tech High School. The station is also located about 1 mile (1.6 km) north of the Western Avenue commuter railroad station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cicero station (CTA Blue Line)</span> Chicago "L" station

Cicero is a station on the 'L' system, serving the Blue Line's Forest Park branch. It is located in the median of the Eisenhower Expressway and serving the Austin neighborhood. Originally, Cicero had an additional entrance at Lavergne Avenue, but this was closed on May 16, 1977, by the CTA as a cost-cutting measure. The structure for this exit still stands but it is closed to the public.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cicero station (CTA Pink Line)</span> Chicago rapid transit station

Cicero is a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system, serving the Pink Line. The station was the site of an accident in 1979 in which a train derailed and hit the station, stopping just short of the ticket agent's booth. The station is located in Cicero, Illinois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Street Elevated</span> Rapid transit line in Chicago

The Lake Street Elevated, also known as the Lake branch, is a 8.75 mi (14.08 km) long branch of the Chicago "L" which is located west of the Chicago Loop and serves the Green Line for its entire length, as well as the Pink Line east of Ashland Avenue. As of February 2013, the branch serves an average of 27,217 passengers each weekday. It serves the Near West Side, East Garfield Park, West Garfield Park, and Austin neighborhoods of Chicago, as well as the suburbs Oak Park and Forest Park. It owes its name to Lake Street, the street that the branch overlooks for 6.25 mi (10.06 km) before continuing its route straight west, adjacent to South Boulevard, towards the terminus at Harlem/Lake.

References

  1. "Annual Ridership Report Calendar Year 2022" (PDF). Chicago Transit Authority, Ridership Analysis and Reporting. February 2, 2023. Retrieved February 14, 2024.