The South Side Elevated is a branch of the Chicago "L" system in Chicago, Illinois that is served by the Green Line for its entire length, and the Orange Line north of 17th Street. It has on average 12,509 passengers, counting branch divisions, boarding each weekday as of February 2013, according to the Chicago Transit Authority. [1] The branch is 6.5 miles (10.5 km) [2] long with a total of 8 stations, and runs from the Near South Side to the Washington Park neighborhood of Chicago.
The South Side Elevated serves the Near South Side, Douglas, Bronzeville, Grand Boulevard, and Washington Park neighborhoods of Chicago and has stops near the Illinois Institute of Technology and the University of Chicago. South of 17th Street, the Orange Line splits off to continue on its route to Midway Airport.
The South Side Elevated continues to the Englewood branch (Ashland/63rd) and the Jackson Park branch (Cottage Grove).
The South Side Elevated started passenger service on June 6, 1892, with service as far south as 39th Street (Pershing Road), making the branch the oldest section of the Chicago "L". On January 22, 1893, service on the line was extended as far south as 61st Street. The Jackson Park branch was added later in 1893 to serve the site of the 1893 World's Fair. Several other branches were opened over time to serve parts of the city, though most have since been demolished. The Englewood branch was opened in 1905, followed by the Kenwood and Normal Park branches in 1907, and the Stock Yards branch in 1908. Today, only the Englewood (now Ashland) and Jackson Park (now East 63rd) branches remain.
In 1993, the Green Line was created when the CTA color-coded the lines. Also in 1993, the Roosevelt/Wabash station was rebuilt and reopened to serve as a transfer station for the newly opened Orange Line. In 1994, the 58th station closed while remaining stations were renovated or rebuilt entirely depending on their condition. The line reopened in 1996. In 2012, the platform of the 58th station was completely demolished. In 2015, a new Cermak–McCormick Place station opened in the same location as the original Cermak station, to serve the McCormick Place convention center. [3] [4] [5]
| Station | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Congress Terminal | 550 S. Holden Court | Closed October 18, 1897, reopened March 10, 1902. Closed August 1, 1949; demolished. |
| Congress/Wabash | 500 S. Wabash Avenue | Closed August 1, 1949; demolished |
Roosevelt   | 22 E. Roosevelt Road | Originally called 12th Street |
| 18th Street | 18th Street and Wabash Avenue | Closed August 1, 1949; demolished |
| Cermak–McCormick Place | 12 E. Cermak Road | Originally called 22nd Street |
| 26th Street | 26th Street and Wabash Avenue | Closed August 1, 1949; demolished |
| 29th Street | 29th Street and Wabash Avenue | Closed August 1, 1949; demolished |
| 31st Street | 31st Street near State Street | Closed August 1, 1949; demolished |
| 33rd Street | 33rd Street and Wabash Avenue | Closed September 25, 1961; demolished |
| 35th–Bronzeville–IIT | 16 E. 35th Street | Originally called 35th Street, later Tech-35th |
| Pershing | Pershing Road and State Street | Original southern terminal, Closed August 1, 1949; demolished |
| Indiana | 4003 S. Indiana Avenue | Former terminal for Stock Yards and Kenwood Lines |
| 43rd | 314 E. 43rd Street | |
| 47th | 314 E. 47th Street | Terminal of Prairie extension. |
| 51st | 319 E. 51st Street | Terminal of Washington Park extension. |
Garfield  | 320 E. Garfield Boulevard | Originally called 55th Street |
| 58th | 320-24 E. 58th Street | Closed January 9, 1994; demolished |
