California station (CTA Blue Line)
| Company type | Rapid transit station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | May 25, 1895 |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
| Products | Passenger rail service |
California is a stop on the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system, serving the Blue Line. During peak hours, trains arrive every 2 to 7 minutes, with a travel time of approximately 12 minutes to reach the Loop.
Together with two other stations on the Milwaukee Elevated and Forest Park, California is among the limited number of Blue Line stations situated outside expressway medians or underground settings. Unlike the majority of Blue Line subway and expressway stations that utilize island platforms, these Milwaukee Elevated stations are distinctive for their side platform configuration.
History
The California station commenced operations on May 25, 1895, as a component of the Metropolitan West Side Elevated's Logan Square branch. In the summer of 2008, a temporary entrance located north of the main station building was in use for two weeks during refurbishment efforts. Renovations involved removing interior elements, stripping out the wooden flooring, and filling the previous crawl space with gravel topped by a concrete slab designed to resemble cobblestones. The repositioning of agent booths and farecard vending machines enhanced passenger circulation within the station house.
Major repairs led to the station’s closure in September and October of 2014; however, these upgrades did not include modifications to make the elevated platform accessible for passengers with disabilities. The station's reopening event on October 16 was attended by notable figures such as Rahm Emanuel and Dick Durbin.
Operations and connections
On August 19, 1906, streetcars replaced cable cars along Milwaukee Avenue between Lawrence and downtown Chicago. An extension from Lawrence to Imlay near the Forest Preserve was inaugurated on December 11, 1914; routes were consolidated through-routing on October 1, 1927. Chicago typically operated single-car streetcars; however, between March 2, 1925, and May 5, 1929, two-car multiple-unit trains ran along Milwaukee Avenue. By 1928, overnight service operated from 1:05 to 5:35 a.m., with cars running every 15 minutes to Devon Avenue and every 30 minutes to Gale Street; daytime frequencies ranged from eight to fifteen minutes. Weekend streetcar service was replaced by buses beginning October 28, 1951, with full bus substitution completed by May 11, 1952.
Streetcar service along Fullerton Avenue from Halsted to Milwaukee started in 1895 and was extended westward to Pulaski in 1909 and further to Cicero in 1914. Additional extensions reached Long Avenue through shuttle absorption in 1918 and Central Avenue in 1928. Overnight service operated between 1:04 and 4:43 a.m., with intervals varying between eight, twenty-four, and thirty minutes. Streetcars on this route were replaced by Trolleybuses on December 4, 1949.
The "Through Route 17" (T.R. 17), which utilized Kedzie and California Avenues, began service on February 1, 1911. It connected from 63rd at Kedzie/California to Elston via Chicago Avenue. Local car service north of 22nd Street started in that same year. T.R.17 extended its route to Lawrence Avenue in February 1913; after December 31, 1915, Milwaukee Avenue replaced Elston for transfers between California and Kedzie. Further extensions reached Foster Avenue in November 1915 and Bryn Mawr in October 1924. As of 1928, T.R.17 provided overnight service from 1:00 to 4:30 a.m., with night cars running every fifteen minutes between major points along its route. The Kedzie-Homan bus took over from T.R.17 streetcars on December 4, 1949; local streetcar operations continued during weekends until May 11, 1952, and weekdays until May 29, 1954.
Bus Connections
- 56 Milwaukee Avenue
- 94 California Avenue