Cottage Grove station
| Company type | Chicago "L" station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | April 23, 1893 |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
Area served | Woodlawn, Chicago |
| Products | Rapid transit services |
Cottage Grove, previously known as East 63rd–Cottage Grove, serves as a Chicago "L" station and the endpoint of the CTA Green Line's East 63rd branch. Situated in the Woodlawn area at 800 East 63rd Street, it began operations on April 23, 1893.
History
The station commenced service in 1893 when the South Side Rapid Transit extended its route from 39th Street to Jackson Park to accommodate the World's Columbian Exposition. Following the event, the line was shortened to Stony Island and 63rd, with Stony Island remaining the terminus for nearly nine decades. On March 4, 1982, train operations east of 61st were halted due to a compromised bridge spanning Illinois Central tracks. Service restarted on December 12, 1982, but only reached University station. In 1989, the original Cottage Grove station was torn down and replaced by a new facility that opened in 1991. This new station functioned for three years until the entire Green Line shut down for renovation in 1994.
Cottage Grove becomes a terminal
During the Green Line closure in 1994, the CTA intended to extend service beyond University to a new terminal at Dorchester, which would have provided transfers to Metra Electric, South Shore Line, and CTA bus routes through a newly constructed bus terminal. Nevertheless, local opposition caused the CTA to shorten the line back to Cottage Grove. Portions of the East 63rd branch east of Cottage Grove were dismantled to prevent trains from traveling on unrepaired tracks. When service resumed in 1996, Cottage Grove assumed its role as the terminus of the East 63rd branch. Subsequently, in September 1997, all remaining infrastructure east of Cottage Grove—including the abandoned University station and partially completed Dorchester station—was demolished.
Operations
Originally not designed to function as a terminal, Cottage Grove station features two platforms; however, only the northern platform is frequently utilized due to fare control restrictions on the southern platform, which was initially intended solely for inbound boarding (a configuration comparable to ). The southern platform is used primarily for trains heading toward the 61st or Lower 63rd Yards and for empty trains during weekday peak periods traveling to or for efficient branch transfers. Trains typically arrive and depart every 20 to 25 minutes. Since there are no turnaround tracks located east of Cottage Grove, trains switch between platforms by using crossover tracks situated west of the station.
Bus connections
- 4 Cottage Grove (Owl Service)
- X4 Cottage Grove Express (weekday rush hours only)
- 63 63rd (Owl Service)