Lake Street Elevated
| Company type | Transit line |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | November 6, 1893 |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
Area served | Chicago, Oak Park, Forest Park |
| Products | Rapid transit service (Chicago "L") |
The Lake Street Elevated, also known as the Lake branch, constitutes a segment of the Chicago "L" system located west of the Chicago Loop. It operates the Green Line along its entire route and accommodates the Pink Line service east of Ashland Avenue. In 2013, this branch recorded an average weekday ridership of 27,217 passengers. The line traverses several Chicago neighborhoods such as the Near West Side, East and West Garfield Park, and Austin, in addition to extending into the suburbs of Oak Park and Forest Park. Its name derives from Lake Street, which it parallels for , before continuing westward alongside South Boulevard until reaching its terminus at Harlem/Lake.
History
Passenger operations on the Lake Street Elevated commenced on November 6, 1893, initially running between Madison Street and Market Street to California Avenue. Service was progressively extended: reaching Homan Avenue by November 24, 1893; advancing to 48th Avenue in March 1894; and further extending to 52nd Avenue by April 29, 1894, which marked the boundary of Chicago at that time. Upon the opening of the completed Loop on October 3, 1897, the Lake Street Elevated became the inaugural line to operate around the entire Loop circuit.
An agreement in 1898 with Cicero Township permitted expansion beyond Chicago's city limits along South Boulevard, resulting in the establishment of the Randolph Street Branch and Cuyler Avenue Shuttle. These branches utilized trackage rights granted by the Chicago, Harlem & Batavia Railway, whose trains ran eastward to Grand Central Station. Service extended to Wisconsin Avenue (later renamed Marion) on January 25, 1901, which concluded operations by the Chicago & Great Western Railway. By May 20, 1910, the line's terminal had reached near Harlem Avenue in Forest Park.
In April 1948, the Lake Street Elevated pioneered the implementation of Skip-Stop A/B service among 'L' lines. This operational change entailed closing ten stations along with the Market Street Stub, directing all trains through the Loop and thereby reducing travel times by 24 to 35 minutes—a notable enhancement acknowledged by both the CTA and its riders.
Around 1962, approximately replaced ground-level tracks in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood and Oak Park with elevated tracks constructed on the embankment formerly owned by the Chicago & North Western Railroad. This upgrade included new stations at Central, Austin, Ridgeland, and Oak Park, culminating in a new terminus at Harlem, which supplanted the former Marion and Forest Park terminals.
Market Street stub
Before the Loop's inauguration in 1897, the eastern endpoint of the Lake Street Elevated was located at the Market Street Terminal situated at Madison and Market Streets. Following this development, service continued operating along what became known as the Market Street stub with stops at Randolph & Market and Madison & Market. This stub ceased operation on April 4, 1948, coinciding with the introduction of Skip-Stop A/B service. The structure was subsequently dismantled to make way for construction of Wacker Drive.
Additional Infill Stations
The construction of the Morgan station commenced in the summer of 2010, with TranSystems and Ross Barney Architects overseeing the project. Similar to many stations on the Green and Pink Lines, Morgan is equipped with elevators to ensure ADA compliance and offers facilities for bicycle storage.
Costing $50 million, the Morgan station officially began operations on May 18, 2012, followed by a formal opening ceremony held on May 24.
Addressing a 1.5-mile gap between the California and Ashland stations, the new Damen station was developed with a budget of $60 million. Its design was revealed on July 9, 2018, with construction breaking ground in August 2022. The station opened to the public on August 5, 2024.
Operational History
Prior to 1969, the Lake Branch functioned independently, providing single-direction service from the Loop extending westward to Oak Park and Forest Park. On September 28, 1969, it was integrated with the newly established Dan Ryan branch, creating the Lake–Dan Ryan Line (West-South Route). This route operated through the Loop, South Side Elevated tracks, and the 18th Street connection for a period of 24 years. On February 21, 1993—coinciding with the launch of the Orange Line—the CTA introduced color-coded lines and restructured routes: the current Green Line replaced its South Side Elevated segment with the Dan Ryan branch, linking it to the North Side Main Line via the State Street subway.
The entire Green Line, including the Lake Street Elevated section, was closed on January 9, 1994, for an extensive two-year renovation. Upon reopening on May 12, 1996, several stations had been rebuilt with ADA-compliant elevators installed; six stations were permanently closed during this period.
On April 26, 1998, continuous around-the-clock service was discontinued on the Green, Purple, and Brown lines.
In 2006, CTA introduced the Pink Line, which runs from the Cermak branch to the Loop utilizing the Paulina Connector and Lake Street Elevated east of Paulina. This route had historical precedent from 1954 to 1958 during construction of what is now known as the Forest Park branch. The Paulina Connector continues to serve as a crucial rail link between what evolved into the West-Northwest route (Blue line) and other sections of the transit system.
Station Directory
| Station | Location | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Template:Cta | Marengo Avenue and Circle Avenue, Forest Park | Closed in 1962; demolished; succeeded by Harlem |
| Template:Cta Disabled access Template:Rint | 1 S. Harlem Avenue, Forest Park | |
| Template:Cta | Marion Avenue and South Boulevard, Oak Park | Closed October 28, 1962; demolished; replaced by Harlem |
| Template:Cta | 100 S. Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park | |
| Template:Cta | 100 N. Ridgeland Avenue, Oak Park | |
| Template:Cta | Lombard Avenue and South Boulevard, Oak Park | Closed in 1948; demolished |
| Template:Cta | 351 N. Austin Boulevard | |
| Template:Cta | Menard Avenue and Lake Street | Closed in 1948; demolished |
| Template:Cta Disabled access | 350 N. Central Avenue | |
| Template:Cta Disabled access | 5148 W. Lake Street | |
| Template:Cta Disabled access | 4800 W. Lake Street | |
| Template:Cta | Kostner Avenue and Lake Street | Closed in 1948; demolished |
| Template:Cta Disabled access | 4000 W. Lake Street | |
| Template:Cta | 3800 W. Lake St. | Closed March 18, 1956; demolished |
| Template:Cta Disabled access | 3630 W. Lake Street | |
| Template:Cta | 3400 W. Lake Street | Closed January 9, 1994; demolished; replaced by Conservatory-Central Park Drive; formerly part of Garfield Park |
| Template:Cta Disabled access Template:Rint | 3200 W. Lake Street | |
| Template:Cta | Sacramento Boulevard and Lake Street | Closed in 1948; demolished |
| Template:Cta Disabled access | 2800 W. Lake Street | |
| Template:Cta | Campbell Avenue and Lake Street | Closed in 1948; demolished |
| Template:Cta | Oakley Boulevard and Lake Street | Closed in 1948; demolished |
| Template:Cta | Damen Avenue and Lake Street | |
| Template:Cta | Wood Street and Lake Street | Closed in 1913; demolished |
| Lake Street Transfer | Lake Street and Paulina Street | Closed February 25, 1951; demolished |
| Template:Cta Disabled access | 1601 W. Lake Street | |
| Template:Cta | Loomis Street and Lake Street | Closed April 4, 1954; demolished |
| Template:Cta | Racine Street and Lake Street | Closed in 1948; demolished |
| Template:Cta Disabled access | 958 W. Lake Street | |
| Template:Cta | 800 W. Lake Street | Closed January 9, 1994; demolished |
| Template:Cta Disabled access Template:Rint | 540 W. Lake Street | |
| Template:Cta | 500 W. Lake Street | Closed in 1909; demolished |
See also
External links
- Lake Street Elevated: Green Line at Chicago-L.org