Loop Link
| Company type | Public transit service |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | December 21, 2015 |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
Area served | Chicago Loop, Near West Side |
| Products | Bus rapid transit corridor |
| Parent | Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago Department of Transportation |
The Loop Link, originally referred to as the Central Loop BRT during its planning phase, is a finalized bus corridor located in the Chicago Loop and Near West Side neighborhoods. It accommodates several Chicago Transit Authority bus lines traveling along Canal, Washington, Madison, and Clinton Streets.
Background
In the mid-1900s, urban planners envisioned adding a third east–west subway line downtown to supplement the existing State Street and Milwaukee–Dearborn tunnels.
The 1958 New Horizons initiative suggested two east–west transit routes: one subway beneath Jackson Boulevard and an underground busway running under Washington Street.
By 1968, the Chicago Urban Transportation District proposed an east–west subway extending from the University of Illinois Chicago campus to Grant Park, primarily following Monroe Street, alongside a lakefront subway connecting McCormick Place with Streeterville. However, by the late 1970s, rising expenses and insufficient funding caused these subway projects to be abandoned.
In 1989, the Chicago Central Area Circulator light rail plan was introduced to link locations such as McCormick Place, Clinton Street (serving Chicago Union Station and Chicago and North Western Terminal), Streeterville, and Navy Pier. Although initially supported, opposition from businesses concerned about disruptions resulted in route changes and postponements. Ultimately, after state and federal funding were rescinded, the project was terminated in 1995.
Busway project
During the mid to late 2000s, plans emerged for enhancing bus service between Union Station and Navy Pier, including the development of new busways. In July 2010, the initiative received a $24.6 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration, followed by an additional $7.3 million from city tax increment financing in February 2012.
In February 2013, the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) along with the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) unveiled plans featuring exclusive bus lanes, protected bicycle lanes, and a dedicated bus transit center near Union Station. Although initially slated for a 2014 launch, construction was postponed until 2015 with the project scope narrowed to focus solely on east–west busways. Groundbreaking occurred on March 16, 2015, accompanied by a rebranding to Loop Link. The busway officially commenced operations on December 21, 2015, aiming to enhance transit speed and reliability throughout downtown Chicago.