The Loop (CTA)
| Company type | Company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | November 1894 |
| Founder | Charles Tyson Yerkes |
| Fate | Constructed the Loop elevated rail circuit in Chicago |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
The Loop—originally known as the Union Loop—is an elevated rail track circuit that serves as the central node of the Chicago "L" network. As of April 2024, it accommodated an average weekday ridership of 40,341 passengers. This rail loop outlines a rectangular area bordered by Lake Street to the north, Wabash Avenue to the east, Van Buren Street to the south, and Wells Street to the west. The name "Loop" has also become synonymous with Chicago's central business district, commonly referred to as the Chicago Loop.
Chicago’s rapid transit system originated in the late 1800s during a period of swift urban expansion. Initially, separate lines operated independently, with their terminals located outside the downtown core due to financial constraints and political obstacles. Businessman Charles Tyson Yerkes played a pivotal role in merging these lines and spearheading the construction of the Loop between 1895 and 1897, with final connections completed by 1900. The Loop’s completion led to a significant increase in passenger numbers, causing some lines to reopen their former terminals to accommodate peak-hour traffic.
During the mid-20th century, ridership on the Loop declined, and in the 1970s it faced potential demolition. However, growing efforts to preserve historic landmarks in the 1980s helped stabilize its use, securing its position as a vital element of Chicago’s transit system.
Operations
The Loop features eight stations: on the northern segment are State/Lake and Clark/Lake; on the western side lie Washington/Wells and Quincy; along the southern edge are LaSalle/Van Buren and Harold Washington Library – State/Van Buren; and on the eastern portion are Adams/Wabash and Washington/Wabash. In 2011, these stations collectively recorded 20,896,612 passenger boardings.
Train movements around the Loop are controlled by two signal towers: Tower 12 situated at the southeastern corner and Tower 18 positioned at the northwestern corner. Tower 18 oversees what was historically recognized as the world’s busiest railroad interlocking. The current Tower 18 facility has been in service since May 19, 2010, succeeding its predecessor built in 1969.
Five of the eight 'L' routes operate on Loop tracks:
- The Brown Line enters at Tower 18 (northwest) and is supplemented by the Purple Line during weekday peak hours. The Purple Line travels clockwise completing a full circuit on the Inner Loop; meanwhile, the Brown Line runs counterclockwise around the Outer Loop before returning to Tower 18.
- Both the Orange Line (entering at Tower 12 in the southeast) and the Pink Line (entering at Tower 18 in the northwest) follow clockwise routes around the Inner Loop before returning.
- The Green Line is distinctive for running along Loop tracks without terminating there; it operates bidirectionally along Lake Street and Wabash Avenue between Tower 18 and Tower 12, connecting the Lake Street branch with the South Side Elevated line.
From a CTA operational perspective, the entire Loop functions as a terminal point for these lines, akin to a single station outside downtown.
The Blue Line and Red Line, which provide continuous 24-hour service, run through subways beneath the Loop area and offer transfer points to stations on the elevated tracks. The Yellow Line stands out as it neither traverses nor passes below the Loop structure.
History
At Chicago’s incorporation as a city in 1837, its compact and pedestrian-friendly design eliminated any immediate need for mass transit. However, rapid urban growth throughout the nineteenth century altered this situation significantly.
Prior to constructing what became known as the Union Loop, Chicago’s three elevated railroads—the South Side Elevated Railroad, Lake Street Elevated Railroad, and Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad—each terminated independently at various locations along downtown’s periphery.
Construction of the Loop
The Union Elevated Railroad Company was established in November 1894 with the purpose of constructing a transit loop within Chicago's central business area. Despite facing significant resistance from adjacent property owners and numerous legal challenges, the project received authorization through several municipal ordinances enacted between 1894 and 1896.
The Loop's construction proceeded in stages: the Lake Street 'L' was extended along the northern edge in 1895; the eastern segment along Wabash Avenue became operational in 1896; the western portion on Wells Street opened in 1897; and finally, the southern side along Van Buren Street was completed later that same year.
Inaugurated on September 6, 1897, the Loop consolidated various transit routes but was overshadowed by political controversy. After its completion, rail companies were required to pay fees to Yerkes's enterprise, which led to higher fares for passengers. Yerkes obtained a contentious fifty-year franchise through legislative corruption, provoking public indignation and his subsequent exit from Chicago, which contributed to a short-lived period of Progressive Reform in the city.
Initially, the Loop contained twelve stations—three on each side. However, construction over Wells Street necessitated partial removal of the Fifth/Lake station. The later inclusion of the Northwestern Elevated Railroad resulted in the complete elimination of that station, leaving eleven stations distributed as two on the northern leg and three on each of the remaining sides.
| 1895–1897 | 1897–1900 |
| Template:The Loop 1895-1897 | Template:The Loop 1897-1900 |
| 1900–1913 | 1913–1931 |
| Template:The Loop 1900-1913 | Template:The Loop 1913-1931 |
| 1931–1949 | 1955-1958 |
| Template:The Loop 1931-1949 | Template:The Loop 1955-1958 |
| 1958–1969 | 1969–1993 |
| Template:The Loop 1958-1969 | Template:The Loop 1969-1993 |
| 1993–1997 | 1997–present |
| Template:The Loop 1993-1997 | Template:The Loop 1997-present |
Station listing
Stations are enumerated beginning at the northwest corner and proceeding counterclockwise around the loop: traveling south along Wells Street, then east on Van Buren Street, north along Wabash Avenue, and finally west on Lake Street.
| Station | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Template:Cta | 150 N. Wells St. | Closed July 17, 1995; partially demolished and replaced by Washington/Wells |
| Template:Cta Disabled access | 100 N. Wells Street | |
| Madison/Wells | 1 N. Wells St. | Closed January 30, 1994; demolished and succeeded by Washington/Wells |
| Template:Cta Disabled access | 220 S. Wells Street | |
| Template:Cta | 121 W. Van Buren Street | |
| Dearborn/Van Buren | Dearborn Street and Van Buren Street | Closed in 1949; demolished and replaced by Harold Washington Library-State/Van Buren in 1997 |
| Template:Cta Disabled access | 1 W. Van Buren Street | |
| Template:Cta | 201 S. Wabash Avenue | |
| Template:Cta | 2 N. Wabash Avenue | Closed March 16, 2015; demolished and replaced by Washington/Wabash |
| Template:Cta Disabled access | 29 N. Wabash Avenue | "Consolidation of Madison/Wabash and Randolph/Wabash; opened August 31, 2017" |
| Template:Cta | "151 N. Wabash Avenue" | "Closed September 3, 2017; demolished and replaced by Washington/Wabash" |
| "Template:Cta" | "200 N. State Street" | |
| "Template:Cta Disabled access" | "100 W. Lake Street, Chicago" | |
| "Template:Cta" | "Wells Street and Lake Street" | "Closed December 17, 1899; demolished" |
