Jen DeSalvo, WLS-AM News and Traffic
Resist Trump: Occupy Inauguration Chicago
Where: Daley Plaza
When: 3:00 p.m. on Friday, January 20th
According to the Facebook event page, organizers state:
“Donald Trump and the reactionary core of the Republican Party are coming to power in 2017 on a platform of racism, sexism, xenophobia, and pro-corporate policies. We must build an independent, working-class mass movement that vows to use every ounce of our collective body and spirit to stand against Trump’s reactionary agenda from Day 1.”
The primary organization behind the event is the Chicago Socialist Alternative. As of Wednesday morning, 2,000 people have committed to joining with over 7,200 interested in the organized march.
Southsiders for Peace, an organization that spreads anti-war sentiment and works to combat racism in south side neighborhoods, will also be joining in the day’s events.
Another coordinated stand-in to happen later this evening at Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago.
Traffic Implications: The area between LaSalle to the west, Lake to the north, State to the east, and Madison to the south will be heavy with foot traffic. The CTA stations at Clark/Lake and State/Lake will be heavily used.
Trump Tower Chicago Inauguration Day Protest
Where: Trump International Hotel & Tower, Chicago
When: 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 20th
Over 8,000 people have pledged to join in what organizers describe as a “peaceful, non-violent demonstration showing discontent toward the rhetoric that won the president-elect the election.”
The description resumes by noting that it is standing against the verbiage that “continues to empower similar rhetoric and skewed thinking within groups of hateful people,” and has intention “to voice opposition to hate.”
Traffic Implications: North Wabash Avenue north of the Chicago River up to Grand Avenue is expected to be full. The CTA Red line exit at Grand Avenue will be used by organizers, so other means of public transit may be ideal.
Women’s March on Chicago
Where: Jackson and Columbus
When: 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 21st
On the morning of January 21, 2017, thousands of women who are traveling to the capitol will hold a Women’s March on Washington, to “join in diversity to show [their] presence in numbers too great to ignore.”
Following a trying political season with a number of injustices felt by women and minorities, organizers plan to “stand together in solidarity with our partners and children for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health, and our families, recognizing that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country.”
In solidarity with the women who are traveling to Washington D.C., thousands of females will march in Chicago on Saturday morning.
The event begins at the corner of Jackson and Columbus in Chicago’s Grant Park.
Traffic Implications: Over 50,000 persons are expected to march as of Friday morning, and the route for the parade is changing to accommodate the masses with the least amount of traffic implications. Columbus Drive will be closed from Monroe Street south to Balbo. Jackson Drive, Congress and Balbo will all be closed from Michigan Ave to Lake Shore Drive. Monroe will be closed from Michigan Ave to Columbus.
CTA Increases Capacity and Reroutes Buses for 2017 Chicago Women’s Rally and March on Saturday, January 21
Brown Line: Longer trains will operate in both directions between Kimball and the Loop, 5:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Blue Line: Longer trains will operate from O’Hare 5:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and from Forest Park, 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Orange Line: Longer trains will operate in both directions between Midway and the Loop, 5:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Green Line: Longer trains will operate in both directions between Harlem/Lake and Ashland/63rd-Cottage Grove, 5:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
#3 King Drive, #4 Cottage Grove – Southbound buses will operate via Michigan, Adams, Clark, and Harrison, then resume their normal route on Michigan. Northbound buses will operate via Michigan, Harrison, Canal, and Monroe, then resume their normal route on Michigan.
#6 Jackson Park Express – Southbound buses will operate via Wacker, Clark, Harrison, State, Balbo, Michigan, and Roosevelt, then resume their normal route on Columbus. Northbound buses will operate via Columbus, Roosevelt, Michigan, Harrison, Canal, and Monroe, then resume their normal route on Michigan.
#J14 Jeffery Jump – Southbound buses will operate via Michigan, Adams, Clark, Harrison, Michigan, and Roosevelt, then resume their normal route on Columbus. Northbound buses will operate via Columbus, Roosevelt, Michigan, Harrison, and Canal, then resume their normal route on Madison.
#22 Clark – Northbound buses will operate via Dearborn, Harrison, Canal, and Monroe, then resume their normal route on Dearborn. Southbound buses are not affected.
#29 State – Southbound buses will operate via State, Adams, Clark, and Harrison, then resume their normal route on State. Northbound buses will operate via State, Harrison, Canal, and Monroe, then resume their normal route on State.
#36 Broadway – Southbound buses will operate via State, Adams, Clark, and Van Buren, ending their trips at Van Buren/Canal. Northbound buses will begin their trips at Van Buren/Canal, operate via Canal and Monroe, then resume their normal route on Dearborn.
#62 Archer – Southbound buses will operate via State, Adams, Clark, and Harrison, then resume their normal route on State. Northbound buses will operate via Dearborn, Harrison, Canal, and Monroe, then resume their normal route on Dearborn.
#126 Jackson – Eastbound buses will operate via Jackson, Clark, and Harrison, ending their trips at Harrison/Wabash.Westbound buses will begin their trips at Harrison/Wabash, operate via Wabash, Balbo, State, Harrison, and Canal, then resume their normal route on Van Buren.
#146 Inner Drive/Michigan Express – Northbound buses will operate via State, Harrison, Canal, and Monroe, then resume their normal route on State. Southbound buses will operate via Wacker, Clark, and Harrison, then resume their normal route on State.
#147 Outer Drive Express – Southbound buses will operate via Michigan, Adams, Clark, and Harrison, ending their trips at Harrison/Wabash. Northbound buses will begin their trips at Harrison/Wabash, operate via Wabash, Balbo, State, Harrison, Canal, and Monroe, then resume their normal route on State.
#151 Sheridan – Northbound buses will operate via Jackson, LaSalle, and Monroe, then resume their normal route on Dearborn. Southbound buses are not affected.
Northbound #22 Clark, #36 Broadway, and #62 Archer buses will operate via Dearborn, Wacker, and LaSalle to Kinzie.#22 and #36 buses will operate via LaSalle and Hubbard, then resume their normal route on Dearborn. #62 buses will resume their normal route on Kinzie.
Metra service for the Women’s March on Chicago
Metra will operate its regular Saturday schedule on Jan. 21 but will have expanded capacity on all lines to accommodate the expected higher ridership for the Women’s March on Chicago.
All lines that offer Saturday service will have extra capacity to handle the additional passengers, similar to the level of service offered during the busy summer festival season. Those lines include the UP North, Milwaukee North, UP Northwest, Milwaukee West, UP West, BNSF, Rock Island, SouthWest Service and Metra Electric lines. There is no Saturday service on the North Central Service and Heritage Corridor lines.
Because several platforms remain closed for construction on the north side of Union Station, limiting our ability to be flexible when adding capacity, the Milwaukee North and Milwaukee West lines each will have an extra scheduled outbound train. On the Milwaukee North an extra train will depart Union Station at 2:25 p.m., express to Glenview and then make all stops to Fox Lake. That train will be followed by the regularly scheduled 2:35 p.m. departure, which makes all stops to Fox Lake. The Milwaukee West will have an extra train that will depart Union Station at 1:50 p.m. and make all stops to Elgin except Grand/Cicero, Hanson Park, Mars, Mannheim and Big Timber.
Metra customers who are considering bringing their bikes on the trains are advised that due to the higher number of riders expected, a bicycle warning date will be in effect on Saturday. A warning date means that there is a greater likelihood that trains will be too crowded to accommodate bicycles.
Fare and schedule information for each line can be found on this website under “Maps and Schedules.” For most riders, Metra’s $8 Weekend Pass, good for unlimited travel all day Saturday and Sunday, will be the best option. The pass can be purchased on the train, from a ticket office (although most are closed on weekends) and through the Ventra App, available for download in the App Store or Google Play.
