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Fullerton (CTA)
Encyclopedia
Fullerton is an 'L'
station
on the Chicago Transit Authority
's Brown
and Red
Lines. Purple Line
express trains also stop at the station during weekday rush hours. It is an elevated station with two island platforms, located in the Lincoln Park
neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois. Brown and Purple Line trains share the outer tracks while Red Line trains run on the inner tracks. As well as being an important transfer station, the station serves the Lincoln Park Campus of DePaul University
.
Fullerton Station was opened in 1900 as an express/local stop on the Northwestern Elevated Railroad
. In the 1920s, the station's platforms were lengthened to serve eight-car trains, but due to surrounding buildings the platforms were lengthened in different directions; the northbound platform was extended northward, and the southbound platform was extended to the south. In 1949 an additional set of exit stairs was added at Fullerton as well as a 15 feet (4.6 m) tall supervisor's booth on the platform. Off-peak shuttle service on the Ravenswood Line ran from Kimball to Fullerton until 1961, when the shuttles were cut back to their present-day terminus at Belmont.
In 1983 the CTA decided to lease the space beneath Fullerton to a business. The CTA, led by chairman Michael Cardilli, granted the lease to Peter Schivarelli, a friend and former coworker of Cardilli's. Schivarelli built the hot dog stand Demon Dogs in the space. While Schivarelli paid for the construction of the stand, he owed a low rent on the property, and the CTA paid the utility bills for the building. The CTA ended this arrangement in 1998 upon its being made public, and Schivarelli sued the CTA as a result. A trial court
ruled in favor of Schivarelli, but the CTA appealed the decision, and it was overturned by an appellate court
. Demon Dogs remained open until 2005, when it was removed during the station's reconstruction.
In 1989, Evanston Express trains began stopping at Fullerton due to increased ridership. The original station house was damaged by a fire in December 1996; the police
suspected that the fire was the result of arson. The station house was reopened in February 1997 with only one ticket agent's booth. However, the single booth could not handle the high passenger load at the station, and a new station house was opened next to the original in 1998.
accessibility requirements. The new platforms are able to accommodate 10-car trains, allowing for future expansion of the Red Line
. Because of its importance, the station remained open throughout the entire project unlike other stations which face temporary closures. This will be achieved by the use of a temporary station house that opened on October 8, 2006.
The renovation project has not been without controversy. The demolition of both the well known Demon Dogs hot dog
stand and DePaul University's 1929 Gothic-style Hayes-Healy Athletic Center were unsuccessfully contested. Elevators were placed into service on December 31, 2009, making Fullerton accessible
for customers with disabilities.
and neighborhoods on the North Side. Fullerton is served every seven to eight minutes by Brown Line trains, every five to eight minutes by Red Line trains on weekdays and every seven to ten minutes on weekends, and every 10 to 20 minutes by Purple Line trains during weekday rush periods
. While the Brown Line ends service to Fullerton at 1:00 A.M. on weekdays, Red Line trains run 24 hours every day, so the station is open at all times. In 2007, 3,496,676 passengers boarded at Fullerton, a 1% increase from 2006. These figures made Fullerton the second-busiest station on the Brown Line, the fourth-busiest station on the Red Line, and the second-busiest station on the Purple Line.
The fare controls at Fullerton are located in a new station house on the south side of Fullerton Avenue; the original station house was closed for renovation and was moved across the street and converted to an auxiliary farecard-only entrance. From the station house, staircases lead to the station's two island platforms. The east platform is used by northbound trains, and the west platform is used by southbound trains. Additional exit stairs lead from the platforms to the north side of Fullerton Avenue. The project's Full Funding Grant Agreement with the federal government required that the CTA complete the project by the end of 2009. The new station was completed on December 31, 2009.
Chicago 'L'
The L is the rapid transit system serving the city of Chicago and some of its surrounding suburbs. It is operated by the Chicago Transit Authority...
station
Metro station
A metro station or subway station is a railway station for a rapid transit system, often known by names such as "metro", "underground" and "subway". It is often underground or elevated. At crossings of metro lines, they are multi-level....
on the Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago Transit Authority, also known as CTA, is the operator of mass transit within the City of Chicago, Illinois and some of its surrounding suburbs....
's Brown
Brown Line (Chicago Transit Authority)
The Brown Line starts out in northwest Chicago, at the Kimball and Lawrence Avenue terminal in Albany Park, where there is a storage yard and servicing shop for the trains to the east of the passenger station...
and Red
Red Line (Chicago Transit Authority)
The northern terminus of the Red Line is Howard Street in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago , on the City Limits farthest north. The Red Line extends southeasterly on an elevated embankment structure about a half-mile west of the lakefront to Touhy Avenue then turns south along Glenwood...
Lines. Purple Line
Purple Line (Chicago Transit Authority)
The Purple Line of the Chicago Transit Authority is a branch line on the northernmost section of the Chicago 'L' rapid transit network. Normally, it extends south from the Wilmette terminal at Linden Avenue, passing through Evanston to Howard Street, on Chicago's northern city limits...
express trains also stop at the station during weekday rush hours. It is an elevated station with two island platforms, located in the Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park, Chicago
Lincoln Park, is one of the 77 community areas on Chicago, Illinois North Side, USA. Named after Lincoln Park, a vast park bordering Lake Michigan, the community area is anchored by the Lincoln Park Zoo and DePaul University...
neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois. Brown and Purple Line trains share the outer tracks while Red Line trains run on the inner tracks. As well as being an important transfer station, the station serves the Lincoln Park Campus of DePaul University
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
.
History
Northwestern Elevated Railroad
The Northwestern Elevated Railroad was the last of the privately constructed rapid transit lines to be built in Chicago, Illinois. The line ran from the Loop in downtown Chicago north to Wilson Avenue in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood a with branch to Ravenswood and Albany Park that left the main...
. In the 1920s, the station's platforms were lengthened to serve eight-car trains, but due to surrounding buildings the platforms were lengthened in different directions; the northbound platform was extended northward, and the southbound platform was extended to the south. In 1949 an additional set of exit stairs was added at Fullerton as well as a 15 feet (4.6 m) tall supervisor's booth on the platform. Off-peak shuttle service on the Ravenswood Line ran from Kimball to Fullerton until 1961, when the shuttles were cut back to their present-day terminus at Belmont.
In 1983 the CTA decided to lease the space beneath Fullerton to a business. The CTA, led by chairman Michael Cardilli, granted the lease to Peter Schivarelli, a friend and former coworker of Cardilli's. Schivarelli built the hot dog stand Demon Dogs in the space. While Schivarelli paid for the construction of the stand, he owed a low rent on the property, and the CTA paid the utility bills for the building. The CTA ended this arrangement in 1998 upon its being made public, and Schivarelli sued the CTA as a result. A trial court
Trial court
A trial court or court of first instance is a court in which trials take place. Such courts are said to have original jurisdiction.- In the United States :...
ruled in favor of Schivarelli, but the CTA appealed the decision, and it was overturned by an appellate court
Appellate court
An appellate court, commonly called an appeals court or court of appeals or appeal court , is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal...
. Demon Dogs remained open until 2005, when it was removed during the station's reconstruction.
In 1989, Evanston Express trains began stopping at Fullerton due to increased ridership. The original station house was damaged by a fire in December 1996; the police
Chicago Police Department
The Chicago Police Department, also known as the CPD, is the principal law enforcement agency of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Chicago. It is the largest police department in the Midwest and the second largest local law enforcement agency in the...
suspected that the fire was the result of arson. The station house was reopened in February 1997 with only one ticket agent's booth. However, the single booth could not handle the high passenger load at the station, and a new station house was opened next to the original in 1998.
Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project
Fullerton station underwent reconstruction as part of the Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project. The new station will have wider platforms and elevators to ensure that it meets ADAAmericans with Disabilities Act of 1990
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a law that was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1990. It was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush, and later amended with changes effective January 1, 2009....
accessibility requirements. The new platforms are able to accommodate 10-car trains, allowing for future expansion of the Red Line
Red Line (Chicago Transit Authority)
The northern terminus of the Red Line is Howard Street in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago , on the City Limits farthest north. The Red Line extends southeasterly on an elevated embankment structure about a half-mile west of the lakefront to Touhy Avenue then turns south along Glenwood...
. Because of its importance, the station remained open throughout the entire project unlike other stations which face temporary closures. This will be achieved by the use of a temporary station house that opened on October 8, 2006.
Hot dog
A hot dog is a sausage served in a sliced bun. It is very often garnished with mustard, ketchup, onions, mayonnaise, relish and/or sauerkraut.-History:...
stand and DePaul University's 1929 Gothic-style Hayes-Healy Athletic Center were unsuccessfully contested. Elevators were placed into service on December 31, 2009, making Fullerton accessible
Accessibility
Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity...
for customers with disabilities.
Services
As part of the Red, Brown and Purple Lines, Fullerton is used by passengers travelling between Lincoln Park and the Loop, RavenswoodRavenswood, Chicago
Ravenswood is a neighborhood located in the north side of the city of Chicago, Illinois in the Lincoln Square Community Area . According to the Realtors Association, Ravenswood's approximate area is bordered by the north at Foster Avenue, Montrose Avenue on the south, by the west at the Chicago...
and neighborhoods on the North Side. Fullerton is served every seven to eight minutes by Brown Line trains, every five to eight minutes by Red Line trains on weekdays and every seven to ten minutes on weekends, and every 10 to 20 minutes by Purple Line trains during weekday rush periods
Rush hour
A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute...
. While the Brown Line ends service to Fullerton at 1:00 A.M. on weekdays, Red Line trains run 24 hours every day, so the station is open at all times. In 2007, 3,496,676 passengers boarded at Fullerton, a 1% increase from 2006. These figures made Fullerton the second-busiest station on the Brown Line, the fourth-busiest station on the Red Line, and the second-busiest station on the Purple Line.
The fare controls at Fullerton are located in a new station house on the south side of Fullerton Avenue; the original station house was closed for renovation and was moved across the street and converted to an auxiliary farecard-only entrance. From the station house, staircases lead to the station's two island platforms. The east platform is used by northbound trains, and the west platform is used by southbound trains. Additional exit stairs lead from the platforms to the north side of Fullerton Avenue. The project's Full Funding Grant Agreement with the federal government required that the CTA complete the project by the end of 2009. The new station was completed on December 31, 2009.
Bus connections
CTA-
#11 Lincoln/Sedgwick -
#74 Fullerton