Grand (CTA Red Line)
Encyclopedia
Grand, also known as Grand/State to differentiate it from Grand on the Blue Line
, is a rapid transit
station on the Red Line
of the Chicago 'L'
. It serves Navy Pier
, which is accessible via bus on Illinois Street one block south.
on the Red Line, Grand station is located in the River North
neighborhood of the city. More specifically, it lies underneath North State Street at its intersection with Grand Avenue. Due to its central location, it is close to a number of landmarks in Chicago, with Navy Pier to the east and the Merchandise Mart
(which has its own station on the Brown and Purple Lines).
During the 1950s, the CTA implemented skip-stop
service throughout the 'L' system. Under this service pattern, Grand station was designated as AB along with all other downtown stations (on the Red Line, those stops south of Clark/Division and north of Cermak were given AB designations). As a result, all trains stopped at these stations. The skip-stop service was ended due to budget cuts in the 1990s.
Other
Blue Line (Chicago Transit Authority)
The Blue Line consists of a long trunk line in the Chicago Transit Authority's rapid transit system which extends through Chicago's Loop from O'Hare International Airport at the far northwest end of the city, through downtown via the Milwaukee-Dearborn subway, and across the West Side to its...
, is a rapid transit
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
station on 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...
of the Chicago 'L'
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...
. It serves Navy Pier
Navy Pier
Navy Pier is a long pier on the Chicago shoreline of Lake Michigan. It is located in the Streeterville neighborhood of the Near North Side community area. The pier was built in 1916 at a cost of $4.5 million, equivalent to $ today. It was a part of the Plan of Chicago developed by architect and...
, which is accessible via bus on Illinois Street one block south.
Location
The first stop north of the Chicago RiverChicago River
The Chicago River is a system of rivers and canals with a combined length of that runs through the city of the same name, including its center . Though not especially long, the river is notable for being the reason why Chicago became an important location, as the link between the Great Lakes and...
on the Red Line, Grand station is located in the River North
River North Gallery District, Near North Side, Chicago
The River North Gallery District, in Chicago, is in the Near North Side, Chicago. It hosts the largest concentration of art galleries in the United States, outside of Manhattan. A common definition puts the District in the area north of the Merchandise Mart, south of Chicago Avenue, east of...
neighborhood of the city. More specifically, it lies underneath North State Street at its intersection with Grand Avenue. Due to its central location, it is close to a number of landmarks in Chicago, with Navy Pier to the east and the Merchandise Mart
Merchandise Mart
When opened in 1930, the Merchandise Mart or the Merch Mart, located in the Near North Side, Chicago, Illinois, was the largest building in the world with of floor space. Previously owned by the Marshall Field family, the Mart centralized Chicago's wholesale goods business by consolidating vendors...
(which has its own station on the Brown and Purple Lines).
History
Grand opened on October 17, 1943, as part of the State Street Subway, which forms the central portion of what is now the Red Line between North/Clybourn and Roosevelt stations.During the 1950s, the CTA implemented skip-stop
Skip-stop
Skip-stop is a public transit service pattern which reduces travel times and increases capacity by not having all vehicles make all designated stops along a route. Skip-stops are used in both rail transit and bus transit operations.-Rail operation:...
service throughout the 'L' system. Under this service pattern, Grand station was designated as AB along with all other downtown stations (on the Red Line, those stops south of Clark/Division and north of Cermak were given AB designations). As a result, all trains stopped at these stations. The skip-stop service was ended due to budget cuts in the 1990s.
2000s renovation
In line with other downtown stations, Grand station is currently undergoing a massive renovation that the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) estimates will cost $67.2 million. The project is expected to double the station's capacity through a 2000 sq ft (185.8 m²) mezzanine expansion as well as widening stairways and adding elevators.Station layout
Unlike most State Street Subway stations, Grand uses a side platform configuration with two tracks. This setup does exist, however, at Chicago and North/Clybourn stations. There are entrances from street level at all corners of the intersection of North State Street and Grand Avenue. One level below street level lies a mezzanine containing fare control, while the platforms are located beneath the mezzanine.Bus connections
CTA-
#29 State -
#36 Broadway -
#65 Grand
Other
- Navy Pier Trolley (May-September Only)
External links
- Grand/State Station Page on the CTA official site
- Grand/State Station Page at Chicago-'L'.org
- Grand Avenue entrance from Google Maps Street View