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Jefferson Park (Metra-CTA)
Encyclopedia
The Jefferson Park Transit Center is an intermodal passenger transport
center, in the Jefferson Park
neighborhood of Chicago
, Illinois
. It functions as a station for rail
as well as rapid transit
and also as a bus terminal. Jefferson Park Transit Center's railroad station is on Metra
's Union Pacific/Northwest Line
, with the station located at 4963 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Jefferson Park is 8.7 miles (14 km) away from Ogilvie Transportation Center
in downtown Chicago, the inbound terminus of the Union Pacific/Northwest Line. Under Metra's zone-based fare system, Jefferson Park is in zone B. The station is part of a larger transit center that also includes an 'L'
station
on the Chicago Transit Authority
's Blue Line
, as well as a bus station. The segment for the 'L' is a surface level station with a single island platform, located in the median of the Kennedy Expressway
at 4917 N. Milwaukee Avenue
. Blue Line trains run at intervals of 2–7 minutes during rush-hour periods, and take 25 minutes to travel to the Loop.
Jefferson Park station consists of two platforms for Metra and one for the Blue Line. The northeast platform serves inbound trains, and the southwest platform serves outbound trains as well as a center track which carries both express trains in both directions as well as trains that terminate at Des Plaines
. However, only two trains stop at Jefferson Park on the center track on weekdays, as the station is bypassed by express trains. A station house open from 5:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. is located on the inbound platform. There is no ticket agent at Jefferson Park, so tickets must be purchased onboard the train. Jefferson Park has a park and ride
lot operated by Imperial Parking.
at ground level, and was raised above ground in 1958. On February 1, 1970, Jefferson Park's 'L'
station opened as the northwestern terminus of the Kennedy Expressway
extension of the CTA's Milwaukee Line (now the Blue Line), as an addition to the Jefferson Park Chicago & North Western depot. The station was designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
. In 1983, the branch was extended past Jefferson Park to Rosemont
. The station was renovated in 2000–2001, and an elevator added to aid access. In 2005, a monument to Thomas Jefferson
was placed along the station's entrance along Milwaukee Avenue
.
Pace Buses
Intermodal passenger transport
Intermodal passenger transport involves more than one mode of transport of passengers. Some modes of transportation have always been intermodal; for example, most major airports have extensive facilities for automobile parking and have good rail or bus connections to the cities nearby. Urban bus...
center, in the Jefferson Park
Jefferson Park, Chicago
Jefferson Park is one of Chicago's 77 well-defined community areas located on the city's Northwest Side. The neighborhood of Jefferson Park occupies a larger swath of territory than the community area by including within it land of adjacent community areas...
neighborhood of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. It functions as a station for rail
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
as well as 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...
and also as a bus terminal. Jefferson Park Transit Center's railroad station is on Metra
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
's Union Pacific/Northwest Line
Union Pacific/Northwest Line
The Union Pacific/Northwest is a commuter rail line provided by Metra and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad in Chicago, Illinois, and its surrounding suburbs...
, with the station located at 4963 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Jefferson Park is 8.7 miles (14 km) away from Ogilvie Transportation Center
Ogilvie Transportation Center
The Richard B. Ogilvie Transportation Center is a passenger terminal in downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA, serving the three commuter rail lines of Metra's Union Pacific District, which approach the terminal elevated above street level. It occupies the lower floors of the Citigroup Center...
in downtown Chicago, the inbound terminus of the Union Pacific/Northwest Line. Under Metra's zone-based fare system, Jefferson Park is in zone B. The station is part of a larger transit center that also includes an '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...
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 Blue Line
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...
, as well as a bus station. The segment for the 'L' is a surface level station with a single island platform, located in the median of the Kennedy Expressway
Kennedy Expressway
The John F. Kennedy Expressway is a long highway that travels northwest from the Chicago Loop to O'Hare International Airport. The expressway is named for the 35th U.S. President, John F. Kennedy. The Interstate 90 portion of the Kennedy is a part of the much longer I-90...
at 4917 N. Milwaukee Avenue
Milwaukee Avenue (Chicago)
Milwaukee Avenue is a major diagonal street in the city of Chicago and the northern suburbs. True to its name, it once led to the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Starting with a short section at N. Canal and W. Lake Streets, it begins in earnest at the corner of N Desplaines and W. Kinzie Streets...
. Blue Line trains run at intervals of 2–7 minutes during rush-hour periods, and take 25 minutes to travel to the Loop.
Jefferson Park station consists of two platforms for Metra and one for the Blue Line. The northeast platform serves inbound trains, and the southwest platform serves outbound trains as well as a center track which carries both express trains in both directions as well as trains that terminate at Des Plaines
Des Plaines (Metra)
Des Plaines is one of two commuter railroad stations on Metra's Union Pacific/Northwest line in the City of Des Plaines, Illinois. The station is officially located at 1501 Miner Street , and lies from the Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago...
. However, only two trains stop at Jefferson Park on the center track on weekdays, as the station is bypassed by express trains. A station house open from 5:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. is located on the inbound platform. There is no ticket agent at Jefferson Park, so tickets must be purchased onboard the train. Jefferson Park has a park and ride
Park and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
lot operated by Imperial Parking.
History
The original Jefferson Park Station was built in the 19th Century, by the Chicago and North Western RailwayChicago and North Western Railway
The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s...
at ground level, and was raised above ground in 1958. On February 1, 1970, Jefferson Park's '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...
station opened as the northwestern terminus of the Kennedy Expressway
Kennedy Expressway
The John F. Kennedy Expressway is a long highway that travels northwest from the Chicago Loop to O'Hare International Airport. The expressway is named for the 35th U.S. President, John F. Kennedy. The Interstate 90 portion of the Kennedy is a part of the much longer I-90...
extension of the CTA's Milwaukee Line (now the Blue Line), as an addition to the Jefferson Park Chicago & North Western depot. The station was designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP is an American architectural and engineering firm that was formed in Chicago in 1936 by Louis Skidmore and Nathaniel Owings; in 1939 they were joined by John O. Merrill. They opened their first branch in New York City, New York in 1937. SOM is one of the largest...
. In 1983, the branch was extended past Jefferson Park to Rosemont
Rosemont (CTA)
Rosemont is the 'L' station at the intersection of River Road and I-190. It is located in the median of I-190 with one island platform serving two tracks, 16 miles northwest of the Chicago Loop. Trains are scheduled to depart from Rosemont roughly every 2–7 minutes during rush-hour periods, and...
. The station was renovated in 2000–2001, and an elevator added to aid access. In 2005, a monument to Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
was placed along the station's entrance along Milwaukee Avenue
Milwaukee Avenue (Chicago)
Milwaukee Avenue is a major diagonal street in the city of Chicago and the northern suburbs. True to its name, it once led to the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Starting with a short section at N. Canal and W. Lake Streets, it begins in earnest at the corner of N Desplaines and W. Kinzie Streets...
.
Bus connections
CTA Buses#56 Milwaukee #56A North Milwaukee #68 Northwest Highway #81 Lawrence (Owl Service) #81W West Lawrence #85 Central #85A North Central #88 Higgins #91 Austin #92 Foster
Pace Buses
Pace (transit)
Pace is the suburban bus division of the Regional Transportation Authority in the Chicago metropolitan area. It was created in 1983 by the RTA Act, which established the formula that provides funding to CTA, Metra and Pace. In 2010, Pace had 35.077 million riders. Pace's headquarters are in...
#225 Central-Howard #226 Oakton Street #270 Milwaukee Avenue
External links
- Jefferson Park Transit Center (Chicago 'L'.org)
- Northwest Chicago Historical Society Newsletter devoted to Jefferson Park's role as a transit hub