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Pulaski (CTA Orange Line)
Encyclopedia
Pulaski is an elevated station
on the Chicago Transit Authority
's 'L' system
. Pulaski serves the Orange Line
, which runs between Midway Airport
and The Loop
; it is situated between Midway
and Kedzie
stations. Pulaski is located at Pulaski Road
and 51st Street on the Southwest Side
of Chicago
, Illinois
. The station is within the Archer Heights
neighborhood, which is both residential and commercial, and the station itself is in a commercial district on Pulaski Road. Pulaski opened on October 31, 1993, the opening date of the Orange Line.
The Pulaski station was proposed in 1980 and constructed in the late 1980s and early 1990s. When the station opened in 1993, it spurred commercial development in the surrounding area and led to a parking controversy on nearby residential streets. Pulaski consists of an elevated island platform
above a station house which is set back from Pulaski Road. The station also includes a bus terminal and a park and ride
lot. Nearly 1.4 million passengers boarded Orange Line trains at Pulaski in 2010. Trains serve Pulaski approximately every ten minutes during rush hour but are less frequent at other times. In addition to offering train service, Pulaski also connects to several CTA bus routes.
, who planned to fund the line using money from the cancelled Crosstown Expressway project. U.S. Representative William Lipinski secured necessary federal funding for the line in 1986 as a political favor from President Ronald Reagan
, and Chicago Mayor Harold Washington
signed a federal funding contract the next year. Construction began on the line in 1988 and was completed in 1993; the total cost of the line was $510 million. The Pulaski station was built over an abandoned Belt Railway of Chicago
line which ran from 49th Street to Midway Airport. Pulaski, along with the rest of the Orange Line, opened on October 31, 1993. The CTA only charged riders 25 cents during Pulaski's first three days, which were considered a test run of the line.
The Pulaski station spurred commercial development in the Archer Heights
neighborhood. Area development began even before the station opened, as the Midway Square shopping mall opened at Pulaski Road and 51st Street in 1988 in anticipation of the potential customers the Orange Line would bring. The station's opening continued the trend of development, and Pulaski station was credited with boosting business in Archer Heights and doubling property values in the neighborhood. The station also created a parking problem in the neighborhood. The station's parking lot filled up as early as 7 A.M. most workdays, causing commuters to park on residential streets. The commuters prompted local residents to ban non-residents from parking on certain streets during daytime hours.
or painted white. The station's island platform
is accessible from the station house via stairs, escalator
s, and an elevator. The platform serves the Orange Line's two tracks; the track to the Loop is located to the south, and the track to Midway located to the north. A canopy
covers the entire platform. A bus terminal is located to the north of the station. To the west of the bus terminal and north of the railroad tracks is the Pulaski park and ride
lot. The park and ride lot has 390 spaces which cost $4 for 12 hours and is operated by Standard Parking.
Pulaski serves the Archer Heights
neighborhood of Chicago, which has both commercial and residential areas. Pulaski Road
is primarily commercial, and most of the businesses on Pulaski Road rely on business from Orange Line commuters going to and from the station. However, side streets near the station such as Keeler Avenue are primarily residential. Curie Metropolitan High School
, at Pulaski Road and Archer Avenue, is accessible from Pulaski station. The Polish Highlanders Alliance of North America
, the cultural pillar of Chicago's Góral
community, is also located nearby at 4808 S. Archer Avenue.
to Midway Airport
. Pulaski is the second inbound station on the line after Midway
and is situated between the Midway and Kedzie
stations. Pulaski is open from 3:55 A.M. to 1:20 A.M. on weekdays, 4:30 A.M. to 1:20 A.M. on Saturdays, and 5:30 A.M. to 11:50 P.M. on Sundays. Trains run approximately every ten minutes during rush hour
and midday operation on all days, with more limited service in the early morning and night. Pulaski is two minutes from Midway and nineteen minutes from the first station in The Loop, Library-State/Van Buren
. 1,393,509 passengers boarded at Pulaski in 2010; the station's ridership was the third-highest of any Orange Line station outside of The Loop
, behind Midway
and Roosevelt/Wabash
.
In addition to rail service, several CTA bus routes stop at Pulaski. The #53A South Pulaski runs north and south on Pulaski Road from the station during most daytime hours. The #62 Archer, which runs 24 hours a day, also serves the Pulaski station through a stop on nearby Archer Avenue. The major Chicago streets Pulaski Road
, 51st Street, and Archer Avenue are also accessible from the Pulaski 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 'L' system
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...
. Pulaski serves the Orange Line
Orange Line (Chicago Transit Authority)
The Orange Line, is a rapid transit line in Chicago, Illinois run by the Chicago Transit Authority as part of the 'L' system. It is approximately long, and runs below grade and elevated on existing railroad embankments and new concrete and steel structures from Chicago Midway International...
, which runs between Midway Airport
Midway Airport
Chicago Midway International Airport , also known simply as Midway Airport or Midway, is an airport in Chicago, Illinois, United States, located on the city's southwest side, eight miles from Chicago's Loop...
and The Loop
The Loop (CTA)
The Loop is the two mile circuit of elevated railroad that forms the hub of the 'L' rapid transit system in Chicago, Illinois. The Loop is so named because the railroad loops around a rectangle formed by Lake Street , Wabash Avenue , Van Buren Street , and Wells Street...
; it is situated between Midway
Midway (CTA)
Midway is a station of the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system, serving the Orange Line. It is the southwestern terminus of the Orange Line, and serves Chicago Midway International Airport in Chicago, the city's second-largest airport...
and Kedzie
Kedzie (CTA Orange Line)
Kedzie is a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system, serving the Orange Line.-Bus connections:CTA* #47 47th * #51 51st * #52 Kedzie/California * #52A South Kedzie - External links :** *...
stations. Pulaski is located at Pulaski Road
Pulaski Road (Chicago)
Pulaski Road is a major north-south thoroughfare in the city of Chicago, at 4000 W., or exactly five miles west of State Street. It is named after revolutionary war hero Casimir Pulaski...
and 51st Street on the Southwest Side
South Side (Chicago)
The South Side is a major part of the City of Chicago, which is located in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Much of it has evolved from the city's incorporation of independent townships, such as Hyde Park Township which voted along with several other townships to be annexed in the June 29,...
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,...
. The station is within the Archer Heights
Archer Heights, Chicago
Archer Heights is a primarily middle class neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois. One of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, it is located on the city's southwest side. The neighborhood is a center of Polish culture, and home of the Polish Highlanders Alliance of North America as well as Curie...
neighborhood, which is both residential and commercial, and the station itself is in a commercial district on Pulaski Road. Pulaski opened on October 31, 1993, the opening date of the Orange Line.
The Pulaski station was proposed in 1980 and constructed in the late 1980s and early 1990s. When the station opened in 1993, it spurred commercial development in the surrounding area and led to a parking controversy on nearby residential streets. Pulaski consists of an elevated island platform
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
above a station house which is set back from Pulaski Road. The station also includes a bus terminal and 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. Nearly 1.4 million passengers boarded Orange Line trains at Pulaski in 2010. Trains serve Pulaski approximately every ten minutes during rush hour but are less frequent at other times. In addition to offering train service, Pulaski also connects to several CTA bus routes.
History
The Orange Line, including the Pulaski station, was first proposed in 1980 by Chicago Mayor Jane ByrneJane Byrne
Jane Margaret Byrne was the first and to date only female Mayor of Chicago. She served from April 16, 1979 to April 29, 1983. Chicago is the largest city in the United States to have had a female mayor as of 2011.-Early political career:...
, who planned to fund the line using money from the cancelled Crosstown Expressway project. U.S. Representative William Lipinski secured necessary federal funding for the line in 1986 as a political favor from President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, and Chicago Mayor Harold Washington
Harold Washington
Harold Lee Washington was an American lawyer and politician who became the first African-American Mayor of Chicago, serving from 1983 until his death in 1987.- Early years and military service :...
signed a federal funding contract the next year. Construction began on the line in 1988 and was completed in 1993; the total cost of the line was $510 million. The Pulaski station was built over an abandoned Belt Railway of Chicago
Belt Railway of Chicago
The Belt Railway of Chicago , headquartered in Chicago, is the largest switching terminal railroad in the United States. It is co-owned by six Class I railroads — BNSF Railway, Canadian National Railway, Canadian Pacific Railway, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway, and Union...
line which ran from 49th Street to Midway Airport. Pulaski, along with the rest of the Orange Line, opened on October 31, 1993. The CTA only charged riders 25 cents during Pulaski's first three days, which were considered a test run of the line.
The Pulaski station spurred commercial development in the Archer Heights
Archer Heights, Chicago
Archer Heights is a primarily middle class neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois. One of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, it is located on the city's southwest side. The neighborhood is a center of Polish culture, and home of the Polish Highlanders Alliance of North America as well as Curie...
neighborhood. Area development began even before the station opened, as the Midway Square shopping mall opened at Pulaski Road and 51st Street in 1988 in anticipation of the potential customers the Orange Line would bring. The station's opening continued the trend of development, and Pulaski station was credited with boosting business in Archer Heights and doubling property values in the neighborhood. The station also created a parking problem in the neighborhood. The station's parking lot filled up as early as 7 A.M. most workdays, causing commuters to park on residential streets. The commuters prompted local residents to ban non-residents from parking on certain streets during daytime hours.
Facilities
The Pulaski station was designed by the City of Chicago. The station house is at ground level and is set back from the street. It has a glass and steel façade, and most features within the station house are either made of stainless steelStainless steel
In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
or painted white. The station's island platform
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
is accessible from the station house via stairs, escalator
Escalator
An escalator is a moving staircase – a conveyor transport device for carrying people between floors of a building. The device consists of a motor-driven chain of individual, linked steps that move up or down on tracks, allowing the step treads to remain horizontal.Escalators are used around the...
s, and an elevator. The platform serves the Orange Line's two tracks; the track to the Loop is located to the south, and the track to Midway located to the north. A canopy
Canopy (building)
A canopy is an overhead roof or else a structure over which a fabric or metal covering is attached, able to provide shade or shelter. A canopy can also be a tent, generally without a floor....
covers the entire platform. A bus terminal is located to the north of the station. To the west of the bus terminal and north of the railroad tracks is the Pulaski 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. The park and ride lot has 390 spaces which cost $4 for 12 hours and is operated by Standard Parking.
Pulaski serves the Archer Heights
Archer Heights, Chicago
Archer Heights is a primarily middle class neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois. One of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, it is located on the city's southwest side. The neighborhood is a center of Polish culture, and home of the Polish Highlanders Alliance of North America as well as Curie...
neighborhood of Chicago, which has both commercial and residential areas. Pulaski Road
Pulaski Road (Chicago)
Pulaski Road is a major north-south thoroughfare in the city of Chicago, at 4000 W., or exactly five miles west of State Street. It is named after revolutionary war hero Casimir Pulaski...
is primarily commercial, and most of the businesses on Pulaski Road rely on business from Orange Line commuters going to and from the station. However, side streets near the station such as Keeler Avenue are primarily residential. Curie Metropolitan High School
Curie Metropolitan High School
Curie Metropolitan High School is a public 4-year magnet high school located in the Archer Heights neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The school has a Technical, Performing Arts, and International Baccalaureate Programme...
, at Pulaski Road and Archer Avenue, is accessible from Pulaski station. The Polish Highlanders Alliance of North America
Polish Highlanders Alliance of North America
The Polish Highlanders Alliance of America was founded in 1929 in Chicago as an organization that unites all other Góral organizations in the United States...
, the cultural pillar of Chicago's Góral
Goral
Goral may refer to:* Three species of Asian ungulates in the genus Naemorhedus.* The Gorals, a people living in southern Poland, northern Slovakia and the Czech Republic....
community, is also located nearby at 4808 S. Archer Avenue.
Services
Pulaski serves the CTA's Orange Line, which runs from The LoopThe Loop (CTA)
The Loop is the two mile circuit of elevated railroad that forms the hub of the 'L' rapid transit system in Chicago, Illinois. The Loop is so named because the railroad loops around a rectangle formed by Lake Street , Wabash Avenue , Van Buren Street , and Wells Street...
to Midway Airport
Midway Airport
Chicago Midway International Airport , also known simply as Midway Airport or Midway, is an airport in Chicago, Illinois, United States, located on the city's southwest side, eight miles from Chicago's Loop...
. Pulaski is the second inbound station on the line after Midway
Midway (CTA)
Midway is a station of the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system, serving the Orange Line. It is the southwestern terminus of the Orange Line, and serves Chicago Midway International Airport in Chicago, the city's second-largest airport...
and is situated between the Midway and Kedzie
Kedzie (CTA Orange Line)
Kedzie is a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system, serving the Orange Line.-Bus connections:CTA* #47 47th * #51 51st * #52 Kedzie/California * #52A South Kedzie - External links :** *...
stations. Pulaski is open from 3:55 A.M. to 1:20 A.M. on weekdays, 4:30 A.M. to 1:20 A.M. on Saturdays, and 5:30 A.M. to 11:50 P.M. on Sundays. Trains run approximately every ten minutes during rush hour
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...
and midday operation on all days, with more limited service in the early morning and night. Pulaski is two minutes from Midway and nineteen minutes from the first station in The Loop, Library-State/Van Buren
Library-State/Van Buren (CTA)
Harold Washington Library-State/Van Buren is a handicapped accessible 'L' station serving the CTA's Brown, Orange, Pink, and Purple Lines. Originally, the station was to have direct access to the second floor of the Harold Washington Library building, but this direct connection was never built...
. 1,393,509 passengers boarded at Pulaski in 2010; the station's ridership was the third-highest of any Orange Line station outside of The Loop
The Loop (CTA)
The Loop is the two mile circuit of elevated railroad that forms the hub of the 'L' rapid transit system in Chicago, Illinois. The Loop is so named because the railroad loops around a rectangle formed by Lake Street , Wabash Avenue , Van Buren Street , and Wells Street...
, behind Midway
Midway (CTA)
Midway is a station of the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system, serving the Orange Line. It is the southwestern terminus of the Orange Line, and serves Chicago Midway International Airport in Chicago, the city's second-largest airport...
and Roosevelt/Wabash
Roosevelt/Wabash (CTA)
Roosevelt is an 'L' station on the CTA's Green and Orange Lines. It is an elevated station with a single island platform, located at 22 East Roosevelt Road in the Near South Side community area of Chicago, just east of State Street....
.
In addition to rail service, several CTA bus routes stop at Pulaski. The #53A South Pulaski runs north and south on Pulaski Road from the station during most daytime hours. The #62 Archer, which runs 24 hours a day, also serves the Pulaski station through a stop on nearby Archer Avenue. The major Chicago streets Pulaski Road
Pulaski Road (Chicago)
Pulaski Road is a major north-south thoroughfare in the city of Chicago, at 4000 W., or exactly five miles west of State Street. It is named after revolutionary war hero Casimir Pulaski...
, 51st Street, and Archer Avenue are also accessible from the Pulaski station.