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CTA Rolling Out Loop Link Service Sunday

(CBS) -- Beginning Sunday, the CTA is rolling out its first widespread experiment with what is known as "bus rapid transit" in the Loop.

The transit agency expects the improvements, known as "Loop Link," to result in faster and more evenly-spaced buses.

Spokesman Brian Steele said that CTA hopes that the new routing will eliminate bottlenecks and speed passage through the Loop on seven lines: the J14/Jeffrey Jump, 20/Madison, 56/Milwaukee, 60/Blue Island-26th, 124/Navy Pier, 157/Streeterville and 19/United Center Express lines.

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"Loop Link features dedicated bus lanes, raised platform stations, some signal priority for the buses as well as improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists," he said.

Steele said bus schedules on average are expected to speed up by seven minutes for the 1,000 buses expected to use Loop Link stations each day. This is just the latest phase of changes that began with the introduction of the Jeffrey Jump. Next spring, CTA is expected to open a bus transit center just south of Union Station.

Simultaneously with the opening of the Loop Link stations, traffic lanes are being fully reopened on Washington, Madison and Clinton Streets. Work on Canal Street should be finished in the spring, as well.

Eastbound Washington will feature a red bus-only lane. There will be changes in turn arrows at key intersections. CTA buses will get priority at intersections, then other motor traffic. Right turns will be barred at Washington into southbound LaSalle, Madison to northbound Dearborn, Madison to northbound Wacker and Jackson to southbound Canal.

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