Midway (CTA station)

Midway
Station statistics
Address	4612 West 59th Street Chicago, Illinois 60629
Coordinates	41°47′12″N 87°44′16″W / 41.78661°N 87.737875°W / 41.78661; -87.737875Coordinates: 41°47′12″N 87°44′16″W / 41.78661°N 87.737875°W / 41.78661; -87.737875
Lines	Orange Line
Connections	CTA Buses Pace Buses
Structure	Surface Level
Platforms	1 island platform, 1 side platform
Tracks	3
Parking	299 Spaces
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Other information
Opened	October 31, 1993
Accessible
Owned by	Chicago Transit Authority
Traffic
Passengers (2009)	2,693,284[1]  2.8%
Services
Preceding station   Chicago 'L'   Following station Terminus Orange Line Pulaski toward The Loop

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. Most of this station's passengers are airport customers, and the turnstiles at the station's entrance are somewhat wider than most to accommodate their luggage. The station, along with the rest of the Orange Line, opened on October 31, 1993, after a long wait by Chicago's southwest side for 'L' access. It is also the closest station to Toyota Park home of the Chicago Fire Major League Soccer Team, which is approximately four miles away.

History

Prior to 1993, the southwest side was only served by the Douglas Park Branch of the 'L'. As the city expanded, this service became insufficient. During the 1940s, when subways were being constructed under State and Dearborn Streets, the city planned to expand the “L” to Midway Airport. However, this plan did not pan out.

On January 22, 1990, there was a groundbreaking ceremony held at the future site of Midway Station. Many people attended, including Mayor Daley, Bernard Ford, the CTA Acting Executive Director, and David Williams, the Chicago public works commissioner). In 1993, the CTA finished building the new orange line. It cost about 500 million dollars, despite the use of abandoned railroad right-of-ways. Midway Station now includes: a three-track terminal, a yard, a car maintenance facility, an island platform, elevators leading to the sidewalk, and escalators and stairs connecting to the moving walkway heading to the airport.

When the garage was built on the east side of Cicero, it bisected the walkway from the station to the airport. In 2002, the Department of Aviation built a walkway through the garage. Although people still have to cross traffic lanes in two to three places, conditions are now safer then they were when people had to cross the traffic filled garage. Now, metal bumpers protect the walkers in the garage.

Bus connections

CTA

• #47 47th
• #54B South Cicero
• #55 Garfield
• #55A 55th/Austin
• #55N 55th/Narragansett
• #59 59th/61st
• #62H Archer/Harlem
• #N62 Archer (Owl Service)
• #63 63rd (Owl Service)
• #63W West 63rd
• #165 West 65th

Pace

• #379 Midway-Orland Square
• #382 Central/Clearing
• #383 South Cicero
• #384 Narragansett-Ridgeland
• #385 87th/111th/127th
• #386 South Harlem
• #387 Toyota Park Express
• #390 Midway CTA Station-United Parcel Service

References

1. ^ "Rail Ridership by Branch and Entrance: December 2009" (PDF). Chicago Transit Authority. http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/ridership_reports/2009-12.pdf. Retrieved 2010-04-01. 

• Midway International Airport Station Page at Chicago-L.org
• 2005 Ridership Reports
• CTA - Train schedulePDF

• Ridership figures, 2009PDF (172 KiB)

• Midway Station Page
• Midway Station and Bus Terminal as viewed from 59th Street on Google Maps Street View