Blue Line (Chicago Transit Authority) - Definition and Overview

The Blue Line of the Chicago Transit Authority is one of two in the city that runs 24 hours a day. The other is the Red Line.

It starts out underneath O'Hare International Airport, in the far northwest of the city. As it moves eastward, it emerges from the tunnel and runs in the median of the Kennedy Expressway. It runs through the suburb of Rosemont, making one stop, and then returns to Chicago proper. Then it moves southeast toward the Loop, going briefly through a tunnel with two stations, Belmont and Logan Square. After three above-ground stations, it enters another subway tunnel and soon passes under the Chicago River to enter Chicago's Loop, where it goes underneath Dearborn Street. Then the line takes a turn to the west, dips under the Chicago River again, reemerges from the tunnel and runs in the median of the Eisenhower Expressway. After the Racine stop, it splits into two branches, the Forest Park Branch and the Cermak Branch. The Forest Park Branch is useful for reaching the suburbs of Oak Park and Forest Park, while the Cermak Branch can be used to reach Cicero.

The Blue Line passes through Jefferson Park, Chicago's Polish neighborhood.

See Also

• Chicago 'L'
• List of Chicago El stations