Granted, the closure of Wells and the steel canopy being put in the Loop over the elevated tracks near Randolph caused major inconveniences to thousands upon thousands of Loop-area commuters as riders awoke to find their familiar travel patterns altered.
Expecting delays (and a potential Chicago-style drama), I left a half-hour early on Thursday from my home near Midway to get to my job in River North.
Much to my surprise, I arrived at work a half-hour early. The consolidation of the Brown and Orange Lines was instituted seamlessly that morning. Delays were non-existent, trains were not overcrowded (even with the Orange Line’s normal eight-car train lengths shortened to six), announcements were frequent on trains and at stations, and an abundance of customer assistants were available to answer questions.
I want to commend the Chicago Transit Authority on its handling of the situation.
