south shore line

While overall ticket sales are about 60 percent of 2019 levels, the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District says discretionary ridership is strong.

South Shore Line riders have a chance to weigh in on the service. An online survey is available through Thursday.

"It all is going to be depending upon the contractor and their ability to put the right resources to the project to move it closer to summer rather than Halloween," NICTD President Mike Noland told board members Monday.

The South Shore Line continues looking into possible changes to the east end of the railroad.

The South Shore Line will run extra trains Saturday for the Chicago St. Patrick's Day Parade and dyeing of the river.

Between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, South Shore trains will arrive and depart from tracks 5 and 6. That's on the lower level of the station, typically used by Metra trains.

The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) still hopes to open its new branch to Dyer sometime this summer.

Some South Shore Line trains will make an extra stop for the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting.

For the next two weekends, westbound trains will stop at McCormick Place on request between 10:06 a.m. and 6:46 p.m. Certain weekday trains will also stop at McCormick Place next week and again on Presidents' Day, February 17.

The past five years have brought big changes to the South Shore Line's ridership patterns but also to private-sector development along the rail line.