Cermak–Chinatown station

Cermak-Chinatown is an 'L' station on the CTA's Red Line. The station is located in Chicago's Chinatown neighborhood and contains many elements of Chinese culture in its architecture.

Not to be confused with Cermak–McCormick Place or 54th/Cermak.
Cermak–Chinatown
 
2200S
200W
Chicago 'L' rapid transit station
General information
Location138 West Cermak Road
Chicago, Illinois 60616
Coordinates41.853206°N 87.630968°W / 41.853206; -87.630968
Owned byChicago Transit Authority
Line(s)Dan Ryan Branch
Platforms1 Island platform
Tracks2
ConnectionsCTA bus
Construction
Structure typeElevated
ParkingYes
Bicycle facilitiesYes (south entrance only)
AccessibleYes
History
OpenedSeptember 28, 1969
Rebuilt2009–11 (renovation)
2013 (refurbished)
Previous namesCermak (station sign)
Passengers
2022874,515[1] Increase 34.3%
Services
Preceding station Chicago "L" Following station
Roosevelt
toward Howard
 Red Line Sox–35th
toward 95th/Dan Ryan
Location

The resort has two tile murals with "Welcome to Chinatown" also written in Chinese. Passengers using the stairs or escalator are welcomed by a couple of lion statues, called "foo dogs," meant to protect against evil spirits at the entrance. The bins on the platform are painted in red and green, the Chinese color for prosperity and longevity, with Welcome written in Chinese on the next one.

Like the other eight stations of the Dan Ryan Branch, Cermak–Chinatown was built by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, looking identical to 95th/Dan Ryan. Customers outside the station can also see Chinese character masks of Chinese opera and theater productions on the walls. Cermak–Chinatown is open 24/7 as part of the service on the Red Line. In 2014, an annual total of 1,567,588 passengers boarded this station.[2]

History

Truck collision
The new main entrance in 2011

On April 25, 2008, a semi truck crashed into the station, killing two and injuring 21, at least seven critically.[3] Part of the station collapsed after the impact.[4] Bystanders said that the driver of the truck was coming off the northbound Dan Ryan Expressway exit.[3] The truck driver was taken into custody and died later in the year.[5]

Renovation

The original station (designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill) had undergone updates since its opening in 1969. After the truck collision, however, CTA officials planned to fully rebuild the station house, with construction beginning in fall 2009. On June 4, 2010, a new auxiliary entrance/exit opened at Archer Avenue, to provide convenient access to 62 Archer buses as well as to Chinatown Square and the Richland Center.[6] On April 15, 2011, the main entrance on the north side of Cermak Road reopened and was upgraded with an elevator making it accessible to people with disabilities. The auxiliary entrance on the south side of Cermak Road reopened on April 30, 2011.[7][8]

Cermak/Chinatown, like all Dan Ryan Branch Red Line stations, closed from May 19, 2013 to October 20, 2013 for the Red Line South Reconstruction Project.[9]

Bus connections

CTA

  • 21 Cermak
  • 24 Wentworth (Weekdays Only)
  • 62 Archer

Notes and references

Notes

    References
    1. "Annual Ridership Report – Calendar Year 2022" (PDF). Chicago Transit Authority, Ridership Analysis and Reporting. February 2, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
    2. "Monthly Ridership Report – December 2014" (PDF). Chicago Transit Authority Ridership Analysis and Reporting. March 5, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 13, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
    3. "Two killed, at least 21 injured after truck crashes into CTA Red Line station in Chinatown". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. 2008-04-26. Retrieved 2008-04-26.
    4. "At least 2 dead after semi rams train station". Associated Press. 2008-04-25. Archived from the original on April 29, 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-25.
    5. "2 killed, 21 hurt as truck slams into Red Line stop". Chicago Sun-Times. Sun-Times News Group. 2008-04-26. Archived from the original on 2008-04-30. Retrieved 2008-04-28.
    6. "New entrance for Chinatown 'L' station opens Friday". Chicago Breaking News Center. June 3, 2010. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
    7. "Cermak-Chinatown Station Main Entrance Reopens". Chicago Transit Authority. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
    8. "Cermak-Chinatown Station Renovation". Chicago Transit Authority. Archived from the original on October 15, 2010. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
    9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-04-30. Retrieved 2015-04-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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