Beginning Monday, December 21st, 2015, the Ashland and Western Express route bus service from the CTA will resume. The routes were both discontinued in 2010 after budget cuts had affected the transit agency.

According to the CTA, this will provide customers with a “faster service alternative to local bus service on two of Chicago’s busiest streets.”

These routes will be effective between the hours of 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. during the morning rush commute each weekday, Monday through Friday, and then in the afternoon from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. for the afternoon rush period. These express buses will make stops about every half-mile and at all bus and rail (‘L’ train) transfer points.

These two bus routes, the Ashland #9 and Western #49, serve more than 55,000 daily rides, and with the new #X9 and #X49 express bus lanes, rides are expected to be up to 17 minutes shorter in duration.