O'Hare International Airport people mover to close for upgrades
The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) will close the Airport Transit System (ATS) at O'Hare International Airport through the fall of 2019 in order to modernize and extend the people mover.
CDA is partnering with the Chicago Transit Authority to promote travel on the Blue Line, which provides a link between downtown Chicago and O'Hare. The partnership is meant to curb the expected increase in traffic around the terminal roadways following the closure of the ATS on Jan. 8.
“The CDA is building a new and improved ATS that will benefit O'Hare travelers moving between the terminals, economy parking lots and the new Multi Modal Facility,” said CDA Commissioner Jamie L. Rhee. “In the meantime, we recognize that construction on the new ATS may inconvenience passengers and so we are urging them to plan ahead and consider alternative travel options to avoid extra traffic. Working with the CTA and our airport partners, we are encouraging travelers to choose the Blue Line to save time as we work to elevate the travel experience from O’Hare.”
The 25-year-old ATS system will receive upgraded technology to enhance performance. The improvements include the addition of new cars, that will double the capacity of the system and provide passengers a faster and more streamlined connection throughout the airport. When complete, the new system will move passengers conveniently between the terminals, economy parking lots and the new O’Hare Multi Modal Facility in nine minutes or less.
Until the new system opens, CDA and CTA recommend planning ahead, especially during peak travel times.
“The city of Chicago is fortunate to have a reliable and affordable public transportation system,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter. “As O’Hare continues to modernize its infrastructure, we encourage passengers heading to or from the airport to choose the CTA Blue Line to avoid traffic. Because it consistently takes only 45 minutes to travel between O’Hare and downtown on the Blue Line, it’s one of the fastest travel options, especially during rush hours.”
CDA has also launched a dedicated shuttle service to serve travelers quickly and efficiently while the ATS is being modernized. To minimize congestion caused by additional buses on the roadways, the CDA has created a dedicated bus lane.
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
