CTA Yellow Line trains back in service Friday

SKOKIE, Ill. (WLS) -- The Skokie Swift will ride again, starting at 4:45 a.m. Friday. After months of construction, the CTA Yellow Line is ready for commuters.

"When our riders get back on those tracks, it's going to be extremely safe," CTA spokesperson Jeff Tolman said.

In May, an embankment gave way, stopping the Yellow Line in its tracks. In test runs Thursday, trains traversed the five miles from the Skokie Swift station to the Howard Street station.

During construction, shuttle buses ferried the 2,900 daily commuters back and forth with mixed success. To lure back those who may have become disheartened by the longer commute, CTA officials are offering free rides from the Dempster and Oakton stations until November 6, as well as free parking through the rest of the year at the Skokie Swift stop.

Downtown businesses are eager to welcome riders back as well. After all, those commuters make up a lot of foot traffic.

"Many of my merchants are experiencing, or have been experiencing a decline in business," Randy Miles said. "Anytime that you make it complicated to get to your business district or more complicated, you do get some residual effect."

The Municipal Water Reclamation District of Chicago is still researching what led to that collapse.

"We put in a margin of safety that normally wouldn't be required," David St. Pierre,

MWRD, said. The CTA said it lost $3.5 million during the construction to repair the embankment. The two agencies are still discussing who will foot the bill.

"We don't believe that we have any liability in the issue," St. Pierre said.