O'Hare airport's 'people mover' to temporarily shut down on Jan. 8

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The "people mover" at O'Hare International Airport will temporarily shut down Jan. 8 as part of project to modernize and extend the airport train system.

The project will be complete fall 2019.

The transit system, called the Airport Transit System (ATS), shuttles passengers and employees between the airports terminals.

Upgrades to the 25-year-old system include a larger, new fleet of cars, which will double the capacity of the current system. When complete, the new system will move passengers between the terminals, economy parking lots and the new O'Hare Multi Modal Facility in nine minutes or less.

Closure of the ATS will create additional traffic around the terminals. As a result, travelers are encouraged to use the CTA Blue Line to get to and from the airport during construction. The CTA is working with the Chicago Department of Aviation to increase available travel options.

Trains run, on average, every 5-10 minutes throughout the day. Passengers starting their journey outside of the Blue Line can also take advantage of the reliable access to and from the O'Hare terminal core by getting dropped off at either the Rosemont or Cumberland Blue Line station kiss and ride lots. These Blue Line stations connect travelers to O'Hare in five minutes, on average.