Mayor, CTA announce improvements for South and Far South Side

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago Transit Authority announced a series of improvements to bus routes and rail lines serving the city's South and Far South Sides on Thursday.

The improvements will focus on six bus routes and two branches of the south Green Line with the goal of providing faster and more frequent service.

The six bus routes slated for improvement are:

The 95th Street Bus, which will combine east and west segments for a continuous route

The #4 Cottage Grove bus, which will be extended south from 95th Street to 115th Street

The #71 71st Street bus, which will extend all trips from 73rd Street to 112th Street and Torrence, and will also increase frequency

The #26 South Shore Express, which will have service extended earlier and later

The #34 Michigan and #119 Michigan/119th buses, which will increase frequency in midday and evening hours

The Cottage Grove and Ashland/63rd branches of the Green Line will have higher frequency trains during the morning and evening rush hours.

"These changes will benefit tens of thousands of bus and rail riders each day," said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. "Our goal is to provide additional service, as well as more frequent and more convenient trips for riders on Chicago's South and Far South Sides."