Citizens’ rights advocates push for solution as possible Greyhound bus station closure looms – NBC Chicago

This Labor Day holiday could be the last for Chicago’s Greyhound intercity bus station.

The Greyhound bus line has been sold to German operator Flixbus, but much of its real estate has not been and could soon be sold to a developer.

The possible closure of the terminal in the 600 block of West Harrison Street could make Chicago the largest city in the Northern Hemisphere without an intercity bus terminal, according to a new report from DePaul University’s Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development.

“We may be down to a few weeks of operating the station. There is no concrete plan to save it,” said Joe Schwieterman, Chaddick’s director. “This is bad for low-income communities and people with disabilities. We need a solution.”

Although transit advocates have been sounding the alarm for more than a year, efforts to address the situation have only resumed in recent months. Chicago Chief Operating Officer John Roberson said in a statement that the Johnson administration continues to work with Greyhound and other stakeholders to “find a viable solution for intercity bus service and its passengers in downtown Chicago.”

The city notes that Greyhound has the option to renew its lease at its current location on Harrison Street “under the same terms and conditions under which it currently operates.”

Already, the property’s current owners, Twenty Lake Holdings, have hired a broker and are seeking a transaction that could transform the two-acre site into apartment buildings.

A temporary solution would be to move Greyhound shuttles to the sidewalks outside Union Station.

“Nobody is happy about the congestion around Union Station, so there are a lot of red flags around this option,” Schwieterman said.

Gilda Brewton, a Flix spokeswoman, said Greyhound will likely have to vacate the terminal by Sept. 20 under current circumstances.

She said any move to Union Station would require a reduction in service because buses would not be able to run there during rush hours.

“We’re not going to offer as many hours or as many services as we do, but we will have a base to operate and take care of our customers.” Brewton said.

Bus rider Lasana Jedpoor ​​said he was disappointed by the news that the Greyhound terminal could close.

“It’s not convenient,” he said. “I don’t use the bus very often, but the options seem to be diminishing.”

Bill Conway, a councilman for Chicago’s 34th Ward, said he is trying to find a solution to the terminal problem. In a statement, he said he is frustrated working with the mayor’s office.

“Access to safe and affordable transportation is critical, and moving forward, we must work with other transportation agencies in Chicago and Cook County to explore options for a multimodal transportation hub as an alternative location. I hope the Mayor’s office will join us,” Conway said in a statement.

Schwieterman said bus traffic was heavy and the terminal was busy.

“I think the city has gotten the message, we’ll see if they have time to resolve the crisis,” he said.