Pace I-90 Express

Pace I-90 Express Bus Service is an on highway express bus service between Rosemont Transportation Center and Elgin operated by Pace. The buses operate on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway and use "flex lanes" to avoid traffic, similar to a bus on shoulder service.^[1]

600, 603, 605, 607
Overview
Operator	Pace
Vehicle	ElDorado National Axess BRT
Route
Route type	Express bus
Locale	Golden Corridor
Communities served	Rosemont, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Elgin
Start	Rosemont Transportation Center
Via	Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
End	Elgin Transportation Center, Randall Road Station
Length	27 miles
Stations	Northwest Transportation Center, Barrington Road Station, IL 25 Station
Other routes	606
Service
Frequency	Peak: 15 minutes Off-peak: 30 minutes/1 hour
Weekend frequency	Saturday: 30 minutes/1 Hour
Transfers	Blue Line
Map	https://www.pacebus.com/sites/default/files/2020-07/Express-services-brochure-web_0.pdf
Route map Blue line to Chicago Rosemont Transportation Center Northwest Transportation Center Barrington Road Station IL 25 Station Elgin Transportation Center Randall Road Station ←      →

History

Planning for an extension of the Blue Line past O'Hare began in 1998. However, after a series of proposals were presented in 2003, local leaders preferred Metra's Plan: the STAR Line.^[2] When Metra started planning for the STAR Line, surveying revealed natural gas lines that Metra would have to pay to relocate. The project failed to get federal funding.^[2]

After the STAR Line failed to get funding, Pace Bus began planning for its I-90 Express service as part of its Vision 2020.^[3] Service between Rosemont and Elgin, and Schaumburg and Elgin, began in December 2016.^[4] In December 2017, the IL 25 Station opened.^[5] In August 2018, Barrington Road Station, the on-highway train station like stop, opened, finishing the project.^[6]

The Pace Express service has been described as a "mini STAR Line."^[2]

Service

The service operates as four routes: 600, 603, 605, and 607.^[1]

600: Rosemont - Schaumburg Express

Exclusivity operates nonstop between Rosemont Transportation Center and Northwest Transportation Center in Schaumburg. This was a peak-only route before the introduction of the I-90 Express service.

603: Elgin Transportation Center - Rosemont Express

Operates between Rosemont Transportation Center and Elgin Transportation Center, stopping at Barrington Road and IL 25.

605: I-90/Randall Rd. Station - Rosemont Express

Same route as 603 until IL 25 where it splits and continues on I-90 to Randall Road Station.

607: I-90/Randall Rd. Station - Schaumburg Express

Operates between Randall Road and Northwest Transportation Center stopping at IL 25 and Barrington Road.

The 603 and the 605 combined provide more frequent service at IL 25 and Barrington Road.

Other Pace routes, such as 610 and 606, also use I-90.

References

1. "Pace Bus". www.pacebus.com. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
2. Nitkin, Alex. "The CTA Has Interesting Ideas For a Blue Line Extension Sitting on the Shelf". Chicago magazine. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
3. Ferrarin, Elena (2013-08-30). "Pace plans new Elgin service on I-90 by 2016". Daily Herald. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
4. Danahey, Mike. "New Pace bus routes between Elgin and suburban locations launched this week". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
5. Pyke, Marni (2017-12-18). "New I-90/Route 25 park-n-ride ready". Daily Herald. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
6. "New transit center on I-90 links commuters to Pace express service". Daily Herald. 2018-08-10. Retrieved 2020-04-06.