By car, bus or rail, the going is slow in Southland

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People wait for a CTA bus on the corner of 63rd and Pulaski in Chicago, Illinois on Wednesday morning February 2, 2011. | Art Vassy~Sun-Times Media

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Updated: March 24, 2011 12:04PM

Metra promotes its commuter rail service as the “way to really fly,” but its wings were covered in snow this morning.

People trying to drive also found the going slow, and Pace said it was going to halt bus service at 6 p.m. because of dropping temperatures that were expected to make icy road conditions even worse.

Metra spokesman Michael Gillis said he hopes service returns to a normal schedule tomorrow. But he said the following lines are shut down today because of the snow: Heritage Corridor, North Central Service, Metra Electric Blue Island Branch, SouthWest Service and the Union Pacific McHenry Sub.

Additionally, the following lines are working on Sunday hours only: Union Pacific North Line, Union Pacific West Line, Union Pacific Northwest Line, BNSF Railway, Milwaukee District West Line, Milwaukee District North Line, Rock Island District and Metra Electric District’s University Park and South Chicago lines.

The SouthWest Service Line services the Palos and Orland areas and New Lenox, among other towns. The Rock Island Line runs through Blue Island, Midlothian, Oak Forest, Tinley Park and Mokena. The Electric Line services the far south suburbs.

Gillis said the Metra Electric District’s South Chicago train was delayed up to an hour because a car got stuck on the tracks, and the Metra Rock Island train is running about 25 minutes behind schedule.

The delays and cancellations are caused by the snow seeping into the electrical switches on the track, stopping the circuits from connecting, Gillis said. Each switch has its own heater such as hot air or an open flame, and teams of workers are clearing out the snow next to the switches.

Meanwhile, officials at Pace have decided to suspend all bus service at 6 p.m. Impassable roadways, coupled with forecasts for increasingly icy conditions on roads caused by rapidly dropping temperatures necessitated the decision.

“We’re concerned for the safety of our passengers, our bus operators, and other drivers on the roads,” Pace Executive Director T.J. Ross said in a news release. “Conditions have allowed us to operate only a small percentage of our service today, and it’s our hope that not having our vehicles on the road may ease snow removal efforts throughout the region.”

Meanwhile, the few Pace buses that are working are running late.

Patrick Wilmot, the spokesman for PACE, said only 50 of 200 buses were running this morning in Cook, Will, DuPage, Kane, McHenry and Lake counties.

Major south suburban and south Chicago routes such as 352 Halsted Street, 381 95th Street, 383 South Cicero Avenue, 349 South Western Avenue, 350 Sibley Boulevard, and 353 Pulaski Road are operational, Wilmot said. He estimated those buses are running 30 to 40 minutes behind schedule.

No buses are operational in Lake and Will County, Wilmot said. Only one bus route in Joliet is operational, Route 834 that runs between Joliet and Downers Grove.

Wilmot said there had been no bus crashes as of 10:30 a.m., although a few buses have gotten stuck in western Cook County.

If anyone believes they have been stranded by a bus, call the PACE hotline at (847) 364-7223.

CTA spokeswoman Wanda Taylor said all bus routes are in operation and schedules haven’t changed but buses could be running late. El and subway trains also are operating except for the Yellow Line. Riders on that line can ride the 97 Skokie bus as an alternative.

Pink Line trains are stopping at Pulaski. Commuters can hop on a bus outside of the station and take it to 54th/Cermak.

Taylor urged people to have patience as buses might be running late.

“The buses use the same traffic as everyone in cars uses,” she said. “Until it stops snowing, it will be a challenge to get through. But the buses are still running.”

Many roads also were impassable.

Officials in Cook and surrounding counties declared a state of emergency or closed all roads to traffic in some suburban communities as responders struggled to reach numerous stranded motorists. In some suburban areas emergency vehicles themselves have been stranded and some officials are warning residents not to venture out under any circumstances.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle declared a state of emergency because of the severe winter storm and hazardous travel conditions.

The Cook County Highway Department, the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and the Department of Facilities Management are among the Departments will continue services, according to a release from Preckwinkle’s office. All other non-essential offices will be closed and non-essential employees should stay home. All services are expected to resume on Thursday.

Cook County Hospitals will remain open, but Preckwinkle is asking Independent Health and Hospitals System officials to allow non-essential staff to remain home as well, according to the release.

State police said Wednesday morning that although highways were not officially closed, many ramps were blocked by high snowdrifts. Early Wednesday, they said I-57 was impassable and that dozens of motorists — and even an IDOT plow — abandoned their vehicles.

Although State Police have not officially closed the interstate, “Nobody should be on it,” Illinois State Police District 21 Sgt. Angie Kinstner said.

Contributing: Sun-Times Media