Chicago’s Pace to improve Service with New Platforms and Signal Priority

Pace buses on route 270 could be getting a lot faster. The suburban Chicago transit operator has installed signal priority and level boarding on the route, dubbed the Pulse Milwaukee Line. 

"You board at actual stations with heaters in the ground and above. The platform is raised, like a train, so the entrance is at the same level as passengers," Vince Gerasole reports for CBS Local. These improvements are the result of a $15 million investment. Officials estimate the changes will cut a 30-minute trip down to 21 minutes. They also estimate these improvements will boost ridership on the service by 1,000 trips per weekday.

Beyond speed improvements, the buses servicing the Pulse route will be equipped with Wi-Fi. The new service is set to debut August 11.