Station Review #126: Belmont-O'Hare (CTA)


Belmont is a station on CTA's Blue Line. The station is located on Belmont Avenue and Kimball Avenue in Chicago's Avondale neighborhood. This station is called Belmont-O Hare to disambiguate it from the other Belmont station, which is on the Red Line. 

History

The old station house, 2009

Belmont station was originally built in the early 1970s as part of the extension of the West-Northwest line towards O-Hare International Airport. Eventually, this line was renamed to the Blue Line. In 2017 the station was rebuilt, with work finishing in 2019.

Tour

The station house

Belmont is a normal L station, at least from above. 

The entrance and bus loop

Sign on top of station

Stairs down

Belmont is not an accessible station. There is no sign of elevators of any form, despite the station having been remodeled within the last ten years. 

Corridor into the station

Apparently CTA stations have vending machines in them. Very different than SEPTA Metro.

Faregates

Map and neighborhood profile

This is definitely something SEPTA should adopt from the CTA, if I didn't have a friend with me this information would definitely have been very useful for me to have read and learned. 

Stairs and escalator

Yet again, Belmont station is not accessible. In fact, the way the station is built seems to cause it to be difficult to make accessible. Though, not impossible, mind you. 

The platform has the standard amenities one would expect from a metro line in any city

Another view of the stairs and escalator

It's very likely that the only way this station will become accessible is via removing the escalator and replacing it with an elevator. 

Bus Connections

Belmont has two bus connections: 

  • 77: Belmont Avenue between Diversey/Lake Shore and Cumberland. This bus has some elements of a BRT line, using bus lanes and special stops. 
  • 82: Kimball/Homan Avenue between Lincolnwood Town Center and 31st/Komensky loop.


Points of Interest near Belmont Station

Belmont and California, an intersection that's not that far from Belmont station. 

There's so many stores nearby the station, and a little further away within walking distance. A lot of people seem to live near the station, and use it. This seems to be the case with a lot of the CTA Blue Line stations in general. 
 

Statistics


Name: Belmont
Agency: CTA
Line(s): Blue Line
Locality: Avondale
Municipality: Chicago
County: Cook
State: Illinois
Ridership: 3280 per average weekday (2024; 39359 per entire year)

Amenity Checklist


Accessible: ×
Bathrooms: ×
Bicycle parking: ✓
Clean Station: ✓
Connections to other transit routes: ✓
Easy passage for each side: ✓
Existence is justifiable: ✓
Fare Payment Kiosks (if applicable): ✓
Good Wayfinding: ✓
Indoor Shelters: ✓
Maps: ✓
Multiple entrances/exits: ×
Adequate Parking: ✓
Safe to use: ✓
Seating: ✓
Shelters: ✓
Station In Good Condition: ✓
TVMs: ✓
Ticket Offices: ✓
TOD: ✓
Train Departure/Arrival Info (countdown clocks): ✓
Updated/Useful Signage: ✓

Final Verdict: 4.5/10

Station Directory
 
--------Cook County--------
O' Hare
Rosemont
Cumberland
Harlem-O Hare
Jefferson Park
Montrose
Irving Park
Addison
Belmont-O Hare
Logan Square
California
Western-O Hare
Damen
Division
Chicago
Grand
Clark/Lake
Washington
Monroe
Jackson
LaSalle
Clinton
UIC-Halstead
Racine
Illinois Medical District
Western-Forest Park
Kedzie-Homan
Pulaski
Cicero
Austin
Oak Park
Harlem-Forest Park
Forest Park 
 
  

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