JEFFERSON PARK — Bus shelters at the Jefferson Park transit center are back after nearly a year of being out of service.
A man damaged the glass of the bus shelters at 4917 N. Milwaukee Ave. in late February. He was arrested and charged; onlookers previously said they believed he experienced a mental health episode.
Crews completed final work on the warming shelters this week, and they have reopened to riders, a CTA spokesperson said.
The bus shelters, part of the station’s $25 million overhaul in 2019, feature a yellow, orange and blue art glass installation known as “Center of the Universe” and were created by Indiana-based artist Jamie Pawlus. They were often used by commuters and homeless people looking for a warm place to stay.
After the damage, the CTA covered up the shelters “as a measure of safety for our customers and to also protect the remaining panels and structure from any further damage,” spokesperson Felicia Matthews previously said.
The CTA worked for most of the year to replace the glass since the incident, but it had to order custom work because ordinary glass could not be used, officials said.
Neighbors have said they have waited to see the shelters open up again. On Tuesday, people were seen using the recently reopened shelters.
The Jefferson Park CTA terminal is one of the most frequently used Blue Line stations.