Morse Avenue closing shocks Rogers Park - and the alderman

Street closures around the Red Line Morse station came as a surprise Thursday to the Rogers Park community, businesses -- and the local alderman. The closures are for work scheduled this weekend on the Red North Station Interim Improvements project.

Rail ties on Morse Avenue await their new home on the tracks above. (Photo by Kevin O'Neil / CTA Tattler)

Street closing permits were issued Thursday morning and closures occurred soon after on Morse Avenue from Wayne to Greenview -- about two-and-a-half blocks. Glenwood Avenue was closed on the east side of the "L" embankment from Greenleaf to Farwell, and from Lunt to Farwell on the west side.

"I was upset this morning when I saw the street closures," said Alderman Joe Moore. "But little did I know how little I knew. I hope to resolve these issues to everyone's satisfaction at a meeting with the CTA Friday." Alderman Moore (49th Ward) told CTA Tattler he "was not informed and had no idea" about the closings.

No doubt the folks who run the Glenwood Sunday Market are very dissatisfied right now with the street closure on the west side of Glenwood from Morse to Lunt. That's because the market is scheduled to open for the year Sunday on that block. Alderman Moore said the market secured street closing permits on that block months ago for the entire summer. "You don't have to be a lawyer to understand the legal precedent of 'first come, first served,'" said Moore. 

The CTA could not be reached for comment. We will publish an update if we hear back from them.