Like many university students across the city, I also take advantage of the U-Pass program, which gives students unlimited access to Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) buses and trains throughout a given semester.

The U-Pass program is a hot commodity for college students, with approximately 94,000 students enrolled across 60 institutions in the city as of 2023. At NEIU, the U-Pass costs $155, and both part-time and full-time students are eligible to enroll.

As an Andersonville native, I take the Route 92 Foster bus to get to and from campus. For years, my walk to and from the bus was a short and simple 10 minute walk past Ronald Williams Library and the P.E. Complex onto NEIU Access Road. This was until the construction of the Education Building began in March 2025.

Since the construction of the education building has blocked the original path to the Foster bus, it takes considerably longer for students to reach it. Therefore, students risk missing the bus altogether, then having to wait an additional 15 to 20 minutes for the next one. I have had my own fair share of missed buses. It is not fun by any means. Luckily, I have discovered two manageable yet complicated paths.

The first path is to turn right once exiting the Ronald Williams Library, cutting through The Nest parking lot, and through the Child Care Center before proceeding onto NEIU Access Road. The second path is to walk from Bernard J. Brommel Hall to St. Louis Avenue, passing by Renee Crown Public Media Center, home of WTTW studios, followed by a short walk to Foster Avenue where the bus stop is located.

While these two paths provide alternative paths to the bus, they are time consuming to navigate. As a child, I was taught that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. These two paths are anything but straight lines.

According to the CTA’s website, the Foster bus runs daily from Berwyn to Jefferson Park. The buses run eastbound to Berwyn from 4:15 a.m. to 9:55 p.m. and westbound to Jefferson Park from 4:50 a.m. to 10:15 p.m. on weekdays.

Students in night classes risk missing the last bus of the day. NEIU classes run as late as 9:45 p.m. If they miss the bus, they may have to rely on costlier options such as Uber or Lyft.

For example, an Uber ride from the main campus to the Andersonville area is about $14 before tip. For students who live far away from campus, the price drastically increases. It is not as though the majority of NEIU students have endless disposable income.

I rely on the Transit Stop and Ventra apps to give me a general idea of how long it will take for buses to come, but they are not completely accurate due to occasional glitches. Therefore, I have to trust my judgment as to when I should begin walking to the bus stop.

The construction of the Education Building has impeded my once comfortable commute to the bus. My once simple walk has turned into a detour. If NEIU knew this path would have been blocked as a result of the construction, why wasn’t a path within the construction area included for students who need to use it?

With the construction not scheduled for completion anytime soon, this is the grim reality for commuter students who rely on the Foster bus for the foreseeable future.

Stay tuned for a follow-up story on the ongoing CTA shortfalls and how this will affect NEIU students. If you have concerns or experiences to share, contact us.