The New Yellow Line Stop: Who Will be First?

First it was January. Then, , followed by ""

Now, it is official, the new Yellow Line stop at Oakton Street and Skokie Boulevard is set to open on April 30. The announcement was made during a village board meeting on Monday evening. A grand opening celebration is also set for June 24.

The recent announcement got Skokie Patch thinking: Who will be the first person to board the new Yellow Line stop?

The last time this opportunity came along was April 18, 1964, when the Skokie Swift first began offering non-stop rides between Dempster and Howard streets.

And if fighting to be first isn't your cup of tea, you can be among the select few to ride the train on its first day. Either way, we'll be there to capture the historic event and ride the train.

The new addition cost more than $20 million, with $6 million coming from the village's TIF fund and the other $14 million coming from federal grants.

We're looking for stories!

If you were among the first to ride the Skokie Swift back in 1964, we'd like to get in touch with you! We're also looking for pictures, too. Please feel free to contact me at georges@patch.com if you'd like to share your story.

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Correction - We originally said that a "soft open" was set for April 30. That date is actually the officially opening, according to the CTA. June 24 is the date for the grand opening celebration.