Planned for wheelchair riders
An elevated station in the Loop, Chicago’s downtown, named for the city’s central library. The elevators take you to the street. From there it’s a short trip outside to the Harold Washington Library Center.
Written for riders who need an accessible Loop station to reach the central library.
Station 40850
Why this stop exists
State Street and Van Buren Street · library entrance
An accessible station in the Loop. Until you reach the State Street sidewalk, the trip depends on the elevator.
Disability & mobility
Harold Washington Library-State/Van Buren is marked wheelchair-accessible. The central library is a short trip outside. You can only start that trip if the station elevators are working.
Library
The building the station is named for. The Chicago Public Library website covers building access and the elevators inside. The train only gets you to State Street.
Library page for Harold Washington Library Center
Better for the central library · a day indoors
Loop
Same station, but this plan is all outdoors in the Loop. The sidewalk is mostly flat, and it can be crowded. There is no indoor shelter if the elevators fail.
Better for time outside in the Loop
At this stop on the south edge of the Loop, “accessible” means you can get from the train to the street. Inside, the library’s own access takes over.
If the elevators at this station are out, check our live map before you board a train into the Loop, while you can still change your route. Chicago Transit Authority elevator alerts: transitchicago.com/alerts/elevators.
On the ground
Three steps: the elevator, State Street, the library entrance.
01
This is an accessible station. Still, check that the elevators are working before you count on reaching the library.
02
The library entrance is close once you leave the station, but weather still matters.
03
The elevators inside are run by the Chicago Public Library, not the Chicago Transit Authority.
Why this stop feels like this
Harold Washington Library station exists for library trips. Whether you can make one depends on the elevators.
The station lets Loop riders reach the central library with a short trip outside from an accessible elevated station.
Plan your trip to the library before you board. If an elevator is out, change plans; don’t treat it as a small delay.
On the street
Harold Washington Library-State/Van Buren
State Street · Van Buren Street
Chicago, Illinois
Station elevators · outside on State Street
Brown · Orange · Pink · Purple
Nearby when the elevators work: Harold Washington Library Center. When they don’t: don’t assume any other Loop station can replace this one.
Open Harold Washington Library on the live mapLive elevator status at Harold Washington Library-State/Van BurenAfter the elevator
Sorted shortest first. Times are hand-set for a chair or stroller pace after you clear the elevators — not live routing.
At the venue
We copied these by hand from each venue’s own pages. They may be out of date or wrong, so confirm on the venue’s page before you go.
Source: Chicago Public Library
Last look
Four things to check before you go.
Make sure the elevators at this station are working before you ride into the Loop.
The library is a short trip from the station.
Busy Loop sidewalks are part of the route.
The Chicago Public Library’s page lists its accessibility services. Our map covers the station elevators.
About this guide. We put these guides together by hand. Travel times are our own estimates, and venue details are copied from their websites, so either can be wrong or out of date. Check the venue’s page before you go. For elevators, trust the live map and the transit agency.