HELP! :( Is taking the 74 bus off the Healy Metra safe? (Chicago: apartment, transfer)

[living_in_chicago]

I'm living with family in Glenview this summer as I am trying to save up enough money to afford my own apartment. However, the job I have is on Fullerton, in Lincoln Park.

In order to keep this job, I have to make a commute from North Glenview to Fullerton. The shortest route seems to be to take the Metra from the N. Glenview station to the Healy station and then taking the 74 bus at Fullerton/Pulaski east down Fullerton.

My question is, as a young white female... Is this going to be a possibly dangerous situation? I could be leaving from Chicago back to Glenview very late at night.

Worst comes to worst, I have friends living in Lincoln Park that I can stay with overnight.

Any help is greatly appreciated, this is urgent!!!

[Avengerfire]

I would stay with the friends in Lincoln Park overnight.

[living_in_chicago]

I'm so worried about looking like/feeling like/being a freeloader, haha.

[Avengerfire]

Yeah well maybe swing them a few bucks.

[living_in_chicago]

Okay, this may seem like a silly question to ask, but around what times is it a good idea to avoid that area?

[Avengerfire]

^ Anytime in the dark for the most part. But I really would not spend anytime past California if I could help it to be honest. ^

[living_in_chicago]

Okay. I just don't really have much of a choice. I don't want to lose my job.

[Chi-town Native]

I'd suggest you find another stop further southeast. it would be worth going out of your way south to avoid that far west - even safety aside, that is a *long* trip on Fullerton.

I've been taking that train/that stop since I was a wee lad, and I will confirm that late at night, it is twilight zone spooky, there's very little going on by way of foot traffic.

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

I'd suggest you find another stop further southeast. it would be worth going out of your way south to avoid that far west - even safety aside, that is a *long* trip on Fullerton.

It's probably just as fast to take the el to the Loop and catch the Metra at Union Station.

[living_in_chicago]

Originally Posted by oakparkdude

It's probably just as fast to take the el to the Loop and catch the Metra at Union Station.

That's what I was going to do for the way home, since it'll be later and I'm more familiar with that area anyway. (And it's safer.)

My only issue is the way TO work. The Metra trains are pretty unreliable up through the end of June because of construction, especially on the line I'm taking (MD-N). The issue is that there really aren't any other stops that make getting to work any easier than the Healy stop does. With Healy, I can take ONE bus straight to work. With other stations, like Mayfair (which also looks somewhat sketchy), I have to take the L then a bus then transfer, etc etc, which tacks on a lot of time to an already unreliable train schedule.

I'm making a call to the police just to ask what they think... I figure they'll know. And if I have to, maybe I'll just account for the extra time and go to Union both on my way to and from work.