The Chicago Transit Authority opened four renovated, fully accessible Red Line stations at Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn and Bryn Mawr on Sunday, as part of the $2.1 billion Red and Purple Modernization Phase One Project.
The stations and tracks were previously “century-old, deteriorated structures,” according to a Sunday news release. Now, new amenities include: larger, elevated stations; ADA accessibility, including escalators, elevators, wider platforms and improved sightlines; better lighting and security features, real-time information boards and a new signal system, providing an overall smoother, more reliable train service.
“It was wonderful to welcome CTA riders today to our brand new, fully accessible Red Line stations and to showcase the RPM team’s hard work to modernize and improve rail service for the people who visit, live in and work in these communities,” Acting CTA President Nora Leerhsen said in the release.
According to the release, RPM Phase One construction began in 2019 and is “the largest completed transit investment in CTA history.”
In addition to the four station renovations, major components of Phase One include new Red-Purple Bypass construction and the reconstruction of Red and Purple Line track structure between Belmont and Newport/Cornelia and a new signal system on 23 track miles between Howard and Belmont — which will “improve train flow and service reliability,” according to the release.
“I am grateful to the people in the neighborhoods that these stations will serve — including the residents, businesses and local elected officials that have partnered with us during construction — for their support,” Leerhsen said in the release. “Now is the time to celebrate together the access and opportunity that these new, breathtaking stations will provide.”
These updates come as Chicago area transit operators expect to face a projected $770 million fiscal cliff as federal COVID-19 pandemic relief subsidies run out. Without a solution, transit agencies warned they would have to implement severe service cuts to the CTA, Pace and Metra lines.
State lawmakers in both chambers introduced transit reform bills late in the legislative session to address these issues, but failed to pass them before the deadline.
Editor’s Note: The featured photo has been updated to better reflect the main purpose of this article.
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