The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has announced the routes for its proposed $2bn project to extend the citys Red, Orange and Yellow rail lines.
Under the proposal, the Red Line would be extended from the 95th Street Red Line station to 130th Street by 5.3 miles. The extension includes four additional stations at 103rd, 111th, 115th and 130th Streets, new railcars, park and ride and bus terminal facilities at each station.
The Orange Line is planned to be extended by 2.3 miles from the Midway Orange Line station to 7600 S Cicero Avenue. The extension includes one additional station at the end of the line, provision for future construction of a station at 67th Street, new railcars, a new bus terminal and parking facility.
The third, Yellow Line, will be extended by 1.6 miles from theSkokie Yellow Line station to Old Orchard Road under the plan. The extension includes an additional station at Old Orchard Road, new railcars, a new bus terminal and parking facility.
Chicago Transit Board chairman Carole L Brown said that moving forward through this process puts the CTA in a position to compete for significant new federal funding.
“The completion of these alternatives analysis studies and adopting the locally preferred alternatives is a critical step in taking these three important expansion projects from concept to reality,” said Brown.
The finalisation of the routes marks the completion of the first alternatives analysis phase. The city still needs to complete the environmental impact statement, preliminary engineering, and final design and construction phases before it seeks funding.
