Major track work has been completed for the first portion of the Forest Park Branch Rebuild project from the Chicago Transit Authority. The multi-phase project was announced earlier this summer as part of a greater effort to reduce slow zones along the line and improve passenger experience. The work itself was led by the CTA and will continue with the complete reconstruction of the Racine station.
Phase two temporary closure map via CTA
A majority of the tracks that were replaced date back to the mid-1950s, with the Blue Line being the city’s second busiest line and one of the few in the world that operates 24/7. However the high usage and lack of maintenance led to roughly 80 percent of the nearly 27-mile long line to be considered slow zones. To combat this, roughly three miles of track between the LaSalle and IMD stations were closed to be replaced.
Rendering of new Racine station main entrance by Ross Barney Architects
While the track work may be complete and trains will be able to run the full length of the line again, signal work will continue over the next few months so trains will still operate at a reduced speed. The Racine station will remain partially closed as each entrance is demolished and replaced with new accessible access points, with the platform also receiving updates designed by Ross Barney Architects and expected to finish in 2025.
Rendering of new Racine station Loomis entrance by Ross Barney Architects
However with all of the capital projects the CTA is still operating with a 24 percent reduction in schedule than previously, with the Blue line averaging roughly 85 percent of its scheduled capacity even with the current freeway closures according to Commuters Take Action. This has led many transit activists to call for the firing of current CTA president Dorval Carter, including a protest at the CTA HQ last week.
Overall this portion of the project is costing the CTA $268 million, but is part of a greater $3 billion Blue Line reconstruction. Dates for the next phases of the project are unknown at the moment.
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Wow, maybe my expectations are low, but that seems pretty quick! Nice work!
Surprised they’re not creating a small train yard – a slightly more elaborate “Morgan Middle,” as it were – to assist with the Blue line load imbalance issue.