The Red Line Extension is moving forward as the state has secured $1.9 billion in federal funding for the project. The announcement came at the same time as Chicago City Council’s announcement that the council had approved zoning for the project. With the design and construction team secured, the extension is slated to begin construction late 2025.
Map of Red Line Extension via CTA
Decades in the making, the massive project will be the first major rail expansion to the CTA since the Orange Line was built in 1993 and Pink Line opened in 2006. Once completed, the project will extend the existing Red Line by 5.6 miles beyond the current terminus at 95th Street on new and existing tracks down to 130th Street.
Project context for the Red Line Extension via CTA
Schematic design work began a few years ago with Walsh VINCI Transit Community Partners leading the final design and construction efforts for the $5.75 billion project. The extension will build out new stations at 103rd Street, 111th Street, Michigan Avenue, and the new terminus at 130th Street. This would also include a new train yard and shop on 120th Street near the Metra KYD facility.
Rendering of 103rd Street station via CTA
Rendering of 103rd Street station via CTA
The stations will be fully accessible stations with bus, bike, pedestrian, and park & ride facilities. To build all of this, the city approved the rezoning of over 100 parcels along the tracks to sustain transportation. This includes 67 lots that have buildings that will be demolished, with most of those affected having been relocated or are in the works to be.
Conceptual rendering of 103rd Station via CTA
Conceptual rendering of 103rd Station via CTA
Funding for the project has slowly been trickling in over the years, including $764 million previously announced by the federal government. This is on top of money coming from TIF, state, and city. As mentioned, construction should commence by the end of 2025 and be completed in 2030, connecting over 100,000 Chicagoans with no train access.
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The Far South Region of Chicago and the Redline Extension TIF Coalition is collectively happy with the release from the Biden-Harris Administration – Federal Transportation Administration FTA office, the Full Funding Agreement to construct the CTA Redline Extension. Much of our collective lives we have advocated for greater public transportation access across all Chicago. This project and the access it will bring to families will change lives. It’s our hope that the local and state planning teams will now increase efforts to broaden regional partnerships to better help ensure equity in infrastructure and other benefits. Thank you FTA, CTA, Rail union, regional citizen groups and public and elected officials for your leadership throughout the years. See you soon at the celebration!
I know there are rational reasons why it’s so costly, but people will rightly wonder why it costs $300 million a mile for new transit that doesn’t go underground or require overcoming any extraordinary logistical challenges.
I’m always happy to add to the L system but this makes me pessimistic about any other future expansion happening (e.g., extending the Brown Line to Jefferson Park, building out the Loop superstation (maybe figuring out a dedicated O’Hare line), starting some part of the mythical Circle Line project. Imagine how costly those projects would be!
Re-extending the Blue Line west of Forest Park to Manheim Road with stops at 1st Avenue,5th Avenue( call it Hines serving Loyola University Medical Center and the VA Hospital, stop at 25th Avenue and Manheim Road.
I don’t know… restoring the Geeen line’s access to Hyde Park and/or modernizing stations across the city seems like a much better investment. a western subway or rapid bus transit project would also be far better