Progress is ongoing for a new entrance at the Racine Blue Line platform on the city’s Near West Side. The station, which lies between the inbound and outbound lanes of the Eisenhower Expressway and is two blocks west of the Morgan Street substation we looked at last week, is part of the CTA’s $3 billion plan to reconstruct the Forest Park Branch of the Blue Line system. The Racine renovation alone, which extends from Racine Avenue to the east to Loomis Street to the west, is estimated to cost approximately $23 million.
Rendering of the new Racine Blue Line station main entrance by Ross Barney Architects
Rendering of the new Racine Blue Line station main entrance by Ross Barney Architects
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
The Racine station is not on target for its projected early 2025 opening. Photo by Daniel Schell
Work started in July 2023 with a demolition permit for the previous station; the Loomis auxiliary entrance two blocks west of here remains open for access to the Racine Blue Line stop. A new construction permit was then issued a month later to begin work on the Ross Barney Architects-designed entrance at Racine. FH Paschen replaced the original general contractor via a revised permit issued in December. Finally, a permit issued in May 2024 to install a passenger elevator completed the permit process to date for the station to date.
Peering over inbound traffic on the Ike. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
An outbound Blue Line train passes by. Photo by Daniel Schell
Along with the new elevator, a primary focus of this new access station is to rebuild the station ramp, which was too steep (and without landings) for wheelchair access. In fact, only four of the 11 stations along the Forest Park Branch are accessible. The long-term renovations will bring all 11 stations into compliance and make it easier for all Chicagoans to access Blue Line trains.
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
August 2024. Photo by Daniel Schell
August 2024. Photo by Daniel Schell
The CTA planned to have the Racine entrance reopened early in 2025, but that date will have to be pushed back considerably. When work is complete, the Loomis auxiliary entrance will be closed for its own rebuild.
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One day, they will care about the harm caused by traffic noise while using this line and its stations. At that point, this highway will either be buried or wishfully imploded. I kid on the removal, but one can dream.
At present, these bandaids of stations aren’t showing any promise of long-term solutions. They are improvements… but I’m sure a city graced by Daniel Burham didn’t foresee significant rail lines being medianed by a cruddy car sewer. I love trains, but you can’t deny these things are ugly.
It would be relatively easy to put sound barriers between the stations and the highway (on the outside of the tracks). I don’t know why they don’t do it.
I also wish they would design stations which last a little longer than a year before looking dirty. I understand the need for value engineering, but the stations don’t need to look intentionally cheap…
This station looks blocky and has clumsy proportions, very poor level of architecture. The design should have also considered reducing the deafening noise at platform level. What’s with the double lollypop signs at the entrance? Miserable quality by the CTA.
As a regular user of this L stop, this project has been a major inconvenience for West Loop neighbors. This station has been out of service for over 1.5 years, and the only entrance is two blocks west on Loomis street until the Racine side opens again. The original plan noted this station was to reopen in October 2024, but here we are in March 2025 and it looks like months of work still remain and no covering on the platform that whole time.
After the Racine side is done they are supposed to replace the Loomis side. That was also noted as a one-year project, but what if that side also takes two years instead?
How come there is no accountability for CTA timelines? How can a relatively small station with minimal amenities end up as a potentially four-year replacement project? How much is this project over budget?
Poor design, but service hasn’t stopped on the line while they are building this station. I think the construction may be slow because of safety and being in the median of the expressway and tracks. Has Trump stopped the funding for this work? I imagine the tariffs will really increase the costs too.
CTA is a mess-Unions, Unions, Unions, Unions are the reason everything takes so long in Chicago
Wrong Racine Line, thought it was thr Racine line on the Southside! To bad it needs rebuilding too!