A construction permit has been approved for a new transit development at 611 W 79th Street, in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood. The project, owned by Metra, involves constructing a new two-story Metra station that will integrate with the Rock Island Line.
Design development continues for the upcoming replacement of multiple bridges on Metra’s UP North Line across the north side. The work comes as the existing bridges push over 120-years in age with most of them held up by rusted columns, however the project has been a point of contention for locals since its announcement in 2021. The project is being led by Metra themselves who recently held its second community meeting on the proposed design.
As evident from our last installment of ‘Lost Legends’ showcasing the Prentice Women’s Hospital, once-celebrated designs may reveal impracticalities as functional demands evolve. While not “legendary” in a traditional sense, the story of the construction and later removal of Lake Shore Drive’s zig-zag ‘S’ curve conveys a similar notion of a city adapting to changing infrastructural needs.
In a wave of continuous improvements, the Chicago Transit Board has awarded the construction contract for the Austin Green Line Station. Located at 351 N Austin Boulevard within the Austin neighborhood, the project comes at a time when the Chicago Transit Authority is working on making all of its stations fully accessible by 2038. The project is being led by the CTA itself although an architect is currently unknown.
The Chicago Transit Authority has announced the partial reconstruction of the Forest Park Blue Line Branch within the Near West Side. The work will take place in two-phases and span from the LaSalle station in the east to the Illinois Medical District station in the west, eventually future phases will rebuild the entirety of the branch while making it fully accessible. The work is being led by the CTA and will be completed by the fall.
