The first batch of more defined renderings have been revealed for the upcoming stations and plazas of the CTA Red Line Extension (RLE). The images are the first of more to come as the city hosts a group of community input meetings to allow local residents to guide the design of the new public spaces. The RLE officially broke ground this past April.
Groundbreaking has officially been held for the long-awaited extension of the CTA Red Line across the Far South Side. Set to connect multiple communities to the rest of the system, the ceremony comes after a high-profile legal battle with the current federal administration over the withholding of funds that had already been approved for the project.
A renovation/alteration permit with a reported cost of $445 million was issued by the city on April 9 to rebuild the State/Lake elevated platform. Trains have been bypassing the platform since the first week of January, when it was shut down for razing. Demolition work was authorized by a permit the city issued on December 10 of last year, and now, there are very few signs that an L platform ever existed here.
Yesterday marked the final day of operations for the CTA State and Lake station in The Loop. Serving all but two of the system’s lines, the popular downtown station has been in operation for 130 years, since 1895. The closure marks the start of a three-year demolition and construction process led by the CTA and contractor F.H. Paschen.
The CTA has announced an official closing date for the State and Lake station as its reconstruction kicks into full gear. In the works since 2017, the current plans were announced in 2021 and kicked off earlier this year. Efforts for the major renovation are being led by the agency itself, which is working with architecture firm SOM on the design.
