CTA Celebrates Start of the Historic Red Line Extension Project by Breaking Ground at the Future Michigan Avenue Station

CTA Celebrates Start of the Historic Red Line Extension Project by Breaking Ground at the Future Michigan Avenue Station

Promised nearly 60 years ago, project will extend the CTA’s Red Line from 95th Street to 130th Street and will include four new, fully accessible stations at 103rd, 111th, Michigan & 130th streets

Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) will break ground on the largest and most transformational capital construction project in CTA history, the Red Line Extension (RLE) Project, on Friday, April 24.

The Red Line Extension Project will provide the Far South Side of Chicago with rapid rail transit for the first time, by extending the Red Line by 5.5 miles from 95th Street to 130th Street, including building four new Red Line stations at 103rd, 111th, Michigan and 130th streets.

Red Line Extension Project Overview

The RLE project will:

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Build a 5.5-mile extension of the Red Line starting at 95th Street Terminal to the vicinity of 130th Street.

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Include four new accessible stations near 103rd Street, 111th Street, Michigan Avenue (near 116th), and 130th Street, each of which would include bus, bike, pedestrian and parking facilities.

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Build a new rail yard and related rail facilities near 120th Street to improve operational efficiency for the entire Red Line and CTA system.

Project benefits

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The Red Line Extension Project will provide a new, more direct connection to the Red Line – this means an easier trip and less time commuting.

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Once the extension opens, it is expected to provide up to an hour of time savings roundtrip to riders traveling between the future 130th station and the Loop.

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Stations will offer plaza areas that will include seating and other amenities to create welcoming spaces for residents

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All stations will receive commissioned, one-of-a-kind artwork that will be developed with feedback from people in the neighborhood areas around the stations.

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More than 12,500 construction jobs and an estimated 59,800 indirect jobs are expected to be created.

Red Line Extension Groundbreaking– page 2

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Because of the improved transit options, an estimated 25,000 additional jobs to become available within an hour commute or less

Project timeline

Advance construction work has been underway to prepare the project for construction, including demolition of properties acquired to build the project and relocation of utility poles and other equipment where the new track will be built

With construction beginning in spring 2026, upcoming work will include:

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Drilling where new elevated track columns will be located

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Pouring concrete to create the new track foundations followed by track columns

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Station construction will begin in 2027

The new extension and stations are expected to be completed and in service in 2030.

Training and career opportunities

CTA with its design-build contractor, Walsh-VINCI Transit Community Partners, has committed to creating pathways for Chicagoans to receive training and access to jobs on the Red Line Extension Project.

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To accomplish that, CTA has contracted with workforce assistance agencies Chicago Women in Trades, HIRE 360 and Metropolitan Family Services to help prepare individuals to pursue their careers.

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Walsh-VINCI’s workforce goals for the contract as a percentage of total labor hours includes:

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Design

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Service Area Economically Disadvantaged Area (EDA): 10 percent of total design hours

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Construction

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Careers Opportunity Goal: 10 percent of total trade labor hours

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Service Area Economically Disadvantaged Area: 35 percent of total trade labor hours

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Union Apprentice: 15 percent of total trade labor hours – Goal is to develop pipeline for training, apprenticeship and jobs

Small business participation

CTA included goals in the Walsh-VINCI contract to ensure that small businesses certified as Disadvantage Business Enterprises (DBE) could bid on sub-contract work on the Red Line Extension Project. Those goals are 25 percent for project design and 22 percent for project construction.

CTA also has various supportive services to assist small businesses including the Driving Small Businesses the Distance monthly webinar, the Small Business Educational Series, and a financial capacity and technical assistance program, Building Small Businesses.

Station renderings

Preliminary project renderings can be found here. For more information about the Red Line Extension Project, visit transitchicago.com/rle. 

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