Mayor Johnson and CTA Celebrate Investments in Welcoming Spaces Across Chicago’s Transit System
Mayor Johnson and CTA Celebrate Investments in Welcoming Spaces Across Chicago’s Transit System
CTA’s expanded Refresh & Renew program debuts new children’s benches, continuing station revitalizations for employees and riders of all ages
Mayor Brandon Johnson joined Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Acting President Nora Leerhsen to kick-off the 2026 construction season, which includes numerous ongoing infrastructure projects including the expansion of the CTA’s Refresh & Renew program, which aims to create welcoming spaces for riders of all ages and now includes jobs for returning citizens. This holistic approach ensures that investments made in transit benefit the communities CTA serves by providing a modern, safe and welcoming transit system for all, which is core to the Mayor’s ‘Build Better Together’ initiative.
“When we invest in our transit system, we invest in our CTA workers and the residents across our city who rely on this system to get to work, school, and opportunities throughout Chicago,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “Riders from Bronzeville to Rogers Park will benefit from the work CTA crews are doing this construction season to deliver a quality transit system that connects Chicagoan to opportunities and community."
Building on the success of the Refresh & Renew program, launched in 2019, CTA is expanding its efforts to create welcoming spaces across the system. In addition to performing routine maintenance that enhances the safety, security and overall look and feel of rail and bus facilities, crews will also be adding new child sized benches at 10 rail station locations, and landscaping elements at nine rail and bus locations.
“Our vision for the CTA is rooted in people, and this is brought to life with this year’s expansion of the Refresh & Renew program, which goes beyond basic improvements, and adds elements that let’s our riders know they are welcome and we are proud to be a part of their communities,” CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen said. “Further, our collaboration with Greencorps Chicago to include landscaping is more than just beautification, it’s reaffirming our commitment to creating opportunities to the communities we serve, particularly those facing barriers to employment."
An estimated $6.5 million in improvements will be performed this year at rail and bus locations across the CTA service region. Now through November, improvements will be made at the following 28 rail stations, plus 14 bus turnarounds:
• Red Line: Sox- 35th, Loyola, Chicago, Addison
• Blue Line: Forest Park, Cicero, Harlem (Congress Branch), Addison, Cumberland, Montrose, Damen (O’Hare Branch)
• Green Line: Harlem/Lake, Pulaski, California, Central, 51st, 35th/Bronzeville, 47th, Garfield
• Brown Line: Wellington, Diversey, Kedzie
• Orange Line: Western
• Pink Line: Central Park, Western
• Purple Line: Central, South Boulevard
• Yellow Line: Dempster-Skokie
• Bus Turnarounds: 79th St. & Perry Ave., 16th St. & 47th Pl. (Cicero, IL) , Narragansett Ave. & 63rd St., Belmont Ave. & Octavia Ave., Caldwell Ave. & Central Ave., Irving Park Rd. & Kedvale Ave., Touhy Ave. & Overhill Ave., Western Ave. & Berwyn Ave., Madison St. & Austin Blvd., 112th & Torrence, 115th & Springfield, North Ave & Clark, Jackson & Canal (Union Station), Howard & McCormick
“Through CDOT’s Greencorps Chicago program, we’re investing in both our public spaces and our people,” said CDOT Acting Commissioner William Cheaks, Jr. “This partnership with CTA connects residents to real-world training and career pathways while supporting improvements that will make stations more welcoming for riders across the system.”
Prior to starting work at a location, crews perform an initial and thorough inspection of the location to identify any behind the scenes or customer-facing items that need repair and/or replacement – either immediately or in the near term.
Some of the more comprehensive improvements made as part of this program include concrete repairs, removal of outdated fixtures and equipment, repairs to utility and plumbing lines and more. Work also includes smaller cosmetic upgrades such as painting and replacing sheet metal or damaged signage, lighting upgrades, cleaning, and repair of surfaces (e.g., columns, walls, railings, fencing/gates, platform fixtures, etc.) and power washing are also performed.
To complement Refresh & Renew, the CTA also will be launching its seasonal power washing teams to attack grime collected during the winter months. This separate group of personnel are dispatched during the overnight hours and tasked with scrubbing and power washing the surfaces of CTA’s stations. Each year between the spring and fall seasons, each of CTA’s 146 rail stations is power washed at least once a month as part of routine station cleaning efforts.
For more information on the Refresh & Renew project, visit: transitchicago.com/refresh-renew.
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