CTA Unveils Plan For Pee-Free Wilson Station
By Samantha Abernethy in News on Oct 4, 2012 9:20PM
The filthy, urine-drenched Wilson Red Line station will soon get a $203 million facelift as part of the Red Ahead construction program to update the Red Line. Wilson is arguably the worst stop on the Red Line, in close competition with the 95th Street station. That one is also up for renovation.
The plan will add a canopy to the station and a glass-enclosed entrance, plus another entrance to the Target and Aldi at Wilson Yard. In addition to fixing things up, the construction will turn the station into a transfer point between the Red and Purple lines. NBC writes:
"This is a great starting point for the future design of an important station that helps thousands of Chicagoans get to work and school each day," said Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a statement. "The Red Line is the backbone of our transportation network." Wilson also will become a "transfer station," the only Red Line stop between Howard and Belmont to provide access between the Red and Purple lines.“Making Wilson a transfer station will provide much greater flexibility and convenience for both Red and Purple Line riders, and will help CTA operate more efficiently,” said CTA President Forrest Claypool in a statement.
Construction starts in spring 2013, and while the station won't close (unlike the 95th station and the south branch of the Red Line). Naturally there will be service disruptions until it completes in 2015.
Neighborhood blog Uptown Update posted these plans from Ald. James Cappleman's (46th) office on Wednesday. For comparison purposes, we've included some recent photos of the Wilson station.
The CTA is holding a public meeting regarding the repairs on Thursday, Oct. 11 at Harry S Truman College at 11 45 W. Wilson Ave. from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.