Emanuel Breaks Ground On Wilson Red Line Station Renovations

By Chuck Sudo in News on Dec 8, 2014 9:30PM

The Wilson Red Line Station, 91 years old and looking worse for wear, is finally getting the facelift it deserves. Mayor Rahm Emanuel and CTA President Forrest Claypool broke ground on the highly anticipated $203 million Wilson station renovations Monday. It's one of the largest and most expensive projects in the agency's history and, by the time it's completed in late 2017, will transform the station into a modern marvel (hopefully) capable of fulfilling the transit needs of Uptown residents for decades to come.

When the renovations are complete the Wilson station will be larger and will serve as a transfer point for Red and Purple Line trains. 2,200 feet of elevated train tracks, signals and supporting infrastructure will be moved and rebuilt, eliminating slow zones and improving reliability for customers. The station house, built in 1923, will be restored while modern architectural touches will be added to provide a more pleasing view, and accessibility will be improved with ADA-compliant ramps. The renovations will also help make the intersection of Wilson and Broadway safer for pedestrians.

The renovation is part of CTA's $1 billion "Red Ahead" project intended to modernize the north branch of the Red and Purple Lines.