CTA Blue Line O'Hare Branch Renovation Details Released
By Chuck Sudo in News on Dec 5, 2013 6:40PM
Chicago Transit Authority revealed the logistics for its four-year, $429 million renovation of the Blue Line’s O’Hare branch late this morning.
Dubbed the "Your New Blue" project, the plan's highlights include:
- Extensive station renovations at the Grand, Chicago, Division, Damen, California, Logan Square and Jefferson Park stations.
- Concrete platform repairs and installation of a new elevator at the Addison station to make it ADA accessible.
- Repairs at the Irving Park, Montrose, Harlem and Cumberland stations.
- Track improvements to eliminate slow zones in the Dearborn Subway (Grand to Division) and Milwaukee Subway (Damen to Belmont).
- Track signal improvements between O’Hare and Jefferson Park, which will improve speed of travel.
- Traction power upgrades to improve service and reliability.
- Installation of new water management systems and repairs to ensure dry and clean subway stations.
- Special track improvements near the O’Hare station and in the Rosemont rail yard to help reduce delays and provide for more efficient operations.
- Upgrade of wireless infrastructure in the subway tunnels to provide customers and workers with faster and more reliable voice, data and web service in the subway. Current infrastructure was built in 2005 and is inadequate and outdated.
Funding for the project is expected to come from a combination of federal, state and local resources and the first phase of the project (expected to be track work) should get under way next year. CTA officials warned that delays in travel to O'Hare should be expected as portions of the O'Hare branch will be shut down. Alternate service along the branch such as shuttle bus service will be provided.