Four new CTA stations will open on the Red Line next month
Part of what makes Chicago so great is our public transportation: The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is the nation's second largest public transportation system, serving not only Chicago, but also local airports (O'Hare International Airport, Chicago Midway International Airport) and the surrounding suburbs. The Red Line—which provides valuable 24-hour, seven-days-a-week service between Howard, way up north, and 95th /Dan Ryan, way down south—could use some updates, however.
And thankfully, those upgrades are on the way: After being closed or partially closed for renovations for a troublesome four years, four shiny new Red Line stations are set to open on Sunday, July 20. The Red Line's north branches—Bryn Mawr, Berwyn, Argyle, and Lawrence—are part of Lakeview's $2.1 billion Red and Purple Modernization Project.
Planned upgrades include not only a fresh coat of paint, but also important improvements like escalators, elevators and wider platforms for ADA-accessibility. All Chicagoans will love the enhanced lighting, real-time travel information displays (imagine that!), and overhead canopies to protect commuters from Chicago's sometimes less than ideal weather. Plus, CTA has replaced the tracks, support structures, bridges and viaducts between Bryn Mawr and Lawrence stations.
'We are proud to bring new, accessible Red Line stations to our customers, which will provide a more comfortable and convenient commuting experience,' said CTA's acting president Nora Leerhsen in a news release. 'By opening these four stations that will be accessible to customers with disabilities, we move closer to our goal of having all of our CTA stations fully accessible.'
And if you want to give your own feedback for future CTA improvements, the transit authority has recently rolled out its " CTA Chats" program, a series of interactive pop-up events at rail stations and bus terminals that aim to connect commuters with CTA leadership to share insights on how they'd like to see things improve onboard.
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