CTA releases environmental study for Red Line extension

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) today published a draft environmental impact statement for its proposed 5.3-mile Red Line extension project.

The agency will accept public comment on the document through Nov. 30. CTA will use the feedback in deciding one of the two alignments for the project, agency officials said in a press release.

The $2.3 billion project would extend the route south of the line's terminus at the 95th Street/Dan Ryan Station. Four new stations would be installed on the city's far south side near 103rd street, 111th Street, Michigan Avenue and 130th Street.

The CTA is mulling two options: one calls for building elevated track east of Union Pacific Railroad's right-of-way from 99th Street to 118th; the other involves constructing elevated track west of the same UP segment.

The proposed alignment would be the same for the two options from 95th Street to 99th Street and from 118th Street to 130th Street. The Red Line would run along elevated track from 95th Street to 119th Street, where it would transition to at-grade tracks, according to CTA.

The agency has scheduled a Nov. 1 public hearing on the plan.

The Red Line extension is a key part of CTA's "Red Ahead" investment on the agency's busiest line. Other projects include the $425 million reconstruction of the Red Line South in 2013 and the ongoing $280 million construction of a new 95th Street Terminal, which is scheduled for completion in 2018.


A map depicts the two options for the Red Line Extension
(Click to view larger.)
Source: CTA