Chicago Mayor Emanuel visits CTA's Red Line South project

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel joined Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) officials and construction workers yesterday for a tour and progress report on the $425 million Red Line South reconstruction project, which calls for rebuilding one of the city's busiest rail lines.

Six weeks into the project, nearly all tracks, ties, third rail and ballast have been removed from 10 miles of the line between Cermak-Chinatown and 95th Street, CTA officials said in a press release.

Crews also have begun rehabilitating eight of the nine stations that are part of the project, with work including floor reglazing or repairs, lighting replacement or refurbishment, painting, cleaning and the installation of new elevators at the Garfield, 63rd and 87th stations. The ninth station, the 95th Street Terminal, will be rebuilt under a separate $240 million project next year.

"More people take the Red Line more than any other CTA line, and this rehabilitation work will help people move around the city more efficiently, and will drive economic growth throughout the South Side and downtown area," Emanuel said.

CTA officials also announced that the project's prime contractors  — Kiewit Construction (trackwork) and F.H. Paschen, S.N. Nielsen (station work) — have either met or exceeded the agency's goal for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation by hiring 39 DBE subcontractors for a total of $82.5 million.

The Red Line South reconstruction project is among more than $1 billion that Emanuel has directed to improving the Red Line, which is the backbone of CTA's rail system. Upcoming Red Line projects include complete reconstruction of Wilson Station for $203 million, the 95th Street terminal project and a $41 million overhaul of the Clark/Division subway station.