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    1. Rail

    CTA Prepares to Begin Rehabilitation of Five Blue Line Stations

    March 11, 2015
    Addison, Irving Park, Montrose, Harlem and Cumberland are five of 13 stations to receive rehabilitation under Your New Blue; Damen, Western and California stations completed in 2014
    Related To: Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)

    The Chicago Transit Board approved the award of a $25.6 million contract to F.H. Paschen and S.N. Nielsen for the renovation of five O’Hare branch CTA stations, in what is the next major phase of the historic $492 million Your New Blue modernization project.

    The contract is part of a $43 million station improvement plan will provide customers a safer, more comfortable transit experience, and are part of the ongoing modernization of CTA train and bus service across the city.   The CTA expects to begin this fall the rehabilitation of the Addison, Irving Park, Montrose, Harlem and Cumberland stations, which combined had more than 5.3 million station entries in 2014.

    The work will include:

    • Addison: Installation of a new elevator and new stairway; extend stationhouse and enclose new stairway; improvements to platform and platform canopies; refurbish platform furniture (i.e. benches, windbreakers, trash bins, etc.); repairs to platform canopies; new lighting; and painting of station and platform.
    • Irving Park and Montrose: Improvements to platform and platform canopies; replacing walkway railings and; renovating platform furniture; repairs to platform canopies; new lighting and painting of station houses and platforms.
    • Harlem: Improve platform, platform canopies floors and walkways; repairs to stationhouse curtain walls; rehabilitation of platform furniture; and new lighting and painting.
    • Cumberland: Improvements to platform, platform canopies and walkways; replacement of stationhouse curtain walls and other improvements, including new lighting and painting at the stationhouses, platforms, and walkways; and modest renewal of the station houses and platforms, which includes new lighting and painting.

    Design work expected to begin this spring, with work anticipated to begin at Addison by this fall. All station project work will be substantially completed by fall 2016. 

    The CTA will work to minimize impacts to customers during construction. All stations will remain open during the construction period, except for a small number of weekend-only closures at Addison and Montrose. The CTA will work closely with local elected officials and community members to communicate all project information and impacts to customers and residents.

    In December 2013, the CTA and Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Your New Blue, the most ambitious service improvement project on the Blue Line since it was extended to O’Hare Airport in 1984. The program will benefit the more than 80,000 customers who each weekday use stations along the branch, which had 25 million rides last year. Your New Blue will update a total of 13 Blue Line stations, make elevated and subway infrastructure upgrades, track signal improvements and traction power upgrades.