CTA awarded additional funds for Red and Purple Line improvements
Written by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) will receive $1.25 million for its program to modernize the to Red and Purple Lines in an effort to bolster Chicago's ability to meet growing demand for transit.
The funds will come from the Federal Transit Authority’s (FTA) Transit-Oriented Development Pilot Planning Program, which was made available through the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), a transportation bill passed by Congress in 2012.
“Modernizations to the Red and Purple Line are helping the Chicago Transit Authority double the capacity of its most used rail lines. This federal grant will help continue that work, and ensure that the CTA’s aging infrastructure can keep pace with growing demand for its services,” Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). “But additional funding won’t be available for any of our nation’s priority infrastructure projects if Congress doesn’t approve a long-term transportation bill like the bipartisan reauthorization passed by the Senate this summer. While public transit agencies like the CTA are working hard to improve their services, Congress must also do its part and provide the necessary resources to upgrade public transportation systems and infrastructure.”
“Chicago’s future depends on the ability of government to meet the demands of its residents – from public safety and park space, to housing and transportation,” said U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL). “As Illinois’ only member on the House Appropriations Committee, I’m working hard to bring back federal dollars that are invested in Chicago. This grant awarded to the CTA to help fund the Red and Purple Line Modernization Project will help ensure our public transit system can handle the growing number of riders and is accessible to everyone.”
CTA received an additional $35 million in funding for the Red and Purple Line improvement project last August through the FTA’s new Core Capacity Program. CTA became the first transit system accepted into the Core Capacity Program in November 2013.
