CTA publishes environmental findings for modernization program bypass

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
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The Chicago Transportation Authority (CTA) is moving forward with its Red and Purple Modernization Program (RPM), a transformational, multi-phase program to completely rebuild the northern sections of the Red and Purple lines and provide CTA with the ability to add trains to meet the demands of growing ridership on its busiest rail line.

 

As part of the federal environmental review process for RPM, the CTA published the Environmental Assessments (EA) that are associated with Phase One of RPM. These documents are an important step in the process of informing the public and gathering feedback about this critical project, all of which contributes to the project’s development to allow the CTA to apply for federal funding for RPM.

The CTA published a separate Environmental Assessment in April 2015 for the Lawrence to Bryn Mawr Modernization Project, which is the proposed reconstruction of four Red Line stations (Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn and Bryn Mawr) and more than one mile of adjacent track structure.

This EA published now analyzes the CTA’s proposal to construct a fifth-track bypass that would allow northbound Brown Line trains to Kimball to travel over Red and Purple line trains north of Belmont station – where the Red, Brown and Purple lines currently intersect.

This project would allow the CTA to add trains to meet current and future ridership needs. The CTA says the strain on capacity is already evidenced by the daily train delays as trains have to stop and wait for others to cross the junction, which has a ripple effect on service throughout the CTA rail system.

The current inefficient rail junction was built in 1907 and was never intended to connect three rail lines. The CTA is now at capacity on these rail lines because of the junction. This has occurred following a nearly 40 percent increase in ridership during the peak of the rush hour over five years on the Red, Purple and Brown lines serving this corridor.

“These projects are the next important steps in Mayor [Rahm] Emanuel’s vision to rebuild, modernize and expand the entire Red Line,” said CTA President Dorval Carter, Jr. “Much has been accomplished so far: the successful reconstruction of the Red Line South and the ongoing construction of a new 95th Street Terminal and, of course, the first major project in the RPM corridor, the reconstruction of the Wilson station that began last fall. I look forward to continuing these projects, including the Red Line Extension Project, to replace outdated infrastructure with a modern, efficient rail system and increasing access to quality rail transportation for millions of future riders.”

CTA estimates that by building the bypass, it would be able to add up to eight more trains per hour during rush hour immediately on the Red Line alone and ultimately serve an additional 7,200 passengers per hour on all three rail lines.

Within the EA, the CTA details various alternatives considered to address capacity constraints and the reasons these alternatives were eliminated, from increased cost to a greater number of property displacements. The proposed project was selected because it provided the greatest capacity expansion while minimizing property impacts.

The EA also details potential construction impacts on CTA service. CTA trains would continue to run throughout the construction of the bypass, with Red and Purple Line service on the same tracks to allow for reconstruction of tracks taken out of service as part of the project. Some temporary street closures would be necessary.

The anticipated cost to construct and modernize the track and structure as part of the Red-Purple Bypass Project is estimated at $320 million. Additional work that would be performed as part of RPM Phase One would include bringing the Brown Line track structure west of the rail junction into a state of good repair and modernizing the signal system on the Red and Brown lines near Clark Junction. This work is included in the additional improvements expected to cost $250 million.

The proposed Lawrence to Bryn Mawr Modernization and Red-Purple Bypass projects comprise the first of multiple phases of the RPM Program, which will replace old, deteriorating infrastructure and stations along Chicago’s busiest rail line with modern tracks, signals and stations that are fully accessible.

The CTA anticipates construction for RPM could begin as early as 2017.

 

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