CTA publishes Red Line extension Draft EIS

Written by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
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The Chicago Transit Authority published the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for its proposed Red Line Extension (RLE) to 130th Street.

The RLE project is Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and CTA President Dorval Carter’s plan to extend the Red Line from the existing 95th Street Terminal to the vicinity of 130th Street. The 5.3-mile extension would include four new stations near 103rd Street, 111th Street, Michigan Avenue and 130th Street, each of which would include bus and parking facilities. The current estimated cost of the project is $2.3 billion.

There are two options being considered for the extension. The Union Pacific Railroad Rail Alternative, East Option, would build an elevated structure immediately east of the UP right-of-way from 99th Street to 118th Street. The capital costs for this option are estimated to be $2.26 billion. This variation would require 106 displacements, the majority of them (90) being residential.

The second option, Union Pacific Railroad Rail Alternative, West Option, would build an elevated structure immediately west of UP’s right-of-way from 99th Street to north of 118th Street. The capital costs for this option are estimated to be $2.3 billion. This variation would require 46 displacements made up of a mix of residential (26), commercial and industrial properties.

The proposed alignment of the rapid transit line would be the same for the two East and West options from 95th Street to 99th Street and from 118th Street to 130th Street. The Red Line Extension would run along elevated tracks from 95th Street to approximately 119th Street, where it would transition to at-grade tracks.

CTA will accept comments on the Draft EIS between Oct. 6 and Nov 30. The transit agency will also hold a public hearing on Nov. 1 and has begun to notify property owners who may be affected by acquisition along both route variations.

Based on public feedback, environmental review and funding availability to conduct additional engineering work, CTA anticipates announcing the preferred option for the location of the extension of the project in 2017 and publication of the Final EIS by the end of 2018.

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