CTA to begin next phase of Wilson Station modernization in March
Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
CTA
Starting in March, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) will begin the next construction phase of the Wilson Station Reconstruction Project, which will require three-track operations in which southbound Red and Purple Line Express trains share a single track for part of their trips.
The weekend of March 6, crews will begin the demolition and reconstruction of the southbound Purple Line Express tracks, the westernmost tracks on the four-track elevated structure that provides Red and Purple Line Express service. During this construction phase, which is expected to last one year, southbound Red and Purple Line Express trains will share one track between the Wilson and Belmont stations. Trains will run normally elsewhere.
In addition to reconstruction of the southbound Purple Line Express track and elevated structure, crews during this phase of construction will also construct a new southbound station platform and new, temporary entrances on the north and south side of Wilson, as well as a temporary exit near Sunnyside. The temporary entrances/exits will serve customers during a later stage of the Wilson project.
The $203-million Wilson project is modernizing the 91-year-old stationhouse and the station’s more than 100-year-old track structure. When the project is complete in late 2017, CTA says riders will have a modern, spacious and more accessible station that will be a new transfer point for Red and Purple Line Express trains. About 2,200 feet of elevated tracks, signals and supporting infrastructure will also be relocated and reconstructed, eliminating slow zones and improving service reliability for customers.
