The Far South Side community got a glimpse of the upcoming CTA Red Line Extension project, set to start in 2025 and finish by 2030. The 5.5-mile extension includes four stations, job creation, and improved transit access for the area, promising economic growth and shorter travel times for riders.
Photo courtesy of CTA
After hiring a team to build the project in August, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and contractor Walsh-VINCI held a celebration of the project’s progress toward groundbreaking, expected in late 2025.
After hiring a team to build the project in August, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and contractor Walsh-VINCI held a celebration of the project's progress toward groundbreaking, expected in late 2025.
On Oct. 25, the CTA welcomed about 75 residents and businesses from the Far South Side to the Red Line Extension (RLE) Fall Community Meet and Greet Event. Held at the site of the future Michigan Red Line station on E. 116th Street and S. Michigan Ave., CTA and RLE contractor Walsh-VINCI Transit Community Partners welcomed RLE project supporters.
Photo courtesy of CTA
To showcase what the new extension will look like, the contractor displayed for the community a 43-ton, 10-ft.-long concrete bridge segment, the type of segment that will be used to build the Red Line Extension Project. The segment was manufactured for the CTA's separate Red and Purple (RPM) Phase One Project now under way on the North Side.
"The Red Line Extension Project is coming to the Far South Side of Chicago, and we are excited to share with the community what they have to look forward to," said Dorval R. Carter Jr., CTA president. "As a native South Sider, I am proud to deliver on CTA's promise of new affordable, convenient and reliable Red Line service, as well as creating a wealth of job and training opportunities to residents."
Attendees also were provided with information about career and training opportunities with CTA and the RLE Project. The project is expected to create an estimated 12,512 RLE construction jobs and 59,800 jobs indirectly created because of the construction project.
CTA predicts that an estimated 25,000 additional jobs will become available upon project completion because of the new access to transit for the Far South Side.
Participants also received pumpkins, taffy apples and specialty hot cocoa from Catered By Kish.
New track and station construction is expected to begin late 2025 and be completed in 2030. CTA and Walsh-VINCI will hold community meetings in early 2025 to talk about how the project will be designed and built and answer questions from local residents and CTA customers.
Red Line Extension Project Overview
The RLE project is a 5.5-mi. extension of the Red Line starting at 95th Street Terminal to the vicinity of 130th Street and includes building four new, accessible stations near 103rd Street, 111th Street, Michigan Avenue and 130th Street, each of which is expected to include bus, bike, pedestrian and parking facilities.
Photo courtesy of CTA
The project also will build a new rail yard and related rail facilities near 120th Street to improve operational efficiency for the entire Red Line and CTA system. Construction is expected to start in late 2025 and be completed by 2030.
The Red Line Extension will provide a new, more direct connection to the Red Line. Once the extension opens, it is expected to provide up to 30 minutes of time savings to riders traveling from the future 130th Station to the Loop. The project also will generate long-lasting economic benefits for the Far South Side via small business and workforce/career opportunities with RLE and CTA, as well as new economic development in the project area.
Today's top stories
