Watch our On The Block TV show on The U, CW26 and MeTV. The Chicago Transit Authority today announced the start of work associated with Forest Park Branch Rebuild - a multi-year, multi-phased investment program to reconstruct the entire Forest Park Branch of the Blue Line and make it 100% accessible to those who use mobility devices. That $150 million project started Monday, making for longer longer commutes from the Edens Expressway junction into downtown. Chicago ''L''.org: Operations - Lines -> Blue Line Customers will be strongly encouraged to plan ahead and allow for extra travel time, including using alternative services prior to the start of project work. Shuttle buses will run 24/7 throughout construction. CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Blue Line, which is the fastest growing line in the CTA system, is about to get a huge upgrade. [metaslider id="1472"] U.S. News Chicago West Side commuters will need to start getting ready and preparing different alternatives of transportation. CHICAGO Construction to rebuild the Blue Lines entire West Side branch starts next month, kicking off a years-long project to replace outdated tracks and make stations 100 percent accessible. Weitere Informationen darber, wie wir Ihre personenbezogenen Daten nutzen, finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. The first phase of Encuentro Square is underway near The 606, while a nine-story affordable building is going up at California Avenue and Division Street. The shuttle service will start 8 p.m. Friday. Blue Line: O'Hare branch Service Notes: Hours of Operation: Service at all times Length of Route: 14.38 miles Milwaukee Elevated: 2.2 miles Milwaukee-Kimball Subway: 1.2 miles Kennedy-O'Hare Extension: 10.98 miles Number of Stations: 13 stations Infrastructure work will take place between the Medical District and LaSalle, removing 15,000 feet of so-called slow zones, according to CTA officials. "The CTA Blue Line is one of the most popular ways for our community to travel to and from the IMD," said Allyson Hansen, CEO and Executive Director of the Illinois Medical District Commission. Trains will operate between OHare and UIC and between Forest Park and Medical District, officials said. Blue Line riders going between Rosemont and OHare will need to change trains across the platform to continue their trip in either direction, according to the CTA. More information on alternate routes and the project's progress can be found on a special CTA webpage. There will be free rides on buses running between the Green and Pink lines. CTA Blue Line renovations at Belmont, Jefferson Park begin Tuesday CTA Credibility: The Clinton, UIC Halsted, and Racine stations will be closed until late August. Employees carry on with NASCAR setup - NBC Chicago As a news piece, this article cites verifiable, third-party sources which have all been thoroughly fact-checked and deemed credible by the Newsroom. CTA adds more Blue Line trains as ridership grows, Kennedy construction begins, SWAT team responds after door shot near Ogilvie Transportation Center, 1 killed, 4 wounded in Ford Heights shooting, Thousands without power after latest thunderstorms rake Chicago area, Bet on it: This Vegas gambler is generous to a Vault, Chicagos migrant crisis was years in the making from Washington, Margarito Flores, Chicago cocaine kingpin who helped bring down El Chapo, will teach cops how to catch drug traffickers, Former Bears star Steve McMichael hanging tough in fight of his life, Woman killed, 6 rescued after boat hits breakwall near Playpen off Oak Street Beach, CTA celebrating vintage L cars 100th anniversary with a ride around the Loop Saturday, 25 Chicago Park District employees could be fired in probe of COVID-19 relief fraud, Fans flock to final weekend for Silver Room Block Party. Food. NBC 5's Sandra Torres reports. The shuttle service will start 8 p.m. Friday. Promoting a healthier lifestyle through total wellness. CTA Chicago Blue Line commuters brace for impact of station closures This includes directly interviewing sources and research / analysis of primary source documents. The idea is to absorb extra ridership on the Blue Line, as it braces for an influx of commuters who normally use the Kennedy Expressway, which is getting a three-year makeover. You can also find other Commuter Rail Stations on MapQuest . Rep. Nicholas Smiths District 34 will receive about $286.5 million for 43 projects, which includes $4.8 million for smart overlay of 159th Street from Carol Avenue to Torrence Avenue in Calumet City, South Holland and Harvey. This Newsmaker has been deemed by this Newsroom as having a specialized knowledge of the subject covered in this article. IDOT will spend $291.5 million on 58 roadway projects in Sen. Michael Hastings 19th District. That work that was completed recently ahead of schedule and is also part of the Your New Blue project. CHICAGO (CBS) -- Commuters who use the CTA Red Line or Blue Line should prepare for service changes this weekend, as the transit agency continues construction work on the two busy rail. Tag: Chicago Transit Authority - NBC Chicago CTA Blue Line Project | Build America - Department of Transportation IDOT program will spend millions on Southland infrastructure In December 2013, the CTA and Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Your New Blue, the most ambitious service improvement project on the Blue Line since it was extended to O'Hare Airport in 1984. Shopping. The Blue Line was created in 1958, then called the West-Northwest Route, when the Milwaukee line was through-routed via the Milwaukee-Dearborn Subway with the then-new Congress line and existing Douglas branch. Does not update time even under construction. Depending on where you start from, you may want to consider the #8 or #60 buses as alternatives. To reduce travel impacts to customers, project work will be performed in two parts: Upon completion of track work in October, the Racine-Loomis St. auxiliary entrance only will re-open. There will be no service between those stations. Work Begins On Affordable Housing Project Next To Logan Square Blue Line Things are tough for Blue Line commuters nowadays, since the CTA recently made deep cuts to scheduled service, leading to long waits between trains, and packed railcars and crowded platforms during rush hours, especially on the O'Hare branch. Near west side CTA commuters Monday will encounter a major construction project on the Blue Line's Forest Park branch. / CBS Chicago. Up and Down arrows will open main tier menus and toggle through sub tier links. Yahoo! Now, the tracks are worn down, the majority of the branch operates under slow zones and only four stations are accessible to people who use wheelchairs and other mobility devices, officials said. Left and right arrows move through main tier links and expand / close menus in sub tiers. The start of this project work is long overdue, and the CTA is committed to securing the additional funding to advance future phases of work to provide all Blue Line riders a better transit experience," CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. said in a release. Following this extended line-cut, ongoing project work is expected in the area, additional details regarding service impacts will be announced soon. This soup may contain bugs and falafel may have rocks, grocer says, NWS confirms 2 tornadoes touched down in Kankakee County, At least 75K ComEd customers without power as storms slam the Chicago area, Here's when the school year will start for Chicago Public Schools students, Ed Sheeran visits famed Chicago restaurant ahead of Soldier Field concert. The Weekend Blue Line Is Finally Back - Block Club Chicago Beginning in late August, service will resume to the Clinton stop and the UIC-Halsted stop, but shuttle buses will remain in place between UIC-Halsted and the Illinois Medical District. CTA Blue Line construction starts Monday It's phase one of the $250 million Forest Park Blue Line Branch Rebuild initiative. The Chicago Transit Authority is reminding customers that it will temporarily close the California Blue Line station for 42 days beginning at 1 a.m. Thursday, September 4, to allow crews to perform major renovations as part of the Your New Blue modernization program for the OHare branch of the Blue Line. Rosemont has 750 spaces and Cumberland, more than 1,600, so both definitely have room for more vehicles, since theyre usually only about half-full, according to the CTA. Blue Line trains along the OHare branch have gottena lot more crowdedduring rush hour in recent years because the Northwest Side neighborhoods surrounding the stations are attracting people who take the train more. Timetables; Customer alerts for this route; Route diagram and guide; Live video feed The first part of the Forest Park Blue Line rebuild starts Sunday, when the Clinton, UIC-Halsted and Racine stations will close as crews rebuild tracks, Chicago Transit Authority officials said this week. We knew we were coming up on the end of life expectancy of key components along that branch, said CTA spokesperson Catherine Hosinski. Blue Line 'L' The CTA Blue Line provides 24-hour rapid transit train service between Chicago-O'Hare International Airport and the Forest Park terminal, via downtown Chicago. Crews have finished rebuilding the northbound Red and Purple tracks between Lawrence and Bryn Mawr, but two more years of work is expected. Regular Blue Line Trains Near O'Hare Will Shut Down On Weekends For CTA The main entrance of the Racine station will remain closed until late 2024, but the Loomis Street auxiliary entrance at the station will reopen following the completion of track work in the fall of 2023. Its anyones guess. Bus projects. Chicago CTA Blue Line Near West Side Closes for Renovations Click to go to the Chicago Transit Authority homepage, Click to search Chicago Transit Authority. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Work this weekend is just the beginning of the crossover construction project, which is meant to improve service along the Blue Line, one of the highest-ridership branches of the L.. The first part of the Forest Park Blue Line rebuild starts Sunday, July 23, when the Clinton, UIC-Halsted and Racine stations will close as crews rebuild tracks, Chicago Transit Authority officials said this week. Chicago Blue Line service to be disrupted as Forest Park branch construction begins Head's up, near west side commuters: a major construction project on the CTA Blue Line's Forest. The CTA will operate shuttle buses to help riders get around. This website stores data such as cookies to enable essential site functionality, as well as marketing, personalization, and analytics. To incentivize use of these alternative service options, CTA will provide free rides on bus routes operating between the Pink and Green lines, as well as reduced fares at respective Pink and Green line rail stations. Riders can use a shuttle bus to get around the closures. According to CTA officials, the project will get underway Sunday, with Blue Line service being split into two sections. On a practical level, the Blue Line is the modern ancestor of the lines of the Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad, a private "L . Local Service. According to CTA officials, a $268 million rebuild of the line began Sunday and will impact service between LaSalle and the Illinois Medical District. The $268 million rebuild, slated to begin Sunday, will impact service between LaSalle and the Illinois Medical District, and will essentially reconstruct the entire Forest Branch of the Blue. Enter and space open menus and escape closes them as well. The goal is to reduce service delays, make rides faster and improve accessibility for people with disabilities. This will only be offered in the first phase of the work, between late July and late August. The work, scheduled to last every weekend until late April, is part of the Your New Blue OHare Branch Signal Upgrade project, a $207 million, multi-year effort in its final stage after beginning in 2014. CTA Blue Line Project Alternate Project Name Your New Blue Project Type Public Transit Financing Type TIFIA Status Credit Agreement Executed Sponsor/Borrower Chicago Transit Authority Project Description Matteson Village Administrator Anthony Burton said the road work in the village and other suburbs will benefit everyone by increasing tourism and retail. Forest Park branch riders are being encouraged to consider alternate routes, including using buses to access the Green and Pink lines, which run parallel to the section of the Blue Line that will be closed for construction. LOGAN SQUARE Crews have begun to transform the parking lot next to the Logan Square Blue Line station into an 100-unit affordable housing complex, a project years in the making. Regardless of ridership, Steele said the move was also a measure to increase service despite the agencys hiring troubles, which CTA leaders have blamed for ghost trains and buses. But on Friday, the agency announced it is expanding those extra trains to run all day, including on weekends, though weekend hours may be adjusted based on ridership. Police recovered the body of 20-year-old Briana Joy Burden Friday afternoon after a search. The Green Lines West Side branch will have extra train cars for riders. In Senate District 15, represented by Napoleon B. Harris III, about $363.7 million will go toward 55 projects, which include $45.2 million in rehabilitation along Interstate 94 west of Martin Luther King Drive to 159th Street, which includes Chicago, Calumet City, Dolton and South Holland, according to IDOT. Millions of Americans are under heat advisories as a relentless heat wave sweeps across the United States. Blue Line Construction is one of the best contractor companies in Hamilton County. Get directions, reviews and information for Blue Line CTA in Chicago, IL. Blue Line to close for construction between LaSalle and Illinois Medical District through October 00:34. This corridor passes through eight communities: Chicago, Bellwood, Broadview, Forest Park, Hillside, Maywood, Oak Park, and Westchester. Block Club Chicago is a nonprofit news organization dedicated to delivering reliable, nonpartisan and essential coverage of Chicagos diverse neighborhoods. Work includes structural repairs, painting, new platforms, improved lighting, signage, and new bike racks. The first phase of Encuentro Square is underway near The 606, while a nine-story affordable building is going up at California Avenue and Division Street. Work associated with Phase I of the Forest Park Branch Rebuild is scheduled to occur beginning Sunday, July 23 through Saturday, October 7. Thanks for subscribing to Block Club Chicago, an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom. Temporary Blue Line service changes July 23 thru early October 2023 Blueline has over 20 years experience in the tilt-up construction business. The train line dates back to 1958 and has only received moderate improvements. These improvements to I-57, US 30 and Central Avenue will connect residents with economic opportunities, education and health services and improve our quality of life.. Festivalgoers showed up to bid farewell to the beloved street fest that has celebrated its love for house music from Wicker Park to Hyde Park. July 24, 2023 / 6:26 PM Following completion of the work, the Damen station will receive similar structural and cosmetic repairs. The OHare Branch Signal Upgrade project is the largest component of the $492 million Your New Blue modernization program to provide faster and more reliable commutes along the OHare branch of the line. Say hello to Your New Blue. Editors note: A previous version of this story listed an incorrect date for when local stations would close. ABC7 Eyewitness News took a ride Tuesday morning with Chicago Mayor. The project is intended to upgrade infrastructure along the Blue Line, which is one of two Chicago train lines that operates 24 hours a day. Listen to Its All Good: A Block Club Chicago Podcast: Logan Square, Humboldt Park & Avondale reporter Work on Phase One of the project is expected to be completed by late October. The agency already had added what it calls short-turned trains on a substantial part of its Blue Line route. The Weekend Blue Line Is Finally Back Crews have successfully replaced the old Belmont crossover along the O'Hare branch. The CTA is expanding service again on a busy portion of the Blue Line to accommodate a boost in riders something that could benefit commuters stuck in traffic due to construction on the Kennedy Expressway. Opened in 1958, back when Dwight D. Eisenhower was president, the Forest Park Branch of the Blue Line has received some improvements, but after six decades of heavy use the tracks along the entire branch are beyond their useful life. Blue Line Construction The I-290 Blue Line Project is located in Cook County and extends approximately thirteen miles centered along I-290 from the I-88 and I-290 split on the west to Racine Avenue on the east. The $268 million project is funded by state and local resources, including Rebuild Illinois.. O'HARE Blue Line commuters will need to take a shuttle between the O'Hare and Rosemont stations on weekends as the CTA starts a months-long project to replace the rail signal system at the end of the line. Starting Monday, three stations on the near West Side will be closed for a significant construction project. People wait to board Blue Line trains at the CTAs Clark/Lake station in the Loop. An express shuttle will also be provided during only Phase 1a and will operate between the IMD and Jackson stations during the AM/PM rush periods on weekdays (peak travel directions only). We now have secured funding that will allow us to proceed with this.. Subscribe to Block Club Chicago,an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom. No official start date for the second phase of the project has yet been announced. Blue Line (CTA) - Wikipedia That has been corrected. CHICAGO -- Commuters heading toward the Near West Side and the Illinois Medical District will need to prepare as some CTA Blue Line stations are temporarily closed for rebuilding. About The I-290 Blue Line Reconstruction Project The same I-94 project affects House District 29 and House District 34, which are the top two House districts in the region to receive funding, according to IDOT. Roads and highways in the south and southwest suburbs will be improved over the next six years under an Illinois Department of Transportation multiyear improvement program. Sources Cited. The trend has continued into 2023, with St. Patricks Day events cited for a record 660,000 rides on March 11, according to the CTA. News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday, By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our. The tracks and signal system havent received upgrades since they were built in the early 1980s, when the Blue Line was extended 8 miles from Jefferson Park to OHare. As CTA's most capacity-constrained line, the project would include a bypass separating the Red . As a news piece, this article cites verifiable, third-party sources which have all been thoroughly fact-checked and deemed credible by the Newsroom. Riders can take free shuttle buses between the Addison and Western stations.