ROGERS PARK — As major work begins on a Red Line electrical substation this weekend, nearby residents were warned by the alderman to expect "extremely loud" noise, street closures and scheduled electrical outages.
Dozens of businesses and residential buildings are scheduled to lose power from 1 to 2 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to noon on Monday.
Some business owners hadn't heard about the outages until a reporter asked what they plan to do without electricity.
"It's a major problem," said Tony Troyno, owner of J.B. Albertos pizza, 1326 W. Morse Ave. "We got a catering order to get downtown [Friday]."
Alicia Lopez, receptionist at the Foot and Ankle Clinic on Morse, said she would have to entertain patients Friday for the hour-long closure, as their machines used for testing require electricity.
"We hope it's for an hour and it won't drag on longer," she said.
Neighborhood residents living near the east side of Glenwood Avenue between Pratt Boulevard and Farwell Avenue can expect brain-rattling noise when crews begin driving pilings into the ground, around the clock from Friday morning to Monday morning, the alderman and Chicago Transit Authority officials said.
The substation construction is another chapter in the saga of Red Line improvements that began about a year ago with the renovation of several North Side "L" stations.
The substation will boost electricity to the train tracks, allowing CTA trains to travel faster.
The CTA will also close Farwell Avenue over the weekend from just west of the viaduct to Wayne Avenue.
The following addresses will lose power on Friday and Monday:
- 1300-40 W. Pratt Blvd.
- 6738-54 N. Lakewood Ave.
- 1320-36 W. Columbia Ave.
- 6922 N. Lakewood Ave.
- 6810-34 N. Lakewood Ave.
- 6807-6811 N. Wayne Ave.
- 6900 block of N. Wayne Ave.
- 1313-47 W. Morse Ave.
- 1405 W. Morse Ave.
- 1309 W. Lunt Ave.
- 1336-1342 W. Farwell Ave.
- 1323-27 W. Farwell Ave.
