CHICAGO — The Green Line is in the midst of a $20 million rehab in preparation for a complete shutdown of the south branch of the Red Line this summer, CTA officials said Thursday.
Stations along the Green Line south branch will get temporary and permanent improvements by May, the CTA said in a statement.
The Green Line construction is to accommodate an expected influx of Green Line passengers, four times the normal load, an increase of 50,000 more weekday rides. The Red Line south branch, from Cermak/Chinatown to 95th, will be completely shutdown for five months starting May 19.
The Garfield station will get a bus staging area for Red Line shuttle buses, additional turnstiles, signs, security cameras and lighting.
The Ashland/63rd station will get new roofing, paint, escalator and elevator rehabilitation, and stairs.
All Green Line stations south of Roosevelt will also get automated train tracker signs that show arrival times.
Construction for the Ashland/63rd and Halsted Green Line stations has already begun. Weekend work will shut down the stations during these weekends:
- 10 p.m. April 5 to 4 a.m. April 8
- 10 p.m. April 12 to 4 a.m. April 15
- 10 p.m. April 19 to 4 a.m. April 22
Some South Side residents are irked by the additional Green Line construction.
Red Line trains will run on elevated Green Line tracks between Ashland/63rd and Roosevelt. Free shuttle buses will take passengers from four stations south of Ashland/63rd to the Garfield Green Line station.
The Red Line south reconstruction aims to decrease commute times will cost $425 million, according to the CTA.