Regional Capital Program

This job order will provide for the design/construction of two new elevators at the Montrose Blue Line Station. Further this project will fund replacement of canopies at Montrose station.

Rehabilitate Rail Stations - ASAP (AUSTIN): This project is part of CTA’s All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP). The goal of ASAP is to create a vertically accessible rail system within 20 years. ASAP also adds accessibility features to vertically inaccessible stations such as sidewalks and crosswalks, power-assisted doors, accessible fare array, braille and signage, accessible Customer Assistance (CA) kiosks and staff toilet rooms, enhanced lighting as appropriate, and expanded platform clearances for wheelchair maneuverability.This project is to improve the vertical accessibility at the Lake Line Austin station (Austin station). The original street level station opened on April 15, 1899 as a section of the “Lake Street Elevated Railroad’s” surface level extension. The current stationhouse was rebuilt in 1962 as part of the project that moved the western end of the Lake Street line from a street level alignment to an abandoned strip of the parallel “Chicago and Northwestern Railway” embankment. The Lake Line began using this elevated right-of-way on the CN&W (today’s Union Pacific) embankment between Laramie and Harlem on Sunday, October 28, 1962. This station has not been upgraded since it was rebuilt. The Austin station has been identified as a station that is not vertically accessible for all customers and will require the installation of an elevator to serve this center platform configuration. Work on this project will also bring elements of the station up to current Chicago Building Code requirements and meet the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 130 Standard for Fixed Guideway Transit and Passenger Rail Systems emergency egress requirements.

This project with provide for the renovation and expansion of the California Station. It will include a new platform, new emergency exist stairs and two new elevators. The station will be 100% ADA accessible. In addition, state of good repair work will be performed as part of the station renovation.

CTA developed the Elevator Replacement Program to strategically maintain existing passenger elevators across the rail system as vertical accessibility is expanded via ASAP. The Elevator Replacement Program will rehabilitate or replace existing passenger elevators throughout the CTA rail system to reduce the backlog of elevator rehabilitation and replacement needs and bring them into a state of good repair. Current funded phase I provides for the replacement of betweenn 16 to 20 elevators and phase II provides for additional 16-20 elevators.

Project provides funding to complete the 100% design plan for all six targeted Stations. Additional funding will be made available to retrofit or rebuild stations to achieve make vertically accessible. Oak Park Green Line (Lake Branch)The proposed scope of work for this station includes: Add a ramp between street level and the stationhouse; Remove the escalator from the stationhouse to the platform in addition to repositioning one set of stairs to allow wheelchair passing space and turning at platform level; Position the elevator connecting the stationhouse and platform between the two sets of stairs; and Reopen the stairs and Euclid Ave. stationhouse at the east end of the platform to provide an additional exit through the existing corridor underneath the inbound tracks.Ridgeland Green Line (Lake Branch) The proposed scope of work for this station includes: The complete renovation and expansion of the Ridgeland Ave stationhouse to include an ADA compliant ramp between street-level and stationhouse; The addition of an elevator from the stationhouse to the platform; Extension of the platform to the west to accommodate the new elevator; Extension of the platform to the east to accommodate a new platform exit stair; and Provide a new exit stair and bridge over the inbound tracks to allow additional exiting at the east end of the platform.Irving Park Blue Line (O’Hare Branch) The proposed scope of work for this station includes: Two new stationhouses each with a CA kiosk and elevators providing access to the north and south ends of the platform (one on the north side of Irving Park Road and one on the east side of Pulaski Road); To add accessibility at this station, the existing stationhouse on the south side of Irving Park Road is proposed to be converted to a stationhouse without a CA kiosk; and The stationhouse on the west side of Pulaski Road will remain unchanged.Belmont Blue Line (O’Hare Branch)The proposed scope of work for this station includes: Maintain all existing stairways and escalators; Provide one elevator for access between street level and the unpaid side of the stationhouse; Provide one elevator for access between the paid side of the stationhouse and the platform; and Install and emergency stairway at the south end of platform and provide street-level exit at northeast quadrant of Barry Ave./ Kimball Ave.Grand /Milwaukee Blue Line (Dearborn Subway)The proposed scope of work for this station includes: Maintain all existing stairways and the escalator that are currently in use; Provide one elevator access within an existing mixed-use building at the northwest corner of Milwaukee / Halsted between street level and the unpaid side of the stationhouse below; Provide a second elevator access between the paid side of the mezzanine-level stationhouse and the platform; Provide a new stairway to the south side of Grand Ave west of Halsted to facilitate bus transfers connecting to a previously closed corridor leading from the stationhouse; and Provide a new exit stair at the south end of the platform connecting the platform to a mezzanine level south side of Milwaukee, with another stairway leading from mezzanine to street level in the southeast quadrant of Milwaukee and Halsted.Division Blue Line (Dearborn Street Subway)The proposed scope of work for this station includes: Maintain the stairway between street level and stationhouse level on the west side of Ashland Ave, and remove the stairway on the east side; Expand the stationhouse to extend underneath the intersection island at street-level known as Polonia Triangle. This expansion will provide a direct connection between Polonia Triangle and the unpaid side of the stationhouse via an elevator, stairway and an up-only escalator; and Provide two stairs and one elevator on paid of the stationhouse between the stationhouse level and platform level. Provide one exit-only stair and one exit-only escalator from platform to stationhouse.

Project will fund the replacement of a select number of escalators. CTA is currently in development of a PPS document to prioritize the replacement effort. This program upgrades or replaces aging escalators within the system. The general scope of work includes: demolition of the existing escalator, modification of the existing structure, and fabrication and installation of the new escalator. Stations along the Blue line O’Hare branch have been identified as priority locations for escalator replacement.

Irving Park and Belmont - O’Hare Blue accessibility enhancments including new elevators.

Partial Construction funds will provide for the Oak Park & Ridgeland Stations on the Green Line.The Oak Park proposed scope of work for this station includes: Add a ramp between street level and the stationhouse; Remove the escalator from the stationhouse to the platform in addition to repositioning one set of stairs to allow wheelchair passing space and turning at platform level; Position the elevator connecting the stationhouse and platform between the two sets of stairs; and reopen the stairs and Euclid Ave. stationhouse at the east end of the platform to provide an additional exit through the existing corridor underneath the inbound tracks.The Ridgeland Green proposed scope of work for this station includes: Complete renovation and expansion of the Ridgeland Ave stationhouse to include an ADA compliant ramp between street-level and stationhouse; addition of an elevator from the stationhouse to the platform; Extension of the platform to the west to accommodate the new elevator; Extension of the platform to the east to accommodate a new platform exit stair; and provide a new exit stair and bridge over the inbound tracks to allow additional exiting at the east end of the platform.

The project will reconstruct the main Pulaski entrance to replace the current non-compliant ramp to platform level with one elevator and one staircase. The closed Keeler Ave. auxiliary entrance will be reopened, and the ramp will be reconstructed to meet accessibility requirements for landings, providing a redundant pathway not dependent on an elevator. All station signage will be updated for improved wayfinding. At platform level, passenger amenities such as benches or shelters, will be improved with a focus on the head car location where most passengers with disabilities ride.

Project will provide for the next phases of the ASAP Program. Preliminary planned stations under next phases include Clybourn (Red), Cicero and Austin (Blue) and when/if discretionary funding becomes available would likely target additional stations on the blue line.