The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has outlined its plans to begin construction on the 5.5-mile Red Line Extension (RLE) Project in early 2026.
During three community meetings, residents of Roseland, Washington Heights, and Riverdale were given an overview of the planned work and its anticipated impacts.
The Red Line Extension project, valued at approximately 5.7 million USD, will extend the existing rapid transit Red Line from the current terminus at 95th Street to 130th Street. The expansion will include the addition of four new stations and a new rail yard, with associated facilities designed to support service reliability across the wider Red Line network.
CTA, along with design and construction partner Walsh VINCI Transit Community Partners, has already begun early-stage preparations for the project. These include property demolition and utility relocation in areas set for new infrastructure. Soil boring work is also in progress to inform the foundation and structure design.
CTA has detailed a phased construction approach, which is expected to run from 2026 through to 2030. The project will be divided into six zones, allowing concurrent construction across multiple sites. One key section, between 95th/Dan Ryan and 119th Street, will feature an elevated track structure composed of precast concrete bridge segments, assembled using a gantry system to help minimise disruption to the local area.
Construction updates, including street and alley closures, will be communicated in advance through online postings and local signage.
Once completed, the new section of the Red Line will feature stations at 103rd Street, 111th Street, Michigan Avenue near 116th Street, and 130th Street. Each will incorporate facilities for bus transfers, cycling, pedestrian access and parking. The project is expected to reduce travel times for some riders by up to 30 minutes.
