There could soon be fewer of the notorious slow zones on the Forest Park branch of the CTA Blue Line, as work is planned to begin rebuilding the first piece of the line.
The CTA has approved a contract to rebuild one section of track. It’s the first piece of the agency’s plans for a larger reconstruction of the busy branch, which is known for delays and slow zones that force trains to travel at lower speeds.
Nearly 70% of the Forest Park branch of the line has slow zones, the CTA said. Built in the late 1950s, components of the track are beyond their useful life, according to the agency.
This week, the CTA moved forward with plans to reconstruct tracks along a roughly 1.5 mile stretch between the UIC-Halsted and Illinois Medical District stations. The CTA has discussed plans to reconstruct other sections of the line in phases, but has not yet specified plans, a timeline or funding for the rest of the work.
The agency approved a $105 million contract to Kiewit Infrastructure Company for the first piece of construction, which calls for replacing rail ties, rails, signal parts and other work. The CTA is also planning work at the Racine station to address accessibility, including a new elevator, work on the station house and extending the platform to allow for a new set of stairs at the Racine Street entrance.
Once finished, the first phase is expected to remove about 15,000 feet of slow zone, and is expected to speed up travel times by two minutes, the CTA said.
The agency said it did not yet have information about the timing of the work or effects on service, and would announce them once the construction plans are final.
The CTA is also among the agencies seeking a federal grant that, if approved, could help rebuild tracks on the branch from a location near the Austin station to Cicero Avenue.
“The Blue Line is a lifeline for those living and working in the surrounding communities and who make up the millions of rides we see along this branch each year, but for too long these riders have had to rely on a system that has become slower and greatly in need of modernization,” CTA President Dorval Carter said in a statement. “This investment will allow us to deliver the level of service Blue Line riders deserve — which is safer, faster and more reliable.”
sfreishtat@chicagotribune.com
