CTA | Douglas Branch Rehabilitation

Douglas Branch Rehabilitation - Renew the Blue!

Renew the Blue!
Blue Line Cermak (Douglas) Branch Rehabilitation

Introduction:

Need for the Project:

47 percent of the Cermak (Douglas) branch in 15mph "Slow Zone"
Only three of 11 stations were ADA accessible
Power delivery system obsolete
Communication system not ADA compliant

Objectives of the Project:

Quality Service
Eight stations were rebuilt
Five miles of track were replaced
Maintained current service during the project
Minimized inconvenience to customers
Minimized impact on public and business in project area

Duration of the Project:

Started in Summer 2001
Completed in 2005

Download PDF Brochure
Cermak (Douglas) Branch Rehabilitation
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Along the Line Brochure
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The Chicago Transit Authority is the nation's second largest public transit system, serving Chicago and 40 suburbs. Each weekday, the CTA provides nearly 1.6 million rides across a network of 8 rail lines and 154 bus routes.

The Blue Line Cermak (Douglas) Branch, now part of the Pink Line, stretches along 6.6 miles (35,000 feet) of track that runs parallel to Cermak Road from the terminal at 54^th/Cermak east to Paulina, where it turns north and meets with the Blue Line Forest Park (Congress) Branch at Harrison Street.

Situated on Chicago's West Side, the Cermak (Douglas) Branch was built between 1895 and 1912, and includes 11 stations: 54^th/Cermak, Cicero, Kostner, Pulaski, Central Park, Kedzie, California, Western, Hoyne, 18^th and Polk. The branch provides rapid transit service to nearly 9,000 customers daily who reside in Pilsen, Little Village, North and South Lawndale, the Lower West Side and the surrounding communities.

Over the years, the Cermak (Douglas) branch deteriorated to the point that nearly half of its 6.6-mile length (35,000 feet) was in "slow zones" that required trains to operate at 15 m.p.h. instead of the normal 55 m.p.h. The slow zones caused a trip from the terminal at 54^th/Cermak to downtown to take up to 35 minutes. With the reconstructed line, this trip takes only 28 minutes.

The project was completed in 2005 and involved the replacement of five miles of track; the reconstruction of eight stations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (54^th/Cermak, Kostner, Pulaski, Central Park, Kedzie, California, Western and Hoyne); installation of escalators at the Polk Street station; new rail traffic signals and communications equipment to improve the operations of the rail system; and the reconstruction of the rail yard at 54^th/Cermak. Construction crews worked mostly during the evenings and on weekends. Rail service continued to operate uninterrupted.

My Station: Detailed description of the construction activity at the train stations is available by clicking the following links or by clicking on the station names on the map (on left):

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Did the CTA close the Cermak (Douglas) Branch?
A: No. The CTA was committed to maintaining current service levels during construction and made all efforts to minimize inconvenience to customers.

Q: How much did it cost to rehabilitate the branch?
A: Approximately $482 million.

Q: Where did CTA secure funds to begin the rehabilitation of the branch?
A:$384 million from Congress, $80.9 million from Illinois FIRST and the balance came from regional funding.

Q: When did the construction begin?
A: Summer 2001.

Q: How long did the construction take?
A: The project was completed in 2005.

Q: When did construction take place?
A: The construction crew worked weekdays, evenings and weekends to complete projects as quickly as possible.

Q: Were the stations closed during construction?
A: No. Current service continued to operate and temporary stations were used.

Q: If I would like more information, whom should I call?
A: 1-888-YOURCTA (1-888-968-7282)

Q: Why was this work needed?
A: Because 47percent of the Cermak (Douglas) branch was in 15mph "Slow Zone", only three of 11 stations were ADA accessible, the power delivery system was obsolete and the communication system was not ADA compliant.