Frequently asked questions

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is extending the Red Line from the existing terminal at 95th/Dan Ryan to 130th Street. The 5.6-mile extension will include four new fully accessible stations near 103rd Street, 111th Street, Michigan Avenue, and 130th Street. Multimodal connections at each station will include bus, bike, pedestrian, and park & ride facilities. RLE also includes a new railyard and maintenance shop near 120th Street that will contribute to improved reliability and consistent service across the entire Red Line, from Howard to the Far South Side. This project is one part of the Red Ahead Program to extend and enhance the entire Red Line. 

The Red Ahead Program is a comprehensive initiative for maintaining, modernizing, and expanding the CTA’s most-traveled rail line. The Red Ahead Program consists of separate projects that are mutually beneficial; an improvement in one area of the Red Line benefits the entire Red Line.

RLE stations will be located at:

• 103rd Street station: the main station entrance will be located on the north side of 103rd Street, west of the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. An auxiliary entrance will be located on the south side of 103rd Street. 
• 111th Street station: the main station entrance is located south of 111th Street east of the Union Pacific Railroad. An auxiliary exit will be located near the north side of 110th Street.
• Michigan Avenue station:  the main station entrance will be located south of 115th Street, west of the South Michigan Avenue. An auxiliary entrance will be located on the east side of South Michigan Avenue.
• 130th Street station: the station is located on the south side of 130th street, just east of South Greenwood Avenue between Doty Avenue and 132nd Street in the Altgeld Gardens neighborhood. 

The RLE Project will expand rapid transit to Chicago’s southern border, thus creating increased access to employment education, and cultural opportunities for residents on the Far South Side. Additionally, the RLE Project supports:

• Equity by providing affordable rapid transit to historically underserved communities and improving mobility for transit-dependent residents and people with disabilities 
• Connectivity and access to the entire city via the CTA network
• Economic opportunity through connections to employment, educational opportunities, housing, and other services, as well as economic development on the City's Far South Side
• Frequent rail service that will reduce commute times
• Sustainable transportation that helps contribute to improved air quality, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and saves energy

The CTA anticipates a total project ridership of approximately 38,000 rides each weekday. By 2040, the RLE will carry approximately 40,000 trips per day. 

In partnership with Pace Suburban Bus, the CTA initiated the South Halsted Bus Corridor Enhancement Project to improve transit along approximately 11 miles of South Halsted Street, from the Pace Harvey Transportation Center to 79th Street.

Click here to learn more about the South Halsted Bus Corridor Enhancement Project.

Pace identified South Halsted Street from the CTA Red Line 95th/Dan Ryan station to the Pace Harvey Transportation Center as a priority corridor for the implementation of Pulse rapid transit service. The corridor also includes segments of 79th and 95th Streets that provide connections to the CTA 79th Street and 95th/Dan Ryan Red Line stations. Many transit improvements developed as part of this project have been incorporated in plans for the Pace Pulse Halsted Line, which will complement the Red Line Extension Project.

Click here to learn more about the Pace Pulse Halsted Line.

The RLE Project will foster economic development in the project area, as new stations could serve as catalysts for neighborhood revitalization, spur the development of transit-supportive communities, and help reverse decades of disinvestment in local business districts.

Increased transit access will further support the local economy by attracting customers and visitors from outside the project area to local businesses, landmarks and cultural centers, bolstering community investment. To learn more about these efforts, visit the RLE Transit-Supportive Development Plan page.

The RLE Project is expected to result in a 46% increase in newly accessible jobs within an hour commute of the RLE Project area. These economic benefits could improve the quality of life in historically underinvested and disproportionately low-income and minority communities on the Far South Side. According to recent statistics, 24% of residents in the RLE Project area live below the poverty level, compared to a Chicago average of 18%, and the majority of whom are African American.

The CTA estimates that a trip on board the Red Line from 130th Street to 95th/Dan Ryan station will take approximately 12 minutes. Total travel time from 130th to the Loop with the Red Line Extension is estimated to be approximately 40 minutes, which is a time saving of up to 30 minutes as compared to the current bus to rail trip that requires a transfer. Total travel time takes into consideration vehicle running time, wait time, and transfer time.

The RLE Project would function seamlessly with the 95th/Dan Ryan station to provide improved transit service throughout Chicago’s Far South Side. More information about the 95th/Dan Ryan station is available here.

The 95th/Dan Ryan station is a critical piece of the CTA’s Red Line. It connects Far South Side communities to job centers throughout the region and serves as a transit gateway for the South Side and the suburbs. By expanding the Red Line beyond the 95th/Dan Ryan station and building four new stations on the Far South Side, the CTA seeks to improve rapid transit rail service to isolated areas and provide viable linkages between affordable housing, jobs, services, and educational opportunities, thereby enhancing livability and neighborhood vitality. Riders of existing CTA bus routes that serve the Far South Side, many of which currently connect to the Red Line at the 95th/Dan Ryan station, would have the opportunity to board at one of the new RLE stations, which would provide up to 30 minutes of time savings per trip from 130th at Altgeld Gardens to the Loop.

The operating hours for the RLE Project are anticipated to be the same as for the current Red Line, which operates 24 hours, every day of the year.

Existing bus routes may be adjusted to complement the new high-capacity transit service as a part of the overall service plan being developed for the RLE Project. Depending on the specific route of the service, the number of routes feeding into the 95th/Dan Ryan Terminal may be reduced as more efficient connections are made to new stations south of 95th Street. This would also reduce congestion in and around this facility.

RLE stations would be accessible by bicycle using existing on-street bike lanes on 103rd, 111th, 115th, and State streets. In addition, there may be opportunities in the future to connect stations to proposed bike lanes and off-street paths. Station areas would be designed to accommodate future bicycle parking and bike share stations and would not hinder future development of bike facilities.

The RLE Transit-Supportive Development (TSD) Plan analyzes multimodal access to proposed stations and provides recommendations for each station area.

Yes, the CTA is coordinating with various transportation and transit agencies regarding the RLE improvements to maximize convenience to transit customers. This includes Metra, Pace, Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) South Shore Commuter Rail Line, Illinois Department of Transportation, and the City of Chicago’s Department of Transportation. Metra served as a participating agency in the environmental review process for the project.
Connections to existing Metra and South Shore services from future RLE stations would be possible by bus. The distance between the RLE Michigan Avenue station and Metra Electric District Kensington/115th Street station is about half a mile, which allows for a pedestrian connection as well. While bus operating plans would be further defined as this project progresses, bus connections to this station along 115th Street and wayfinding would be provided to address connectivity between services.
Furthermore, the RLE Project will not preclude future regional commuter rail connections with NICTD (if ever implemented in the future) and the Metra Electric District. There is potential for connection of the Red Line Extension to the NICTD South Shore Commuter Rail Line near 130th Street. Currently, the South Shore service does not have a 130th Street station, and NICTD does not have plans to include one.

In 2023, CTA entered the “Engineering” phase of the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) New Starts program. This includes further design and engineering needed to build the project and completion of federal review process to receive full funding grant agreement (or federal grant dollars) once the engineering phase is completed. In the past few years, the RLE Project has made significant progress, including publishing the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Record of Decision (ROD), adoption of the RLE Transit-Supportive Development (TSD) Plan by Chicago Plan Commission, and the passage of the RLE Transit TIF by Chicago’s City Council.

With the RLE Project’s entry into engineering and the majority of funding secured in 2023, CTA estimates the start of construction in late 2025, with the new Red Line service beginning in late 2029. The anticipated construction start date is dependent upon a number of factors, including federal funding approvals, further engineering and design, and procurement of construction contracts. As the project progresses, and additional information is available, the CTA will update the timeline as needed and share this information with stakeholders and the public. The CTA is committed to moving much-needed rapid transit rail service ahead for Far South Side residents and communities.

The RLE project will be funded through a variety of sources. The CTA directed $365 million in its Capital Improvement Program (2022-2025) towards the RLE Project to fund engineering and design activities. This is in addition to the $75 million that was used for environmental review and preliminary engineering work. These funds are part of the local match for the federal New Starts grant program. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced in September 2023 that the RLE project was in line to receive $1.973 billion from the program. These financial investments demonstrate the CTA’s commitment to the RLE Project, to the community, and to the FTA, the federal agency to which the CTA will apply for a portion of project funding.

The project will also receive $130 million from the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program. CTA was also granted a special transit-only tax-increment financing district (Transit TIF) which will provide for $950 million of the local funding for the RLE project.

With these sources, RLE is nearly fully funded. Additional local funding sources are being finalized to secure all the funding needed for RLE.

In 2016, the Illinois General Assembly approved a new financial tool known as Transit Tax Increment Financing or “Transit TIF.” Transit TIF is an economic development tool to support investment in large-scale, long-term transit projects. On December 14th, 2022, the Chicago City Council voted to approve a Transit TIF designation for the Red Line Extension Project via ordinance. The Transit TIF is needed in order for CTA to secure as much as $2 billion in federal funds for the much-needed rail extension south of 95th/Dan Ryan. Visit the RLE Transit TIF page to learn more.

Leading up to the start of construction, engineering survey teams are in the project area as needed to perform field work and data collection.

The CTA is planning to build the RLE as one project. The design-build method of project delivery is being utilized for the majority of the project. Design-build features a single entity contracted to design and build the project, as opposed to separate contracts for the designer and construction contractor.

Based on previously conducted project planning and engineering work, the CTA selected a Preferred Alignment in 2018. The Preferred Alignment is a combination of the previously presented Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) East and West options.

The Preferred Alignment will run south along I-94 from the 95th/Dan Ryan station, then curve west along the north side of I-57 (within the I-57 right-of-way) on an elevated structure for nearly a ½ mile until reaching and crossing over to the west side of the UPRR corridor in the vicinity of Eggleston Avenue. The alignment will turn south to follow the UPRR corridor on the elevated structure along the west side of the UPRR to 107th Place. At 107th Place the elevated structure will cross over to the east side of the UPRR corridor.  The Preferred Alignment will continue along the east side of the UPRR corridor south and southeast to near 119th Street.  South of this point, the Preferred Alignment will descend to at-grade while continuing southeast. The alignment will continue south, going under 130th Street to the terminus (end) of the RLE Project south of 130th Street. 

The Preferred Alignment captures the benefits, minimizes the impacts of either option and incorporates the public and agency feedback received on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The Preferred Alignment will have fewer impacts than either the East or West options. It will affect fewer residences than the East Option, and fewer businesses and jobs than the West Option. Noise and vibration impacts will not be greater than those anticipated under either the East or West Option. The Preferred Alignment is evaluated in the Final EIS.

No. These alternatives were considered early in the environmental review process as potential alternatives. These alternatives have been eliminated based on additional technical analysis and public input received.

No. The CTA had previously considered an option that would have used the existing UPRR right-of-way for the elevated CTA track structure. Coordination between local agencies and the railroads indicated that relocation of UPRR freight operations from this corridor presents considerable challenges; therefore, this option is no longer under consideration.

The RLE will be on an elevated structure from approximately 95th Street to 118th Street, where it will transition to at-grade (ground level) and then continue at-grade before terminating near 130th Street. The 103rd Street, 111th Street and Michigan Avenue stations will be elevated, and the 130th Street station will be at-grade. The RLE will be grade-separated, meaning that it will not intersect or conflict with existing roadways.

Yes, all of the RLE stations will be accessible according to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards, including elevators. 
To learn more about CTA’s All Stations Accessibility Program and other accessibility initiatives, services, and features, visit: https://www.transitchicago.com/accessibility/asap/.

Yes, CTA’s Park & Ride facilities are planned at each of the four RLE stations. Using travel demand modeling, the CTA has estimates of the parking demand needed along the Preferred Alignment. 
The CTA is including parking at all RLE stations as a convenience for individuals who choose to drive to stations. RLE parking facilities will be owned by the CTA. The CTA is investigating opportunities for joint use of these facilities so that non-CTA riders, such as customers of nearby commercial establishments, can park there as well.

Per Chicago Municipal Code Chapter 9-64-090 Residential Parking Permits, residential parking zones are introduced by Aldermen and established by City Council. To be eligible, the proposed parking zone must meet certain requirements including demonstration of need as determined by a parking study, among other things. The CTA is coordinating with the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) on issues related to parking availability.

The safety and security of public transit riders is the No. 1 priority for both the CTA and the Chicago Police Department.
The Chicago Police Department provides law enforcement for the CTA, primarily through the Public Transportation Section, a unit of officers dedicated solely to our bus and train system. CTA supplements those efforts with unarmed security guards and our extensive security-camera network, which now has more than 33,000 cameras. With CPD, we work diligently on crime prevention efforts and combatting crime on CTA trains and buses. 
For additional detail on CTA’s commitment to safety and security, visit: www.transitchicago.com/security.

The CTA is modeling the project’s anticipated traffic impacts and coordinating accordingly with roadway agencies (i.e. the City of Chicago’s Department of Transportation [CDOT] and the Illinois Department of Transportation [IDOT]). The RLE Transit-Supportive Development (TSD) Plan includes recommendations to improve multimodal connections to the stations and surrounding areas. Encouraging and supporting additional non-vehicle modes (like walking, bike, bus, scooter) can also help manage traffic impacts. The RLE TSD Plan envisions a project that mitigates traffic impacts by promoting mixed-use development near high-quality transit to help reduce the need for a car for travel to and from the area. This decrease in car dependency may provide an additional benefit of reducing traffic congestion. To analyze anticipated impact, a detailed traffic analysis, included in the Final Environmental Impact Statement, was completed to determine the Preferred Alignment. 

The CTA studied potential noise and vibration impacts during the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). As part of the Final EIS, the CTA completed detailed noise and vibration analyses. CTA’s railcars are lighter and carry less weight than the freight cars that travel along the existing Union Pacific Railroad tracks. Elevated track structures transmit less vibration through the ground than ground level tracks, and it was determined that there will be no impacts from vibration. Detailed analysis is being conducted along the entire corridor to further refine the noise and vibration analyses.

The CTA is taking steps in the design process for the new Extension to reduce noise. These steps include:

• Installing noise barriers, which absorb and reduce noise from the tracks by 10 decibels. That’s the difference between the noise level of a vacuum cleaner and a normal conversation.
• Using a closed-deck structure, which limits transmission of noise beneath the tracks.
• Using continuous welded rail, which has fewer joints, means a smoother, quieter ride.

Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966 is a federal law that requires consideration of publicly owned parks/recreational areas that are accessible to the general public; publicly owned wildlife/waterfowl refuges; and publicly or privately owned historic sites of federal, state, or local significance in developing transportation projects. The CTA conducted a Section 4(f) evaluation as part of the project’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process.

The RLE Project will impact 4.5 acres of Fernwood Parkway between 99th Street and 103rd Street. Mitigation measures were developed in coordination with the Chicago Park District and a total of 4.5 acres of new replacement pocket parks will be created within the Washington Heights community, along the Major Taylor Trail, or additional areas based on future coordination with the Chicago Park District.

Construction of the 130th Street station will close Old 130th Street and eliminate a connection to the access road into the Beaubien Woods Forest Preserve from Old 130th Street. In coordination with the Forest Preserves of Cook County, CTA will provide funding for ecological restoration and habitat enhancement, various Beaubien Woods improvements including the transfer of approximately seven acres of land to Beaubien Woods, and new wayfinding and informational signage.

During project construction, temporary and minor construction activities are anticipated within Wendell Smith Park. CTA will coordinate with the Chicago Park District to fully restore Wendell Smith Park to the condition that existed prior to the project.

The Red Line Extension will require the acquisition of some parcels with buildings on them for the rail line and station construction. At the 130th Street Station location, some modifications to local roads will be required. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement and the Supplemental Environmental Assessment documents all building, street and road modifications and are available online at transitchicago.com/RLE.

Through extensive planning for the Red Line Extension project, the CTA determined it necessary to acquire certain properties to implement the project. In 2018, the CTA selected the Preferred Alignment for the extension and conducted outreach to potentially impacted property owners. 

All owners and tenants whose property would be potentially affected by the Preferred Alignment were notified during outreach the CTA conducted in January and February of 2018. Since that time, the CTA has continued to engage and update those property owners.

Information about potentially displaced properties is available at transitchicago.com/rle/potential-property-displacements. If you have questions about the potential acquisition of your property, please contact us at: (312) 681-4563 or at Mailto:RLE.properties@transitchicago.com

If you have a question about a specific property that you believe may be affected, we would be happy to connect with you directly. Please email us at RedExtension@transitchicago.com or call the RLE at 312-772-2272 or 1-888-YOUR-CTA (1-888-CTA-TTY1 for hearing impaired/TTY) and our property relocation liaison will contact you.

The potential change in property taxes as a direct result of the RLE is unknown. If property taxes increase, homeowners can apply for property tax exemptions and seniors can apply for property tax freezes. More information is available on the Cook County Treasurer’s website at www.cookcountytreasurer.com.

The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is a federal law that requires evaluation of potential environmental impacts associated with federal projects and actions. The NEPA process provides a decision-making framework to consider the purpose and need for a proposed action, potential design solutions, and relative benefits of a proposed project. Completing all criteria of the NEPA process was an essential requirement for this project to receive approval for New Starts grant funding from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

Under NEPA, a Draft Environmental Impact Statement, or Draft EIS, must be prepared to evaluate potential impacts to the natural environment and community. A Draft EIS describes the potential environmental benefits and impacts of a proposed project, and identifies measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate adverse impacts. The Draft EIS, which was published in 2016, is available here.

In 2020, a Supplemental Environmental Assessment, or Supplemental EA, was determined to be required for the RLE project to disclose design refinements to the project’s Preferred Alignment. The Supplemental EA evaluates three project changes that have occurred since the publication of the Draft EIS in 2016. The project changes are:

• 130th Street station relocation
• 120th Street yard and shop refinement
• 107th Place cross-over

The Supplemental EA is available for review here.

A Final Environmental Impact Statement, or Final EIS, addresses substantive comments received on the Draft EIS and the Supplemental EA. It includes further analysis where needed and describes proposed measures to mitigate any adverse impacts. In the case of the RLE Project, the Final EIS incorporates the findings of the Supplemental EA for project changes since publication of the Draft EIS. The Final EIS is combined with the Record of Decision (ROD), which presents the Federal Transit Administration’s decision regarding the project, describes the alternatives considered, and summarizes the mitigation measures that will be incorporated into the project. The Final EIS is available for review here.

The RLE TSD Plan incorporates the community’s vision for future development in the RLE corridor. It identifies methods and resources to enable mixed-use development and enhance economic vitality, multimodal connectivity and the pedestrian environment. 

Information collected during the RLE TSD Plan helps CTA secure funding for RLE through the federal New Starts program. More specifically, the plan provides information for the land use and economic development criteria requirements of the FTA Capital Investment Grants program. 

Outreach activities were completed throughout the development of the RLE TSD Plan. These efforts included public meetings to collect feedback on transit-supportive development vision and goals as well as conceptual plans for future development for each RLE station area.  To view past meeting materials, visit the RLE TSD Plan page.

The RLE TSD Plan utilizes an equitable TOD (eTOD) planning approach. eTOD planning seeks to promote development without displacement and realize community-focused benefits such as affordable housing, local economic development, and environmental sustainability. It can be a driver for more vibrant, prosperous, and resilient neighborhoods that put people of color and lower- and moderate-income residents at the center. A vital part of this plan was its community engagement and ownership process that incorporated the vision of residents and stakeholders from the surrounding neighborhoods throughout the development of the plan.

Transit-Supportive Development (TSD) encompasses a broader and more comprehensive approach than Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) by developing a vision for the entire project area. RLE will have benefits that extend beyond the half-mile radius around stations that is typically used for TOD planning. TSD planning also integrates transit planning with local land use planning, considering the positive impact of transit on development and development on transit.

The RLE TSD Plan provides a guide for future development that City agencies and developers can follow. Ultimately, new developments will still need to go through a dedicated design and evaluation process, and the community will have the opportunity to voice their desires and concerns at that time to ensure the final development becomes a positive asset for the community. 
 
One component of the RLE TSD Plan is the identification and analysis of potential funding mechanisms and strategies to encourage private development near RLE stations and in the wider project area.  Funding for future development may come through a variety of sources and incentives, such as local, state, and federal tax programs; Tax Increment Financing (TIF); as well as grants, loans, incentives, economic development programs, and private equity. These are included in the Economic Development and Implementation section of the TSD Plan.

The intent of the RLE TSD Plan is to guide and encourage future development in the RLE Project area by having a plan that embodies the vision of the community in place. The CTA is not responsible for managing or overseeing future development but is providing a plan that includes strategies to help leverage the transit investment through federal and local funding sources to promote private mixed-use development and enhance economic vitality, multimodal connectivity and the pedestrian environment.

There is no firm timeline for these developments. Some developments may happen in advance of the RLE on available land with the right financing, developer interest, and market demand. Other developments may not happen until the rail line and stations are built. The RLE TSD Plan identifies sites that have the most potential to develop first and act as catalysts for future development.

The RLE TSD Plan utilizes an equitable Transit Oriented Development (eTOD) planning approach. The eTOD approach seeks to promote development without the displacement of existing residents and achieve community-focused benefits, such as affordable housing, local economic development and environmental sustainability. eTOD can be a driver for more vibrant, prosperous, and resilient neighborhoods without displacing current residents. 

The Plan incorporates policies to preserve existing housing stock and build new affordable housing, while stimulating economic development and encouraging new construction on vacant lots. CTA is working closely with the City of Chicago’s Department of Housing, Department of Planning and Development, and Cook County Land Bank Authority to identify the best policies and programs to support existing residents within the RLE community. A list of existing programs to support homeowners and renters can be found on the Department of Housing website at chicago.gov/city/en/depts/doh.html

The CTA has entered the “Engineering” phase of the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) New Starts program This includes further design and engineering needed to build the project and completion of federal review process to receive full funding grant agreement (or federal grant dollars) once the engineering phase is completed. 

In September 2023, CTA announced that it had issued its Request for Proposals (RFP) to three contracting teams pre-selected by CTA earlier that year that demonstrated the ability to design and build the Red Line Extension in a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process that begun the year prior. The contracting teams’ proposals will be considered on a variety of criteria, including experience, price, workforce programs, inclusion of Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)-certified firms and other minority-owned firms in the project, and other factors. CTA expects major construction of this project to begin in 2025 pending federal approvals, and anticipates beginning pre-construction work in 2024 that will include property demolition and advanced utility relocation work. The RLE Project timeline is dependent upon funding availability and federal approvals.

As a part of the RLE Project, CTA is seeking to address barriers to sustainable employment for residents within the project area and people from economically disadvantaged zip codes. CTA has established partnerships with workforce partners, community organizations, educational institutions, and trade organizations to promote workforce opportunities on the project and in the broader construction industry.

Yes, as with any large public infrastructure project, especially a mega-project like RLE, many types of construction jobs will be available.

CTA began its contract procurement process in 2022 during the RLE Project’s initial planning phase and continues to advertise opportunities as they become available. The general contractor, as well as contractors for electrical and design work, have not yet been selected for the project’s construction phase. A wide variety of businesses, particularly those designated as Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE), are encouraged by CTA to bid on project work. CTA’s Diversity Department regularly assists small businesses in obtaining DBE certification and encourages small businesses in the community to reach out to us by emailing diversity@transitchicago.com.

Please visit CTA’s Procurement information page at transitchicago.com/procurement. 

You may also contact RLEprocurement@transitchicago.com for all procurement, RFP and contract related questions.

Opportunities for professional services, including design, will be posted through CTA’s procurement site: transitchicago.com/procurement/. 

Please visit the CTA's Workforce Opportunities, Workforce Initiatives, or the Second Chance Program page to see what opportunities are available now. 

Potential contractors, suppliers, and others interested in Red Line Extension procurement opportunities are encouraged to review CTA’s Buying Plan and CTA’s Procurement Portal. For additional questions regarding Red Line Extension procurement opportunities, please submit them to: RLEprocurement@transitchicago.com.