Station Renewal Program
We're working hard to make your commute better!
That’s why we've recently started a Station Renewal Program where various work crews we call “Renew Crews” will come to a station and work together in a coordinated, comprehensive and efficient way to make improvements.
This is a big change from the way we've been doing station repairs and cleanings—we think you’ll notice a big improvement in the way we do the work that makes your station cleaner, brighter and better overall.
We’re doing this because our customers deserve to have facilities that are visually appealing, clean, and equipped with amenities that enhance their CTA experience.
This SWAT team approach to cleaning will result in more holistic changes that we believe will be noticeable and appreciated. It not only improves the look and conditions of the stations, it is a more efficient way to work.
What's involved
Depending on the needs of a station, we may power-wash walls, floors, stairs, ceilings and elevators, repaint painted surfaces, improve the lighting, remove graffiti, clean gutters and drains, replace outdated or damaged signage and much more.
This way, rather than dealing with issues on an as-needed basis, one at a time, we can pool our resources and get carpenters, electricians, plumbers, metalworkers and other trades working together to bring a whole station to a renewed state all at once.
Renew Crews will be hitting about 100 CTA rail stations on every rail line. Over the next year or so, you'll see our crews out in force -- in Chicago, Evanston, or one of our other cities or towns -- working to make your commute cleaner, safer, and more comfortable.
See photos and details of work we recently completed.
Now Improving: Howard (Red, Purple, Yellow Lines)
Howard, the terminal for the Red, Purple, and Yellow lines, serves the Rogers park community area. The original station at this location opened in 1908, and was subsequently elevated and rebuilt circa 1921-22. A new, modern station was recently constructed in 2006-09. The following work is slated:
- Remove damaged shelters in bus terminal
- Repair concrete column bases on bus terminal canopy
- Replace damaged bus stop signs and sign poles, as needed
- Clean corridor near bus terminal in front of parking garage elevators
- Clean tape and adhesive residue from surfaces, as needed
- Clean and relamp light fixtures throughout station, as needed
- Add or replace vinyl trim along wall base in Paulina Street entrance mezzanine, as needed
- Remove unneeded benches and garbage cans from Paulina Street entrance mezzanine, redeploy garbage cans to more strategic locations in mezzanine
- Repaint stair railings from Paulina Street entrance mezzanine to platforms
- Repaint railings at the ends of the platforms
- Repair broken or damaged concrete on platforms, as needed
- Replace wooden railing next to the elevator at the south end of the 95th-/Loop-bound and platform with metal railing
- Repaint platform windbreaks, as needed
- Clean and/or replace damaged or obsolete signs, as needed
- Replace broken glass panel in platform windbreak
- Replace damaged tactile edge panels on Linden-/Skokie-bound platform
- Replace damaged wall tiles in Howard Street entrance, as needed
- Replace missing ceiling panels in Howard Street entrance, as needed
- Repaint walls in corridor between Howard Street entrance and Paulina Street
- Inspect doors and locks, service/repair as needed
- Replace vandal shield on glass throughout station, as needed
- Replace electrical outlet covers throughout station, as needed
- Repaint garbage cans in bus terminal and throughout the station
- Inspect and clean drains, gutters and downspouts, repair as needed
- Install perforated metal mesh vandal shield on elevator window glass
Now Improving: Belmont (Blue Line)
Belmont, on the Kimball Subway portion of the O'Hare Branch of the Blue Line, is in the Avondale neighborhood and community area. Located at Belmont and Kimball avenues, the station opened in 1970 as part of the Kennedy Extension project. The following work is slated:
- Prep/scrape, prime and paint bus turnaround canopy, apply new station identification graphics
- Install perforated metal panels on the outside face of station entrance stair/escalator enclosure glass curtain wall in bus turnaround
- Remove existing bus canopy roof, flashings, and fascia, and replace with new modified bituminous membrane roofing
- Power wash, seal and polish the granite floors in the mezzanine and on the platform
- Power wash the glazed brick masonry tunnel walls in street-to-mezzanine stairs, in the mezzanine, and at platform level
- Clean, power wash, and paint the subway tubes
- Power wash, prime, and paint the vaulted, flat and coffered concrete ceilings through the station
- Power wash street-to-mezzanine stairs and mezzanine-to-platform stairs
- Perform water management to prevent and mitigate leaks in the tunnel
- Install additional light fixtures on the subway platform tunnel walls
- Re-tuckpoint selective areas of masonry tunnel walls at platform level
- Prep, prime and paint steel stair structure
- Polish stainless steel on sides of all escalators
- Polish stainless steel of the Customer Assistant booth walls, concession stand, and the rolling grilles
- Install new garbage cans and recycling bins throughout station
- Clean and replace signage, as needed
- Inspect and clean drains
- Clean light fixtures and lenses throughout station; replace lenses and/or relamp as needed
See More Stations & Photos of Recent Improvements
Here are some stations recently spruced up by the Renew Crew (follow links to see what was done):
Stations Up Next for Renewal
Here are some of the stations on our renewal agenda:
- 35th/Archer (Orange Line)
- 54th/Cermak (Pink Line)
- Cottage Grove (Green Line)
- Wilson (Red Line)
- Noyes (Purple Line)
Details about what work will be done at future station renewals stations is being assessed. Information will be posted as available.