CTA to receive Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ)/Carbon Reduction Program grant; construction expected to begin in 2025
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) announced today that the Red Line Extension Project, which will build a 5.6-mile extension of the Red Line to 130th Street, will receive another $100 million of federal funding, moving the project closer to the CTA’s goal of breaking ground in 2025.
The project will receive a $100 million grant from the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ)/Carbon Reduction Program, after receiving $30 million from the same source in 2021. The announcement follows the recent notification from the Federal Transit Administration in September 2023 that the RLE project was in line to receive $1.973 billion of federal “New Starts” funding.
“CTA is successfully putting together the critical funding we need to build the transformational Red Line Extension, which will increase access to transit for Far South Side residents and serve as an economic catalyst for the region,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “The Red Line Extension will improve residents’ quality of life by increasing access to jobs, education and more. I thank our federal partners for the continuing support of this life-changing project.”
The remaining project funding will come from a $950 million Transit TIF approved by Chicago City Council in 2022 and other sources.
Red Line Extension Project Overview
The RLE project will:
- Build a 5.6-mile extension of the Red Line starting at 95th Street Terminal to the vicinity of 130th Street.
- Include four new accessible stations near 103rd Street, 111th Street, Michigan Avenue, and 130th Street, each of which would include bus, bike, pedestrian and parking facilities.
- Build a new rail yard and related rail facilities to improve operational efficiency for the entire Red Line and CTA system.
The Red Line Extension Project will provide a new, more direct connection to the Red Line – this means an easier trip and less time commuting. Once the extension opens, it is expected to provide up to 20 minutes time savings to riders traveling from the future 130th Station.
Project benefits for surrounding communities:
- An award-winning RLE Transit-Supportive Development (TSD) Plan in partnership with Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development (DPD). The Plan is a proactive effort to guide the future development of the long-disinvested communities located near the RLE project area, and it reflects the vision of those who currently reside and conduct business in these communities.
- The Extension Is expected to bring more than 25,000 jobs to Cook County in future years.
- Includes opportunities for workforce training and jobs and participation in the project by small Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)-certified small businesses.
- CTA supports DBEs through efforts including the Building Small Business program and partnerships with its construction contractors.
Preliminary project renderings can be found here. For more information about the Red Line Extension Project, visit transitchicago.com/rle.
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