12/31/02
The Chicago Transit Authority has established a link on its web site that outlines information related to the Brown Line expansion project. Those interested can access the site by visiting www.transitchicago.com and clicking on Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project.
CTA Board Chairman Valerie B. Jarrett said, "The launch of this link enables our customers and the local residents affected by the project to receive timely and helpful information on the progress of the project. By creating the web link, CTA is adding another tool for effective community outreach."
The Brown Line Capacity Expansion project will extend platforms at 18 stations to accommodate eight-car trains and increase capacity by 33 percent. Sixteen stations will be reconstructed and 13 will have elevators installed, making them accessible to customers with disabilities. Signal, electrical and communications upgrades will be made as well.
"These continuing improvements to our infrastructure and facilities help us to provide service that is on-time, clean, safe and friendly and to attract new customers," said CTA President Frank Kruesi. "Thanks to the support of U.S. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, Governor George Ryan's Illinois FIRST program and Mayor Richard M. Daley, the CTA continues to move toward a state of good repair."
The web site link contains historic and background information on the Brown Line, project status and updates, a rundown of the changes/upgrades planned for each station, a question and answer section, a listing of CTA contacts, as well as contact information for elected officials and local community organizations and a glossary of terms related to the renovation.
In addition to the web site link, CTA's community outreach effort has included holding community meetings at the 30 percent and 60 percent design phase of the project. CTA expects to hold another round of community meetings at the 90 percent design early next year. Project construction is expected to begin by late 2003. The Brown Line design, engineering and construction budget is $476 million. The CTA also has a similar link posted for the renovation of the Cermak (Douglas) Branch of the Blue Line that can be accessed by clicking on Renew the Blue.
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