8/12/05
Due to Chicago Transit Authority construction of a new steel viaduct on Main Street along the Purple Line in Evanston, a temporary closure of Main Street will begin on Monday, August 15 and last through late fall.
Main Street will be closed between Custer and Chicago Avenue, requiring CTA #200 Main Shuttle buses to be rerouted via Main-Ridge-Greenleaf-Chicago. Purple Line service remains unaffected by construction and pedestrian access, as well as access to businesses on Main Street will be maintained throughout the project.
The new bridge is being built on Main Street to the east of the existing viaduct. Work includes replacing the existing concrete viaduct with a single 100-foot span steel bridge in addition to rebuilding the concrete abutments and adding new lighting, sidewalks, retaining walls and asphalt paving.
The existing viaduct was constructed in 1910 and has deteriorated over time due to use and repeated freezing and thawing during winter months. Replacing the Main Street viaduct will eliminate the need for a slow zone along that expanse of track thereby improving travel time for customers.
Elgin, Illinois-based Kiewit-Western is serving as the construction contractor on the $5.3 million capital improvement project. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
The Purple Line extends from the Linden station in Wilmette to the Howard terminal in Chicago, where customers can make connections with Red Line trains that serve stations in the State Street subway downtown and with Yellow Line trains that operate to Skokie. Purple Line Express trains operate Monday through Friday during morning and afternoon rush periods, with trains offering non-stop service from Howard to Belmont, then making all stops to the Loop.
The Purple Line is the sixth busiest rail line in the CTA system, totaling 3,025,842 rides in 2004.
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