4/29/05
The Chicago Transit Authority has scheduled a community meeting to discuss the planned renovations of the Kimball, Kedzie, Francisco, Rockwell and Western rail stations.
CTA staff will present an overview of the Brown Line capacity expansion project with specific emphasis on work planned for the Kimball, Kedzie, Francisco, Rockwell and Western stations.
The meeting will take place Monday, May 9, 2005 from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Horner Park, 2741 West Montrose Avenue.
The Brown Line has become one of CTA's busiest rail lines, serving more than 66,000 customers each weekday. But with success has come overcrowding. Despite additional service added over recent years to accommodate more customers, capacity is still not adequate to meet demand.
During evening and morning rush hours customers sometimes cannot squeeze into a crowded train and must wait, sometimes for several trains. The purpose of this project is to increase capacity, and therefore improve service on this popular line. CTA plans to do this by lengthening the platforms to accommodate eight-car trains instead of the six-car trains currently in use. What that means for customers is that every train will be able to accommodate many more customers.
In addition to increasing capacity, Brown Line stations will also be made accessible to people with disabilities as part of CTA's ongoing commitment to have an accessible system. The project will also improve service in other ways. Wider stairways, additional entrances and exits, and more turnstiles will ease congestion during busy hours. Improved transit service will also benefit adjacent neighborhoods. Access to convenient, reliable transportation is a very desirable amenity for any community.
During the station construction phase of the project, CTA will implement staggered temporary closures of some Brown Line stations in order to stay within the project budget and preserve amenities planned for neighborhood stations. These closures will also minimize the amount of time construction crews will be present in neighborhoods.
The federal government's $423.1 million funding contribution to the $529.9 million Brown Line project is a combination of $245.5 million in New Starts funding and $177.6 million from Formula funds. Non-federal funding in the amount of $106.8 million is being provided for the project by the Regional Transportation Authority, the Illinois Department of Transportation and the CTA.
Information on all CTA service can be found by calling 836-7000 from any local area code or on the web site at www.transitchicago.com.
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