Work on two Near South Side CTA track and station improvement projects continues this weekend, requiring the temporary closure of the entire Harrison Red Line station and the suspension of Orange Line service between the Halsted and Roosevelt stations – both beginning late Friday, May 16. Normal operations will resume by 4 a.m. Monday, May 19.
Harrison Station/Red Line
The station will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday until 4 a.m. Monday, May 19, while crews perform upgrades throughout the station.
Work being performed is part of a $10 million rehabilitation of the 70-year old station to make it a brighter, cleaner and safer travel environment for the 1.4 million people who use it each year. The project work includes building two main entrance canopies, waterproofing to reduce pooling of water in mezzanine and platform areas; installation of new granite flooring; new lighting; and repairs to all three station stairways.
To access Red Line service during this time, customers can either walk or board a #29 State bus to the nearby Jackson or Roosevelt stations, which are each a half mile or less from Harrison.
When the station reopens Monday morning, the Polk Street entrance will continue to be temporarily closed until May 26, as crews continue to perform deeper structural work on the south end of the station.
This weekend is the second of five weekend-only closures of the entire Harrison Red Line station. The next closure of the entire Harrison station is schedule for the weekend of May 30 – June 2.
18th Street Connector/Orange Line
Also on Friday night, from 10 p.m. Friday until 4 a.m. Monday, Orange Line service between the Halsted and Roosevelt stations will be temporarily suspended as crews continue rehabilitating the 18th Street Connector – a half-mile stretch of elevated structure that carries Orange Lines trains traveling to/from the Loop.
For customers who need to travel between adjacent Halsted and Roosevelt stations, a free bus shuttle will be provided along with free transfers back into the rail stations to allow customers to resume the remainder of their trips.
The shuttles will run continuously during normal weekend Orange Line service hours and will be able to accommodate all passengers. Customers are strongly encouraged to allow approximately 15 minutes of extra travel time when traveling to/from the Loop via the Orange Line this weekend.
Under this $25 million project, the 45-year-old elevated structure is receiving significant repairs, including track renewal work, which will provide customers with a smoother, more reliable ride. Additional project work includes painting and waterproofing the structure to mitigate leaking water from the structure, which has created icy conditions in adjacent parking lots and alleyways during the winter months.
Remaining project work is scheduled for the weekends of May 23-26 and May 30-June 2. Work will begin each Friday at 10 p.m. and conclude by 4 a.m. the following Monday. Weekend work will also require partial closures of State Street and/or full or partial closures of 18th Street. Residents and local businesses will continue to receive notice ahead of closures.
Both the Harrison station and Orange Line infrastructure projects were announced late last summer by Mayor Emanuel and CTA President Forrest Claypool as part of a $92 million transportation investment on the Near South Side, including the new Cermak-McCormick Place Green Line station currently under construction, Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) improvements to Roosevelt Road and a new auxiliary entrance at the Roosevelt CTA station
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