What's new

CTA receives FTA’s Excellence in Environmental Document Award for RLE

In October 2023 at APTA TRANSform, FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez presented Chicago Transit Authority with FTA’s Excellence in Environmental Document Award for the Red Line Extension project. The award recognizes environmental documents that exemplify best practices for a well-managed environmental documentation process, comply with prevailing requirements and expectations, and achieve the objective of paperwork reduction.

FTA news release (10/10/2023)

RLE project to receive $100 million federal grant

On Oct. 12, CTA announced the RLE 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 last month that the RLE project was in line to receive $1.973 billion of federal “New Starts” funding. This new grant award moves RLE one step closer to breaking ground in 2025!

CTA news release (10/12/2023)

Fall 2023 newsletter

New information on the RLE project's step toward $1.973 billion in FTA funds and the TSD Plan winning APA-IL's 2023 Strategic Plan Award! Plus, community spotlights, the project's outreach efforts and workforce developments.

CTA issues Request for Proposals (RFP) to build new RLE track structure and four stations

CTA is moving to the next stage in its selection of a contractor to design and build the $3.6 billion rail line extension! The agency announced Sept. 24, 2023 that it has issued its Request for Proposals (RFP) to three contracting teams pre-selected by CTA earlier this year that demonstrated the ability to design and build the Red Line Extension in a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process begun last year.

CTA’s release of the RFP to the three pre-selected contracting teams – FH Paschen, Ragnar Benson, Milhouse and BOWA Joint Venture; Kiewit Infrastructure; and Walsh VINCI Transit Community Partners – follows the agency’s issuance of a Draft RFP to the same group earlier this year. Feedback from the teams during the Draft RFP process guided the creation of the RFP, which will improve the contractors’ ability to bid on the project and for CTA to hire the best contracting team for the RLE project.

The contracting teams’ proposals will be considered on a variety of criteria, including experience, price, workforce programs, inclusion of Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)-certified firms and other minority owned firms in the project, and other factors. CTA expects major construction of this project to begin in 2025 pending federal approvals, and anticipates beginning pre-construction work in 2024 that will include property demolition and advanced utility relocation work.

CTA news release (9/14/2023)

RLE TSD Plan wins the 2023 Strategic Plan Award from the American Planning Association – IL Chapter

We are excited to share the RLE “Transit-Supportive Development Plan (TSD)” has won the 2023 Strategic Plan Award from the American Planning Association – Illinois Chapter (APA-IL)! This notable award recognizes the CTA’s vision and plan for transformational community impact related to the $3.6 billion RLE project.

Led by the CTA in partnership with Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development (DPD) and community stakeholders within the Red Line Extension Project footprint, the Transit-Supportive Development Plan for the RLE Project footprint is a guide for the future development of the long-disinvested communities on the Far South Side. The Plan is reflective of the vision of those who currently reside and do business in these communities, and was adopted by the Chicago Plan Commission in May 2023.

Visit the RLE TSD page for more information and to view the plan.

CTA news release (9/12/2023)

CTA Red Line Extension one step closer to $1.973 billion in federal funding

A rendering of the 103rd Street Station. A vibrant street with the station featured prominently over it.

Michigan Avenue Station. A lively mainstreet with the CTA station shown prominently in the background.

On Sept. 8, 2023, the federal government announced the RLE project is in line for $1.973 billion in critical grant funding needed to build the project! RLE has officially advanced into the next phase of the federal “New Starts” program – an important step to moving the project closer to groundbreaking. CTA can now begin the “Engineering” phase of the project, which includes further design and engineering needed to build the project and identifies the federal grant dollars CTA can receive for the project once the engineering phase is completed and approved by FTA.

“Today is a great day for the South Side of Chicago,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “The Far South Side has been promised for 50 years that the Red Line would be extended to the city’s southern border, and today we can say that promise is significantly closer to being met. This project brings a wealth of job and training opportunities, and it enhances the quality of life for residents who will be able to access jobs and education more easily than ever before.”

CTA news release (9/8/2023)

New RLE Benefits Sheet launches

Check out our newly updated benefits sheet released as the RLE Project prepares to enter its next phase! Learn more about the project, its benefits, and future progress.

CTA Red Line Extension Transit-Supportive Development Plan adopted by the Chicago Plan Commission

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and the City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development released the Red Line Extension (RLE) Transit-Supportive Development (TSD) Plan. The TSD Plan is a proactive effort to create a guide for future development in the long-disinvested communities located near the RLE project area. The plan is the culmination of significant community engagement, agency coordination, and technical analysis.

The TSD Plan will help leverage the full potential of the transit investment by guiding development that enhances economic vitality, transit ridership, multimodal connectivity, and the pedestrian environment along with preserving affordable housing.

The Draft TSD Plan was presented to the City of Chicago Plan Commission on February 16, 2023, and was available for public comment from February 13 to March 14, 2023.The revised Plan was presented to the Chicago Plan Commission and was adopted as an official City Plan on May 18, 2023.

Visit the RLE TSD page for more information and to view the plan.

CTA news release (5/18/2023)

CTA identifies bidders for historic Red Line Extension Project

CTA has chosen three qualified contracting teams to submit design-build proposals for project construction.

Firms submitted their qualifications through a RFQ process in 2022. The following contracting teams were selected as being most qualified to design and build the extension: FH Paschen, Ragnar Benson, Milhouse and BOWA Joint Venture; Kiewit Infrastructure; and Walsh VINCI Transit Community Partners. These entities represent a variety of local, national and international businesses.

The contracting teams’ proposals will be considered on a variety of criteria, including experience, price and other factors. We expect major construction of this project to begin in late 2025. The project start date is dependent on securing full project funding.

CTA news release (5/12/2023)

Meet The Contractors - RLE short listed prime contractors event

Join CTA Diversity Programs to learn about the Red Line Extension, short listed prime contractors, and learn more about partnering with them on upcoming opportunities.

July 18, 2023 - Register Here

Spring 2023 newsletter

New information on President Biden’s budget plan including RLE funds. Plus, community spotlights and workforce developments.

New Property Management contract awarded for Red Line Extension Project

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) today is taking another important step as part of the transformational Red Line Extension (RLE) project with the award of a new, four-year property maintenance contract not to exceed $23.5M.

The property management contract was awarded to East Lake Management Group, Inc. by the Chicago Transit Board following a competitive bid process. The initial Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation goal for the contract was 30 percent; however, the vendor surpassed that and has committed to a 60 percent DBE participation goal, which translates into more than $14M of the overall contract value being made available to businesses certified as disadvantaged business enterprises.

The RLE project has several parcels that will need to be acquired in anticipation of a design build contract being awarded at a future date. CTA will own the parcels before the design build contractor takes control of them. During this time, the contracted property manager will secure and maintain the properties. The outside services from the property manager is necessary due to the effort and timeline obligations that are needed to protect these properties.

CTA news release (1/13/2023)