Chicago to rebuild section of Blue Line to reconnect underserved communities

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) will use $111 million to reconstruct 10,000 feet of rapid transit system track between Kedzie Avenue and Pulaski Road. The project will provide historically disadvantaged communities on the west side of Chicago with better transit and connectivity to critical city areas for work, education, healthcare, food, nature and recreation.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) recently provided the funds through the Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) grant program to the Forest Park Branch Rebuild project. Construction is expected to begin in summer 2027.

The NAE program is designed to improve walkability, safety and affordable transportation access in disenfranchised communities. The Forest Park Branch Rebuild project is one of 132 projects that will receive a portion of the $3.3 billion USDOT awarded for Fiscal Year 2023.

The funds will help rebuild seven rail stations along the city’s Blue Line, replace the trackbed and drainage system and upgrade the traction power system to support modern railcars. For the section between Kedzie Avenue and Pulaski Road, the city will remove the existing, outdated track structure and install a replacement track and signaling.

As part of the holistic Forest Park Branch Rebuild project, the city will make rail stations ADA-compliant and improve the speed and reliability of rail services. Plans also include improving the rail network’s environmental resilience and fully modernizing the track system.