Brown Line Expansion Update

As many of you know, the Brown Line Capacity Expansion project is underway, with construction in progress for the signals upgrade, and construction imminent at Kimball, Kedzie, Francisco, Rockwell, Fullerton, Belmont, Armitage, Sedgwick, and Chicago. The Brown Line project will expand capacity by 33%, rehabilitate 18 stations with elevators and other ADA -accessible features, and upgrade the traction power, signal, and communications infrastructure.

A detailed 3-month schedule is available HERE. Contract announcements are here and here.

For customers, the major impact will be as follows:

• Kedzie and Rockwell will be closed beginning in the latter part of February, no sooner than February 20th. CTA's construction contract requires those closures to last no more than six months. Customers are encouraged to use the Kimball, Francisco, and Western stations during this period. The area is also served by the #78 Montrose and #81 Lawrence buses, providing connections to the Brown and Red Lines.
  
• Armitage, Sedgwick, and Chicago will all be closed for one weekend in early March. The construction contract permits five additional weekend closures to be scheduled at a later date. Alternative service will be available via the #73 Armitage, #72 North, and #66 Chicago bus routes, as well as the Fullerton, North/Clybourn, and Chicago Red Line stations.
  

I have asked CTA staff to prepare a detailed customer communication plan to ensure that those affected by these station closures receive information about alternative service options. Businesses near those stations are encouraged to contact their local chambers of commerce and the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center for information about specific business assistance programs.