Chicago’s Mayor Brandon Johnson joined Sen. Dick Durbin, Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Acting President Nora Leerhsen, and other dignitaries to break ground on the largest and most transformational capital construction project in CTA history, the Red Line Extension (RLE) Project.

The Red Line Extension Project will provide the Far South Side of Chicago with rapid rail transit for the first time by extending the Red Line by 5.5 miles from 95th Street to 130th Street, including the construction of four new Red Line stations at 103rd, 111th, Michigan, and 130th streets.

“This historic CTA project finally delivers on the transit promises made to the residents of Roseland, Pullman, Washington Heights, and surrounding neighborhoods decades ago,” said CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen. “We are grateful to our many partners in federal, state, and city government, who have fought alongside our agency to make this transformative project a reality. It will provide tremendous opportunity and access to employment and education for hundreds of thousands of residents on the Far South Side.”

Red Line Extension Overview

The RLE project will:

• Build a 5.5-mile extension of the Red Line starting at 95th Street Terminal to the vicinity of 130th Street. 
• Include four new accessible stations near 103rd Street, 111th Street, Michigan Avenue (near 116th), and 130th Street, each of which would include bus, bike, pedestrian, and parking facilities.
• Build a new rail yard and related rail facilities near 120th Street to improve operational efficiency for the entire Red Line and CTA system.

The Red Line Extension Project will provide a new, more direct connection to the Red Line, making trips easier and reducing commuting time. 

Once the extension opens, it is expected to provide up to an hour of round-trip time savings for riders traveling between the future 130th station and the Loop.

Stations will offer plaza areas with seating and other amenities to create welcoming spaces for residents.

All stations will receive commissioned, one-of-a-kind artwork developed with feedback from residents in the neighborhoods around them.

More than 12,500 construction jobs and an estimated 59,800 indirect jobs are expected to be created. 

Because of the improved transit options, an estimated 25,000 additional jobs will become available within an hour's commute or less. 

Project Timeline

Advance construction work has been underway to prepare the project for construction, including the demolition of properties acquired for the project and the relocation of utility poles and other equipment where the new track will be built.

With construction beginning in spring 2026, upcoming work will include:

• Drilling where new elevated track columns will be located.
• Pouring concrete to create the new track foundations, followed by track columns.
• Station construction will begin in 2027.
• The new extension and stations are expected to be completed and in service in 2030.