The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) announced the completion of its 2025 work planned as part of the ongoing, cyclical facility improvement program Refresh & Renew. 

Since spring, the agency has invested about $6.5 million in repairs and maintenance at 44 bus turnarounds and rail stations across the system.

"The impactful work done by CTA crews as part of our 2025 Refresh & Renew program has been a multimillion-dollar investment in our riders’ travel experience that brightens, renovates, and modernizes our facilities,” said CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen. “I look forward to the work that will be done in 2026, as we continue to enhance our system and look towards new, innovative ways of welcoming and serving our riders.” 

Details regarding the 2026 Refresh & Renew program will be announced closer to the start of work, which is expected to begin in early spring.

2025’s Refresh & Renew

For 2025, CTA crews completed the following for Refresh & Renew:

• Refreshed stations with over 1,680 gallons of paint.

• Installed more than 5,000 lightbulbs to brighten spaces.

• Replaced roughly 1,100 news boards on platforms.

Secured 1,200 feet of blue tactile paneling along the edge of the platforms to keep rail passengers safe.

Created in 2019, the Refresh & Renew program aims to keep CTA’s stations in good repair through focused maintenance that enhances safety, security, and the overall look and feel of the facilities.

Since the program's launch in 2019, more than $16.6M has been invested in repairing and refreshing CTA’s rail stations and facilities system-wide through lighting upgrades, signage updates, painting, and power washing.

Before starting work at a location, crews conduct a thorough inspection of the facility and identify items requiring immediate or future repair, cleaning, or replacement.