The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) began the critical work necessary to prepare to break ground in early 2026 on the transformational Red Line Extension (RLE) Project on the Far South Side, the agency told residents during a series of community meetings.

CTA held three meetings in the Far South Side communities of Roseland, Washington Heights, and Riverdale with Walsh VINCI Transit Community Partners, which has been hired to design and build the Red Line Extension.   

CTA’s RLE Project

The $5.7 million RLE project will extend the CTA’s Red Line 5.5 miles from 95th Street to 130th Street, including building four new Red Line Stations. 

The RLE will improve access to rapid rail transit and provide faster, more convenient service to residents. Extending service will also improve access to jobs, educational and health care institutions and promote economic development.

Information provided to residents included:

Advance construction work 2025

• Property demolition where the new Red Line track structure will be located is underway.

• CTA is working with ComEd, Peoples Gas, and other utilities to relocate utility poles and equipment in the area of the future new track structure.

• Walsh VINCI is performing soil boring work to evaluate the soil’s composition, which is important to developing the designs for the foundations and related structures for the new Red Line Extension track.

Construction 2026-2030

• Walsh VINCI is currently designing the project and developing the construction schedule with major groundbreaking expected to begin in early 2026.

• The construction work will be divided into six geographic zones to allow crews to work in multiple locations on new track structures, stations and the track systems work (including signals and other operational equipment).

• Construction of the elevated track structure from the 95th/Dan Ryan Red Line station to 119th Street will include manufacturing individual concrete bridge segments off-site and transporting them to the construction site, which reduces impact to the community. The bridge will be assembled with the use of a large construction gantry system.

• Residents will be notified in advance of construction work and impacts such as temporary street and alley closures. The Construction Activity Notices will be posted in the work areas and online. The contractor will take measures to mitigate impacts to neighborhoods.

Career and small business opportunities with CTA and the Red Line Extension Project

CTA has launched a wide-ranging effort to have as many people and small businesses as possible participate in the RLE. The project is expected to bring more than 25,000 jobs to Cook County in future years and create opportunities for workforce training. 

Small businesses certified as Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) will have opportunity to participate in the project through the CTA’s DBE Program. The goal is to have more than twenty percent of the construction and design subcontractors on this project DBE-certified. 

Red Line Extension Project 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 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 — this means an easier trip and less time commuting. Once the extension opens, it is expected to provide up to 30 minutes time savings to riders traveling from the future 130th Station.