The clock strikes 11:45 a.m. I finish off the remains of my lunch, grab my purse and keys, and head out the door with just enough time to spare. Now begins the fast commuter walk, dodging strollers, dogs and those ever annoying slow walkers.

I finally make it to the tracks – victory at last.

Or so I thought.

Upon arriving at the CTA Red Line, I am met with numerous delays and reroutes and am now lost in a sea of frustrated and confused commuters. I am late once again.

The CTA Red Line is under construction yet again and is perhaps causing more delays and overall chaos than ever before for countless Chicago commuters who use it daily.

This time, the CTA is working on the south end of the tracks, also known as the Dan Ryan branch. The set of tracks is over 40 years old and is now being entirely rebuilt from Cermak-Chinatwon to 95th/Dan Ryan.

The objective is to provide commuters with not only a faster ride, but also an overall more comfortable and reliable service.

To ensure this goal, CTA crews are replacing anything and everything, including ties, rails, third rails, ballasts and drainage systems.

There will also be improvements to the canopies, paint and lighting upgrades, new benches, bike racks and greater accessibility for all commuters.

While I am the first to attest to the annoying nature of train delays, there are indeed benefits to this project, specifically the creation of jobs.

This Red Line project has created hundreds of jobs, outweighing the minor inconveniences commuters will experience.

In order to avoid as many setbacks and headaches as possible, I advise being smarter about your commute instead of complaining about it.

Know the reroutes before you get on the train and give yourself a little extra time in case of further delays. Finish off that lunch on the train to save the extra few minutes if you have to.

The bulk of the Red Line construction will happen this summer, but don’t miss out on the events of the season because you have to take the Red Line. Be a smart commuter and enjoy what the city has to offer.