CTA Red and Purple Line Modernization Project continues
Three Red Line stops on the North Side have been closed for the past few weeks because of the CTA’s Red and Purple Line Modernization project.
The Bryn Mawr, Thorndale and Granville stops are closed on weekends to allow for preparatory track work, which includes building new track interlockings near Thorndale on the north end of the project area and by Montrose on the southern end, CTA spokesperson Tammy Chase said. The work is necessary to be able to go from running trains on two tracks to four.
Work is being done throughout the days when the stations are closed and shuttle buses are running between affected stations.
The Bryn Mawr, Berwyn, Argyle and Lawrence Red Line stations will eventually be rebuilt so they’ll be larger, 100 percent accessible and have a new track structure.
In the future, work will be done around the Belmont Red and Brown Line stop, which will involve building a rail bypass so Red and Brown line trains so not have to wait for each other to pass, the CTA said.
“We’ve added as many trains as we can,” Chase said. “[…] We have a lot of delays that have a ripple effect.”
“Right now, the CTA is still building the bypass, so the Belmont stop hasn’t been affected yet, but future work will require some reroutes and delays,” Chase said. She recommends riders sign up for email alerts to learn about service changes.
Allan Reizman • Feb 17, 2020 at 4:42 pm
Wish they would modernize the switching so purple line express can bypass the brown line local stops south of Armatage. Back before the 1960s Evanston Express trains would stay on the inside tracks 2 and 3 until Armatage where the old tower there would switch them to track 1. This allowed them to bypass the stops at Wellington, Diversy, and Armatage. Such switching was eliminated due to the cost of maintaining human operations at the Atmatage tower. Today that can be automated and It would speed up service to eliminate 3 local stops that are no longer necessary and return some express to the Purple line express.
Adam Jason mack • Feb 17, 2020 at 12:11 pm
I know cta going to increase service and capacity before, during & after rpm project, also they going to build a new bypass at or near Belmont station to carry north bound brown line trains over red and purple line tracks, CTA is going to rebuild 4 stations on the north side of red line train from Lawrence to Bryn Mawr also they going to rebuild of 100 year old track structure, also they going to upgrade amenities, benefits, services & wider platforms and improve quality of life for public transportation.