CTA kicks off 2026 construction season
On April 21, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) kicked off the 2026 construction season, which includes numerous ongoing infrastructure projects, including the expansion of CTA’s Refresh & Renew program, which aims to create welcoming spaces for riders of all ages and now includes a pathway as part of the program for residents to get connected with training to advance career development.
CTA says the approach ensures that investments made in transit benefit the communities CTA serves by providing a modern, safe and welcoming transit system for all, which is core to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Build Better Together initiative.
“When we invest in our transit system, we invest in our CTA workers and the residents across our city who rely on this system to get to work, school and opportunities throughout Chicago,” Johnson said. “Riders from Bronzeville to Rogers Park will benefit from the work CTA crews are doing this construction season to deliver a quality transit system that connects Chicagoan to opportunities and community."
Building on the success of the Refresh & Renew program, launched in 2019, CTA is expanding its efforts to create welcoming spaces across the system. In addition to performing routine maintenance that enhances the safety, security and overall look and feel of rail and bus facilities, crews will also be adding new child sized benches at 10 rail station locations and landscaping elements at nine rail and bus locations.
“Our vision for the CTA is rooted in people, and this is brought to life with this year’s expansion of the Refresh & Renew program, which goes beyond basic improvements and adds elements that let’s our riders know they are welcome and we are proud to be a part of their communities,” said CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen. “Further, our collaboration with Greencorps Chicago to include landscaping is more than just beautification, it’s reaffirming our commitment to creating opportunities to the communities we serve, particularly those facing barriers to employment."
An estimated $6.5 million in improvements will be performed this year at rail and bus locations across the CTA service region. Now through November, improvements will be made at 28 rail stations, plus 14 bus turnarounds.
Chicago Department of Transportation Acting Commissioner William Cheaks, Jr. noted that the partnership “connects residents to real-world training and career pathways while supporting improvements that will make stations more welcoming for riders across the system.”
CTA says that prior to starting work at a location, crews perform an initial and thorough inspection of the location to identify any behind the scenes or customer-facing items that need repair and/or replacement–either immediately or in the near-term.
Some of the more comprehensive improvements made as part of this program include concrete repairs, removal of outdated fixtures and equipment, repairs to utility and plumbing lines and more. Work also includes smaller cosmetic upgrades such as painting and replacing sheet metal or damaged signage, lighting upgrades, cleaning and repair of surfaces (columns, walls, railings, fencing/gates, platform fixtures, etc.) and power washing are also performed.
To complement Refresh & Renew, the CTA also will be launching its seasonal power washing teams to attack grime collected during the winter months. This separate group of personnel are dispatched during the overnight hours and tasked with scrubbing and power washing the surfaces of CTA’s stations. Each year between the spring and fall seasons, each of CTA’s 146 rail stations is power washed at least once a month as part of routine station cleaning efforts.