Final EIS/ROD issued for CTA’s Red Line Extension project

Aug. 15, 2022

The 5.6-mile southern extension of the Red Line would improve transit connections to Chicago’s far south side, which is a historically underserved area.

Mischa Wanek-Libman

An artistic rendering of what a future Red Line station at 103rd Street could look like as part of the the planned 5.6-mile southern extension of CTA's Red Line.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), published the combined Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Record of Decision (ROD) for the Red Line Extension (RLE) project that will extend CTA’s Red Line 5.6 miles south.

The RLE project is described as “one of the most critical and transformative investments for Chicago’s Far South Side communities.” The extended rail line would move the Red Line’s southern terminus from 95th Street to 130th Street and it would be constructed as an elevated and ground level project. It will save up to 30 minutes travel time between the city’s far south side and downtown, which CTA says will open the far southern communities to more opportunities for jobs and economic development.

The project is one of three major components in CTA’s larger Red Ahead Program, which is designed to maintain, modernize and expand the Red Line – the city’s most traveled rail line.

“Completing the Final EIS and receiving a Record of Decision for the Red Line Extension Project is a major step forward,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “CTA is committed to advancing this transformational investment that not only brings benefits for the Far Southside, but the entire CTA transit system, which serves the city of Chicago and 35 surrounding suburbs. Equity is at the foundation of this project and investment in the Red Line Extension supports a stronger Chicago for all.”

The communities of Chicago’s far south side have been historically underserved with 24 percent living below the poverty level. CTA estimates the RLE project would deliver a 46 percent increase in newly accessible jobs within an hour commute of the RLE Project Area.

What the Final EIS/ROD means for the project

With the publication of the Final EIS/ROD, the formal environmental review for the project is complete and allows the project to advance to the next steps of the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program as a New Starts project.

The RLE project entered the project development phase of the CIG program in December 2020. According to information in the RLE project document on FTA’s website, CTA anticipates entering New Starts Engineering in the fall of 2022, receiving a Full Funding Grant Agreement by the end of 2023 and entering revenue service in mid-2029.

More information about the Final EIS/ROD is available through CTA’s RLE project page on its website.

About the Author

Mischa Wanek-Libman | Editor in Chief

Mischa Wanek-Libman serves as editor in chief of Mass Transit magazine. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the magazine’s editorial direction and is based in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Wanek-Libman has spent more than 20 years covering transportation issues including construction projects and engineering challenges for various commuter railroads and transit agencies. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.

She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and serves as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.

She is a graduate of Drake University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a major in magazine journalism and a minor in business management.