The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has announced it is beginning the next major construction phase of its signature 95th Terminal Improvement Project, which will expand and greatly improve the 95th/Dan Ryan Red Line station.
The next phase will include work on the tracks, existing station platform and the new North and South Terminal buildings. To complete this work, the CTA will need to make some minor changes to Red Line service during the construction period.
Separately, construction work will again require the extended closure of the left northbound lane on the Dan Ryan near 95th Street beginning as soon as March 18, 2017, dependent on weather (more details below).
Beginning April 2, CTA will reroute some Red Line trains in the off-peak direction only for approximately 2 ½ hours each weekday in order to maintain Red Line service and minimize customer impacts during construction. During these times, some off-peak direction Red Line trains south of Roosevelt will be rerouted onto the Green Line to or from the Ashland/63rd station.
The reroute will affect less than 10 percent of all Red Line trains while allowing CTA to continue to accommodate service needs across the entire line.
Morning rush period (from 7:56 a.m. to 9:14 a.m.):
- Normal Red Line peak direction service:
- Howard-bound (northbound) customers from 95th/Dan Ryan station (trains approx. every 6 minutes).
- 95th/Dan Ryan-bound (southbound) customers from Howard station (trains approx. every 3 minutes) until Roosevelt station.
- Every other 95th/Dan Ryan-bound (southbound/off-peak direction) train beginning its trip from Howard will be rerouted after Roosevelt station to Ashland/63rd Green Line station (remaining southbound Red Line trains will continue regular route to 95th/Dan Ryan station). 95th/Dan Ryan-bound customers will have regular train service every 3 minutes to Roosevelt and every 6 minutes south of Roosevelt to 95th/Dan Ryan and Ashland/63rd.
Evening rush period (from 4:40 p.m. to 5:58 p.m.):
- Normal Red Line peak direction service:
- 95th/Dan Ryan-bound (southbound) customers (trains approx. every 6 minutes).
- Howard-bound (northbound) customers boarding in the Loop (trains approx. every 3 minutes).
- Every other Howard-bound (northbound off-peak direction) train entering the Loop south of Roosevelt will originate from Ashland/63rd Green Line station. Howard-bound customers will have train service every 6 minutes south of Roosevelt from either 95th/Dan Ryan and Ashland/63rd
Customer notification
All rerouted trains will have the appropriate destination signs marked Ashland/63rd, 95th/Dan Ryan or Howard, and trains will also be designated in CTA Train Tracker and in stations. Destination announcements will be made on each train.
95th Terminal remains open during construction
The reroute is necessary as construction is continuing on the South Terminal Building, including foundations, structural steel, track alignment work, platform construction, as well as foundation work for the North Terminal and 95th Street bridge widening work. CTA will need to close both the east and west sides of the track (at separate times) that serves 95th/Dan Ryan station as well as provides access to its 98th Street rail yard. Normal service is expected to resume in fall 2017.
The 95th Street Terminal Improvement Project is a $280 million project to completely rebuild the Red Line South’s busiest station and create a safer, larger and more-efficient environment for transit riders. The completed project will not only create a signature statement for the South Side, but will better serve the existing high volume of riders by providing safer passenger access to buses and the train station. This modern facility will also expand passenger capacity and provide riders with a safer, pedestrian-friendly environment that will offer fewer delays and shorter travel times.
Extended lane closure on northbound Dan Ryan near 95th
Construction work as part of the CTA’s 95th Street Terminal Improvement Project will also again require the extended closure of the left northbound lane on the Dan Ryan near 95th Street beginning as soon as March 18, 2017, dependent on weather.
The lane closure, which was also in effect in fall 2016, is required as CTA continues efforts to expand and greatly improve the 95th/Dan Ryan Red Line rail station and bus terminal.
The closure of the left northbound lane will be in effect until approximately fall 2017, dependent on weather. The lane closure is adjacent to construction of the new 95th Street Terminal, beginning where I-57 merges into the Dan Ryan through just north of 95th Street. The closure is required to complete construction on the new facility’s foundations, as well as the construction of what will be two CTA terminal buildings—one north and one south of 95th Street — that will replace CTA’s existing 95th Street bus and rail facility.
Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. Traffic monitoring devices and changeable message signs will be installed along northbound I-57 to monitor and communicate traffic conditions to the motorists. Illinois State Police (ISP) will be adding extra patrols to the area to enforce work zone speed limits and respond to any incidents. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to flaggers and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits, and be on the alert for workers and equipment.