The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has expanded and accelerated its Refresh & Renew program to improve rail stations, as part of the agency’s When You’re Ready, We’re Ready campaign.
Refresh & Renew will bring improvements to nearly 90 percent of CTA’s rail stations.
“Throughout the pandemic, our number one goal has been to provide our customers and employees a safe, clean and healthy travel environment,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “Refresh & Renew is our way of rolling out the welcome mat for our returning riders. Clean and well-maintained stations are an important part of our commitment to providing a comfortable transit experience.”
Under the Refresh & Renew program, CTA will accelerate its existing rail station revitalization program with more than 125 stations scheduled to receive improvements in 2021. Work performed will vary by location, but at a minimum, each of the identified stations will receive a deep clean power wash and repainting of surfaces (e.g. columns, walls, railings, fencing/gates, platform fixtures, etc.) this year.
Nearly a third of the identified locations will receive more extensive work in 2021, which can include upgraded LED lighting throughout, improved platform amenities (e.g. benches, trash bins, windbreaks, etc.), concrete repairs, updating or replacement of old or damaged signage, permanent repairs and more. Crews will also address behind-the-scenes needs and repairs to keep the stations in a state of good repair, including removal of outdated fixtures and equipment, repairs to utility and plumbing lines.
Refresh & Renew builds on the CTA’s year-round, cyclical maintenance program for CTA’s rail stations and facilities initially launched in 2019. During the winter months, crews are typically focused on making repairs and improvements to CTA work facilities and subway stations, and from spring through fall, work is targeted for outdoor rail stations.
To help alert customers as to when work will be occurring at their location, the CTA has created a dedicated project webpage and will be posting signage and alerts at each location a few days before work begins, while work is occurring and following the completion of work.
So far this year, work has been completed at five CTA work facilities, plus five rail stations across the Red, Green and Pink lines. The following are the stations that are included in the 2021 Refresh & Renew schedule:
- Red Line: Howard, Jarvis, Morse, Loyola, Granville, Thorndale, Addison*, Sheridan, Belmont*, Fullerton, Clark/Division, North/Clybourn, Chicago, Grand, Lake, Monroe, Jackson, Harrison, Roosevelt, Cermak-Chinatown, Sox-35th*, 47th, Garfield, 63rd, 69th, 79th, 87th
- Blue Line: O’Hare, Rosemont, Cumberland, Harlem, Montrose, California, Western (ORD), Damen, Washington, Monroe, Jackson, Clinton, LaSalle, UIC-Halsted, Racine, Illinois Medical District, Western (FP), Kedzie-Homan, Pulaski, Cicero, Austin, Oak Park, Harlem, Forest Park
- Brown Line: Kimball, Kedzie, Francisco, Rockwell, Western, Damen, Montrose, Irving Park, Addison, Paulina, Southport, Wellington, Diversey, Armitage, Sedgwick, Chicago, Merchandise Mart
- Pink Line: 54th/Cermak, Cicero, Kostner, Pulaski, Central Park, Kedzie, California, Western, Damen, Polk*
- Orange Line: Midway, Pulaski, Kedzie, Western, 35th/Archer, Ashland, Halsted
- Green Line: Harlem/Lake, Oak Park, Ridgeland, Austin, Central, Laramie, Cicero, Pulaski, Conservatory, Kedzie, California, Ashland, Morgan, Clinton, Roosevelt, 35th-Bronzeville-IIT*, Indiana, 43rd, 47th, 51st, Halsted, King Drive, Ashland/63rd, Cottage Grove
- Purple Line: Linden, Central, Noyes, Foster, Davis, Dempster, Main, South Blvd.
- Yellow Line: Dempster-Skokie, Oakton-Skokie
- Loop Elevated: Clark/Lake, State/Lake, Adams/Wabash, Library, LaSalle/VanBuren, Quincy, Washington/Wells
Following the completion of work in 2021, Refresh & Renew will aim for improvements and repairs at approximately 22 stations per year, with heavily used stations being visited more frequently.
*Indicates stations where Refresh & Renew work has been completed already this year.
