Duckworth, Durbin Announce $100 Million Federal Grant to Upgrade Chicago’s Red & Purple Lines
[CHICAGO, IL] – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $100 million in federal funding to make safety and accessibility upgrades on the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) Red and Purple lines. This funding for the CTA’s Red and Purple Modernization (RPM) Program comes through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Capital Investment Grants (CIG) competitive grant program. The project will expand capacity along the Red and Purple heavy rail lines in the 5.6-mile segment of the corridor between the Belmont and Howard stations on the north side of Chicago. The project includes reconstruction of four stations and 1.3 route miles of guideway, a new grade-separated flyover for northbound Brown Line trains, installation of a new higher-capacity signal system, power substation upgrades and purchase of 32 new railcars.
“Federal investments like this will rebuild Chicago’s public transit system to improve the commuter experience and create good-paying jobs,” Duckworth said. “I’ll keep working with Senator Durbin and others to bring home the resources necessary to modernize Chicago’s infrastructure and improve the transportation systems to improve the lives of hardworking Illinoisans.”
“This federal funding will help strengthen CTA's aging infrastructure, creating a safer and more efficient experience for passengers,” Durbin said. “Senator Duckworth and I will continue fighting for investments in Chicago's transportation infrastructure that creates jobs, revitalizes neighborhoods, and strengthens the local economy.”
As a member of two Senate committees with jurisdiction over our nation's transportation systems and infrastructure projects, and the Ranking Member of the Transportation and Safety Subcommittee, Duckworth has also been a vocal advocate for infrastructure investments and for upgrading our public transit systems, which create good-paying jobs in Illinois. In August of 2017, Duckworth rode the Blue Line with local disability rights advocates to demonstrate the need for 100 percent compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act throughout the CTA system.
As a member of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) Conference Committee, Senator Durbin helped create the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Capital Investment Grants (CIG) competitive grant program in 2012. CTA became the first transit system accepted into the program in November 2013.
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