CTA Rolls Out Station ‘Refresh & Renew’ Program
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
So far this year, five CTA work facilities and five rail stations across the Red, Green and Pink lines have been upgraded. Pictured: Lighting upgrades at the Red Line’s Sox-35th station.
Nearly 90% of Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) rapid transit stations will be upgraded by year-end, the agency has reported.
Through an expanded and accelerated program dubbed “Refresh & Renew,” more than 125 stations are scheduled for improvements in 2021. At a minimum, each station will receive a “deep clean power wash and repainting of surfaces (e.g., columns, walls, railings, fencing/gates, platform fixtures, etc.),” and nearly one-third will receive more extensive work, such as “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,” according to CTA. Crews will also remove outdated fixtures and equipment, and repair utility and plumbing lines.
So far this year, work has been completed at five CTA work facilities and five rail stations across the Red, Green and Pink lines.
Starting in 2022, CTA aims to improve and repair approximately 22 stations per year, with heavily used stations updated more frequently.
The Refresh & Renew program builds on the “year-round, cyclical maintenance program for CTA’s rail stations and facilities initially launched in 2019,” the agency said. “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.”
CTA has a dedicated project webpage to inform riders of station work, and plans to post signage and include alerts at each location, as needed.
“Throughout the pandemic, our No. 1 goal has been to provide our customers and employees a safe, clean and healthy travel environment,” CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. said. “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.”
