Red-Purple Bypass (RPB)

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Construction of a grade-separated bypass for the Brown Line at Clark Junction, just north of the Belmont station. This involves removing the largest physical capacity constraint in the RPM corridor, where three separate services on six tracks merge onto four tracks. This work will also realign and replace approximately 0.3-miles of Red and Purple mainline line tracks from the Belmont station to between Newport and Cornelia Avenues on the north, increasing speed, reliability, and capacity in the project corridor.

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Lawrence to Bryn Mawr Modernization (LBMM)

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Modernization, expansion, and addition of ADA accessibility at four Red Line stations (Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn, and Bryn Mawr) and reconstruction and expansion of approximately 1.3-miles of track, structures and viaducts, to accommodate expanded stations and platforms from Leland Avenue to Ardmore Avenue.

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Corridor Signal Improvements (CSI)

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Installation of a new higher-capacity signal system from approximately Belmont Avenue to Howard Street, allowing for increased throughput of trains and reliability of operation.

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Project Status

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September 2021 marked two years since construction began on the RPM project. WFDBT has made substantial progress on the RPB flyover and, at the same time, has completed all preliminary work for the reconstruction of tracks and stations in the LBMM.

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RPB Progress

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The Red-Purple Bypass flyover structure is near completion and will be fully operational in the fall of 2021. The concrete work of the bypass structure is complete, track installation, traction power and signal and system integration work just commenced, while precast noise barrier erection is in full swing. Preparation work continues on two tie-in locations, at Belmont Station and at the Ravenswood tie-in to integrate the new bridge into the existing track structure. 

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Vautravers Building, a landmark in the area, was recently moved 34 feet out of the way for the construction of the new main line tracks.

 

A temporary track structure is being built on the west side of the existing tracks to reroute southbound Brown Line trains in Fall 2021 for the removal and replacement of the exiting main line tracks. Steel rehabilitation work on the existing southbound Brown Line structure in preparation for the next phase of the project is ongoing.

 

LBMM Progress

 

Pre-stage work for the LBMM was successfully completed in Spring 2021 when train traffic was shifted from a four-track operation to two tracks. Two temporary stations at Argyle and Bryn Mawr have been installed and are open for CTA service. 

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That operational shift was followed by the start of Stage A construction which involves the removal and reconstruction of the two east side track structure. With track removal completed, focus is now on the removal of eleven existing viaduct structures, partial removal of the eastside retaining wall and the demolition of the existing stations that are out of service.  Erection of a temporary engineered barrier to separate the CTA train service from the construction work is near completion. Work commenced on structural excavation and installation of drilled-shaft foundations for new southbound structure.