Phase One: Red-Purple Bypass
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Next Steps CTA is conducting an Environmental Assessment for the Red-Purple Bypass Project in order to qualify for federal funding. Building a better There are multiple opportunities to provide transit experience feedback throughout this process, including a public hearing once the Environmental for our customers Assessment is prepared. When completed, the RPM Project would deliver all the benefits of Red Ahead modern service and infrastructure for customers. RPM is part of the CTA’s Red Ahead program, a comprehensive initiative for • Faster, smoother rides – New track, maintaining, modernizing, and expanding Phase One: bridges, and viaducts, as well as Chicago’s most-traveled rail line. electrical upgrades along the entire Red-Purple Bypass Red-Purple corridor would allow The Red Ahead program also includes the CTA to safely increase the speeds Red Line South Reconstruction Project for all trains while also offering a (completed 2013), the 95th Street Terminal smoother, quieter ride. Project (beginning in summer 2014), the Wilson Station Reconstruction Project • Modern, comfortable, fully ADA (beginning in fall 2014) and the Red Line accessible stations along the Extension Project, which would extend entire corridor with elevators, the line south to 130th Street (currently wider platforms, and vastly in planning). improved amenities. • Less crowding and more frequent service – With wider, longer station [email protected] platforms along the entire line and upgraded electrical and signal transitchicago.com/rpmproject capacity, CTA can run longer and more frequent trains during rush facebook.com/thecta hour, reducing passenger wait times and alleviating overcrowding. @cta 14JN012 RPM-Track New Bypass at the Current Track Configuration intersection of the Red, The current track configuration just north Purple, and Brown lines of Belmont requires up to three Red and “Your attention please: We are standing Purple line trains to momentarily, waiting for signal clearance. stop and wait for a Northbound Red Line STOP STOP single Brown Line train We expect to be moving shortly.” This Northbound Purple Line to cross. This happens message is heard on a daily basis by up Northbound Red Line STOP STOP throughout every Northbound Purple Line to 150,000 customers who travel through weekday but more the busy rail intersection where the Red, frequently during rush The RPM Corridor Vision Purple, and Brown lines meet. hour when trains must wait for signal CTA is undertaking a major new initiative Currently, when northbound Brown Line clearance every three to completely rebuild the northern portion trains travel across this intersection, any to four minutes. This of the Red Line (Belmont station to Howard Red or Purple line trains approaching configuration can station) and the Purple Line (Belmont station produce rippling delays this intersection must stop and wait for STOP to service on all four to Linden station). The Red and Purple signal clearance. This means as many as tracks, delaying over 40 Modernization (RPM) program would fully three Red and Purple line trains may be STOP percent of all weekday replace old, deteriorating infrastructure simultaneously delayed. This outdated track Red, Purple and and stations along Chicago’s busiest rail configuration dates back to 1907 and was northbound Brown line, and would pave the way for CTA to Line trains. significantly increase train capacity and not originally designed to connect three Southbound Red Line Belmont Station Belmont Station Southbound Brown & PurpleSouthbound Brown Lines (Loop) Northbound Line Brown separate routes as it does today. improve customer service for generations Southbound Red Line to come. Belmont Station Belmont Station Southbound Brown & PurpleSouthbound Brown Lines (Loop) Northbound Line Brown As part of the first phase of the Red and Phase One Improvements Purple Modernization (RPM) program, CTA plans to construct a new Red-Purple Bypass Track Configuration A massive, multi-stage project, RPM would be completed in phases. The first phase Bypass at this intersection to increase the A bypass would provide would include two main components: speed and efficiency of all Red, Purple, and a dedicated track for Brown line trains. This improvement would Brown Line trains. 1 Construction of the Red-Purple eliminate the need for trains to stop and This means trains and Bypass north of the Belmont station Northbound Red Line thousands of customers to eliminate delays where the Red, wait for crossing trains. Northbound Purple Line Northbound Brown Line traveling on all four Purple, and Brown lines all intersect Northbound Red Line tracks will no longer Northbound Purple Line and trains must stand and wait for With a bypass, Brown Line trains would need to stop and wait Northbound Brown Line other trains to pass. proceed along a dedicated track providing for signal clearance at a range of benefits: this intersection. 2 Completely rebuilding four aging stations (Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn, • Reduce delays and crowding and and Bryn Mawr) and rebuilding improve reliability. all tracks, support structures, bridges, • Increase the number of trains CTA can and viaducts between Leland and run on the Red Line by 30 percent. Hollywood Avenues. The new stations would include modern amenities and • Add six to nine trains per hour during elevators to make them accessible rush periods. to customers with disabilities, and • Speed Red and Purple Line trains by 60 Northbound Line Brown the new tracks would significantly improve train speeds and service Southbound Brown & PurpleSouthbound Brown Lines (Loop) Southbound Red Line percent through this intersection. Belmont Station Belmont Station Northbound Line Brown reliability. • Save customers a half million travel Southbound Brown & PurpleSouthbound Brown Lines (Loop) Southbound Red Line hours each year. Belmont Station Belmont Station.