Red-Purple Bypass Project SUMMARY Chicago, Illinois | May 2015 Chicago Transit Authority Executive Summary PROJECT SUMMARY Introduction and Project Overview The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is undertaking an initiative to completely rebuild the northern portion of the Red Line from Belmont station to Howard station and the Purple Line from Belmont station to Linden station. The Red and Purple Modernization (RPM) Program would fully replace old, deteriorating infrastructure and stations along Chicago’s busiest rail line, paving the way for CTA to significantly increase train capacity and improve service for generations to come. RPM Phase One This massive, multistaged program would be completed in phases and would provide riders with all the benefits of modern service and infrastructure when complete. As part of the program, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and CTA have been analyzing proposed improvements to the line. Phase One of the RPM Program includes the Red-Purple Bypass Project and the Lawrence to Bryn Mawr Modernization Project. Within the RPM corridor, Phase One also includes corridor signal and other interim track improvements, which are not anticipated to have any significant environmental impacts. CTA is developing preliminary designs for these interdependent projects, while each undergoes separate environmental review. This Environmental Assessment (EA) covers the Red-Purple Bypass Project. Red-Purple Bypass Project The Red-Purple Bypass Project would construct a fifth track bypass just north of Belmont station where the CTA rail system Red, Purple, and Brown line tracks converge at an existing flat junction. Improvements would also include reconstruction of approximately 0.3 mile of the mainline Red and Purple line tracks from Belmont station on the south to the segment of track between Newport and Cornelia Avenues on the north. This project would modernize infrastructure and expand capacity, reduce passenger travel times, and improve system mobility and safety at one of the largest bottlenecks in the CTA rail system. Project Summary About this Summary Thorndale Bryn Mawr Berwyn kwell Harlem BLUE LINE c estern edzie W Francisco Damen Ro Kimball K Jefferson Park Montrose Montrose Irving Park FTA and CTA have prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Red-Purple Bypass Project. The EA is a federally mandated document that evaluates the significance of impacts of the transportation project proposal. This summary provides an overview of the content and process used to Addison prepare the EA. Contents of this project summary include the following: • The purpose and need for the Red-Purple Bypass Project Belmont • A summary of the planning process and alternatives that led to this project proposal • A description of the proposed project, identified as the Build Alternative • A summary of the potential benefits and impacts of the Build Alternative, Logan Square along with proposed mitigation measures for adverse impacts • An overview of the public outreach and process California • Project commitments and next steps Western Purpose of the Environmental Assessment (EA) Process The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 The EA provides a detailed assessment of social, y- r Damen (NEPA) is a federal law that mandates the economic, and environmental impacts of the Northconsideration/Clybo urof environmentaln impacts Clbeforear k/Divproposedision project and recommends measures to ark approval of any federally funded project that may address the identified impacts. ato P have significant impacts on the environment or v Division Following public feedback on the EA, FTA will issue r where impacts have not yet been determined. ark a finding on the proposed project based on the o The NEPA process provides a decision-making eland P r Chicago Chicago Chicsignificanceago of impacts identified during the NEPA framework to consider the purpose and need for a g process. The finding will guide future planning and proposed action, potential design solutions, project implementation of the project. ustin Merch edzie Grand costs, and relative benefits. Grand A Cice Conse Central Oak Central Laramie Pulaski Harlem/Lake Rid K Mart GREEN LINE 2 Red-Purple Bypass Project See ornia f gan Downtown r ark o Cali Inset P Ashland r Mo estern ustin edzie- W A Oak Cice Harlem K Homan Pulaski Illinois Medical District BLUE LINE Polk Harrison UIC- Roosevelt 18th Racine Halsted PINK LINE Cermak-Chinatown o r ark P ornia edzie f Halsted estern ostner Cice ORANGE LINE K Damen Pulaski K W Cali Ashland Central 54th/Cermak 35th/Archer Sox-35th 35th-Bronzeville-IIT Indiana 43rd Kedzie 47th 47th Western 51st Pulaski Garfield RED LINE Garfield Project Summary Project Purpose and Need Project Purpose Need for the Project The purpose of the Red-Purple Bypass Project • A substantial number of transit customers rely is to improve capacity, travel time, ride quality, on the existing train line to connect Chicago’s and safety in one of CTA’s highest ridership North Side and northern suburbs with the Loop corridors. The project would allow CTA to increase (Chicago’s central business district) and the rest functional capacity to meet ridership demands of the metropolitan area. while maintaining or improving the quality, speed, • Peak ridership demand exceeds existing and passenger comfort of each ride and improving infrastructure capacity. access to job markets and destinations. • Passenger crowding is common on trains. The capacity expansion would have the added • Delays occur frequently at Clark Junction. benefit of bringing this critical infrastructure into a state of good repair, improving efficiency and service • Overall train speeds are reduced due to cross reliability and extending the overall life of the transit traffic and antiquated infrastructure. system by 60 to 80 years. • Existing infrastructure is substantially past its useful life. • Maintaining safe operating conditions becomes more difficult and costly as the infrastructure ages. Clark Junction: A Problem of Capacity 90 80 H All growth scenarios exceed Brown Line Clark Junction capacity 70 Purple Line M Red Line 60 L Actual Projected 50 40 Current Clark Junction Capacity Limit (40-44 Trains Per Hour) 30 20 10 AM Peak Trains Per Hour Required on Two Tracks Southbound 0 YEAR (2008 - 2040) Updated for 2014 data H High Growth Scenario based on average growth in peak hour train loading 2008 - 2014 M Medium Growth Scenario (average of High and Low Growth Scenarios) L Low Growth Scenario based on annual average weekday boardings 2000 - 2014 Clark Junction is the largest constraint in the RPM corridor, limiting capacity on all three lines that pass through this area. General rail transit design guidance recommends junctions be grade separated when trains operate as frequently as they do through Clark Junction. The number of trains CTA needs to operate to meet crowding standards in the peak hour is already within the range of maximum capacity at Clark Junction, and demand has been growing. Red-Purple Bypass Project 3 Project Summary Alternatives Development Process The proposed project evaluated in this EA was developed and evolved through a multiyear planning process that began in 2009. From 2009 to 2013, CTA has continued to refine the Build Alternative based on technical analyses and through continual dialogue with the community. 2009–2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Research and RPM Phase One NEPA Scoping Alternatives RPM Vision Study Concept Design Definition and NEPA Process Refinement Process Reviews • 2009–2010: CTA conducted a vision study • 2012: CTA held two community update meetings between fall 2009 and fall 2010 to understand in early 2012, which allowed attendees to the public’s priorities and concerns, conduct learn about refined alternatives for the RPM an existing conditions analysis, and frame corridor based on public scoping, review project project alternatives. The analysis helped define information, and clarify their understanding of the the purpose and need and included a high- project and environmental process. The bypass level evaluation of potential improvements to at Clark Junction was introduced at public open the corridor. The process included four public house meetings in February 2012. meetings attended by over 300 people, a website, • 2013: During 2013, CTA conducted additional a comment period, and a direct mail survey research and a conceptual design process to look sent to over 11,000 residents and businesses at ways to further minimize environmental impacts. along the corridor. In late 2013, FTA and CTA developed a tailored • 2011: In January 2011, the NEPA scoping approach for phased improvements to the RPM process began. The purpose of this process corridor. was to inform the public about the project and • 2014: CTA announced the Red-Purple Bypass gather input on the scope of the environmental Project to the public in April 2014. Throughout studies, draft purpose and need statement, and spring 2014, CTA held a number of focused alternatives to be evaluated. Four public scoping community group meetings and held a public meetings provided the public with an opportunity open house. These meetings were conducted to to comment on the project purpose and need, gather early input from the public on the proposed alternatives to be considered, and issues and improvements and determine areas of concern to areas of concern to be considered in the Draft be analyzed and documented within the EA. Environmental Impact Statement for the entire 9.6-mile RPM corridor. Red