Phase One: Red-Purple Bypass

Next Steps The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will evaluate the Environmental Assessment, and the agency’s final Building a better decision documentation will allow CTA to move forward into the next phase of transit experience the project implementation (engineering) for our customers and qualify for federal funding. There are multiple opportunities to provide feedback When completed, the RPM Program throughout this process, including a public would deliver all the benefits of hearing. modern service and infrastructure for customers. Red Ahead • Faster, smoother rides – New track, RPM is part of the CTA’s Red Ahead Phase One: bridges, and viaducts, as well as program, a comprehensive initiative for electrical upgrades along the entire maintaining, modernizing, and expanding Red-Purple Bypass Red-Purple corridor would allow Chicago’s most-traveled rail line. CTA to safely increase the speeds for all trains while also offering a The Red Ahead program also includes smoother, quieter ride. the Red Line South Reconstruction Project (completed 2013), the 95th Street • Modern, comfortable, fully ADA Terminal Project (began summer 2014), accessible stations along the the Wilson Station Reconstruction Project entire corridor with elevators, (began fall 2014) and the Red Line wider platforms, and vastly Extension Project, which would extend improved amenities. the line south to 130th Street (currently in planning). • 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and upgraded electrical and signal transitchicago.com/rpmproject capacity, and the elimination of bottlenecks at an outdated rail facebook.com/thecta intersection, CTA can run longer and more frequent trains during @cta rush hour, reducing passenger wait times and alleviating overcrowding. 15sw036 RPM-Bypass New Bypass at the Current Track Configuration intersection of the Red, The current track configuration just Purple, and Brown lines north of Belmont The Red. Purple, and Brown lines currently requires up to meet at a rail intersection just north of three Red and Belmont station. This outdated, inefficient Purple line trains track configuration dates back to 1907 and to stop and wait was not originally designed to connect three for a single Brown separate routes. Line train to cross. The RPM Corridor Vision Today, this outdated track configuration is the This happens CTA is undertaking a major new initiative to equivalent of a traffic signal in the middle of throughout every completely rebuild the northern portion of a busy interstate highway. The configuration weekday but more the Red Line (Belmont station to Howard of this intersection, which forces northbound frequently during station) and the Purple Line (Belmont station Brown Line trains to cross over Red and rush hour, and to Linden station). The Red and Purple Purple line tracks, results in train stoppages Modernization (RPM) program would fully and delays that cause rush hour traffic jams often leads to train bottlenecks. replace old, deteriorating infrastructure and when CTA runs the most trains. With trains stations along Chicago’s busiest rail line, and already backing up at rush hour, adding would pave the way for CTA to significantly more trains to eliminate overcrowding would increase train capacity and improve customer only worsen the traffic jam. Unless CTA can eliminate the traffic light, it cannot add more service for generations to come. trains when they are needed most. Phase One Improvements Demand on the Red Line is growing and is A massive, multi-stage project, RPM would projected to continue to increase in the coming be completed in phases. The first phase years. Without the new bypass, CTA can’t add would include two main components: train service to meet growing demand, which means trains will grow more crowded and transit Bypass Track Configuration 1 Construction of the Red-Purple riders will wait even longer. Bypass north of the Belmont station By building a to address significant capacity As part of the first phase of the Red and Purple dedicated track for constraints caused by an outdated Modernization (RPM) program, CTA plans to Brown Line trains. rail junction where the Red, Purple, construct a new Red-Purple Bypass at this the bypass would and Brown lines intersect. The bypass intersection to eliminate the traffic light and unclog traffic at would allow the CTA to add train allow the CTA to add more train service to meet service as ridership grows and by growing demand on all three lines, especially at this intersection, increasing the number of trains that rush hour when trains are most crowded. and allow CTA to add additional pass through this intersection. The bypass would: trains to serve 2 Completely rebuilding four aging • Remove the largest physical constraint to 7,200 more riders stations (Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn, increasing train capacity in RPM corridor. per hour. and Bryn Mawr) and rebuilding all • Increase the number of trains CTA can run tracks, support structures, bridges, on the Red Line by 30 percent. and viaducts between Leland and near • Allow CTA to add up to eight more Red Ardmore Avenues. The new stations Line trains per hour in the peak direction during rush hour. would include modern amenities and elevators to make them accessible to • Enable CTA to accommodate 7,200 more passengers per hour on the Red, Purple, customers with disabilities, and the and Brown lines. new tracks would significantly improve • Reduce crowding and delays, and improve train speeds and service reliability. reliability..

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