CTA Red-Purple Line Modernization, Preliminary Engineering
Chicago, IL
The CTA Red-Purple Line Modernization is the largest capital improvement project in the history of the transit organization. The ambitious $2.1B Core Capacity project is designed to increase passenger volume without expanding the footprint. The project involves replacement of tracks and stations between Lawrence and Bryn Mawr, replacement of Brown line tracks in the Lakeview neighborhood, and creating a bypass for the Brown line just north of the Belmont station. AltusWorks is the Preservation Architect and Consultant on the preliminary engineering design team.
The Red-Purple Line corridor passes through 5 historic districts and touches dozens of historic structures. AltusWorks was tasked with providing recommendations on how to best minimize negative impact on these historic resources through coordinating the findings from the environmental impact study and the Federal Preservation Act Section 106 process with the design of the new concrete rail system and modern station houses.
The most intrusive of the recommendations was to move a contributing structure to the Newport Historic District that obstructed the line of the new, straighter track. The historic Vautravers Building was moved 30 feet to the west which maintains its connection to the larger district and facilitates its future redevelopment.
Learn more at:
Red Purple Line Modernization, Lakeview Neighborhood.
Red Purple Line Modernization, Lakeview neighborhood context.
Lakeview neighborhood context at Vautravers.
Red Purple Line Modernization, Vautravers move
Red Purple Line Modernization, Uptown neighborhood context.
Red Purple Line Modernization, Uptown neighborhood context.
