Red Line extension project receives nearly $2 billion in funding; enters engineering stage
CHICAGO (CBS) - The CTA Red Line is just one final step closer to having trains going all the way to 130th Street.
The federal government pledged nearly $2 billion toward the extension project.
The extension would stretch the Red Line from 95th Street to the Far South Side, with stops planned at 103rd, 111th, 116th, and 130th Streets.
The federal government gave the CTA permission to go to the engineering stage of the planning process. It's the final step before construction begins.
"It's going to make that opportunity available not only for those that have a job today but those that are seeking a job that they can get that job and they can keep that job because public transportation will get them there," said Nuria Fernandez, Federal Transit Administration.
"The CTA is a pathway to opportunity and enrichment," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "Every resident deserves convenient access to buses and trains taking them to all 77 neighborhoods of our great city and well beyond."
The CTA expects to start major construction on the extension in 2025.