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CTA says four ASAP stations moving to full service; Racine aiming for late Sept–Oct opening
Summary
CTA infrastructure chief Bill Mooney updated the ADA advisory committee on the All Stations Accessibility Program and Red-Purple Modernization Phase 1, saying Racine’s new station house and elevators are nearing commissioning and four RPM stations will enter service with commemorative events planned.
Bill Mooney, chief infrastructure officer for the Chicago Transit Authority, told the ADA advisory committee that major construction milestones on the All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) and the Red-Purple Modernization (RPM) Phase 1 project are approaching and that the agency is aiming for late September–early October openings at several upgraded stations.
“State the station house is coming together. We are right now targeting late September, early October opening,” Mooney said during the committee’s July meeting. He described new station houses, elevator towers and canopy installations at Racine and listed RPM stations—Bryn Mawr, Berwyn, Argyle and Lawrence—as nearing service cutovers.
Mooney said engineers have cleared planning and environmental steps at additional ASAP sites, including Pulaski, Oak Park and Ridgeland, and that projects such as California and Montrose remain in design or procurement. He called out a recurring technical hurdle: the electrical feeds needed for modern elevator systems often require new utility vaults and separate permits, including coordination with the Illinois Department of Transportation when work crosses or goes beneath highway medians.
The presentation included construction photos and a timeline for “phase C” work and punch-list items. Mooney said the RPM phase change will include a commemorative first-train ride and that a public sign-up link would be published online; a ribbon-cutting with elected officials is planned afterward.
Committee members asked about materials and lighting choices. Mooney said white glazed subway tile was selected for durability and to improve interior light, and that some stations (for example Argyle) retain accent colors requested by neighborhood stakeholders. He also described coordination with the Chicago Department of Transportation on sidewalks and curb access around station entrances.
Mooney invited further feedback and said the project team would share refined schedules as commissioning dates firmed up. The committee did not take formal votes on construction work during the meeting; the presentation was recorded for the committee’s project files.
The committee will receive further updates at future meetings and on public CTA channels when specific station-opening dates are finalized.
