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Red Line Extension highlighted: easement approvals, earmarks and a $5.7B investment celebrated
Summary
CTA staff presented a permanent easement agreement for utility relocation on the Red Line Extension, the committee recognized multiple federal earmarks and a $256,277 local match for an Englewood feasibility study in a $24.85M CIP amendment, and staff shared a Red Line Extension groundbreaking video emphasizing the $5.7 billion project and DBE goals.
CTA staff briefed the board on multiple Red Line Extension (RLE) matters and celebrated a recent groundbreaking during the June 10 meeting.
Bill Mooney, chief infrastructure officer, recommended approval of an ordinance authorizing a permanent easement agreement with Comcast and Astound to allow utility infrastructure to be relocated to newly built alleyways as part of the Red Line Extension right-of-way work. Staff said the relocation requires an interim easement during the period before the new alleys are dedicated by the city; directors asked if the easement or relocation would create accessibility barriers and staff replied "No."
The committee’s capital amendment recognized a set of congressional community-project funds (earmarks) including: $1.08 million for south-side rail station concession improvements; $2.5 million for Hallstead and 79th Street bus turnaround improvements; $1.2–$2.0 million for Rockwell Brown Line station improvements (transcript contains a range); $500,000 for Belmont Red Line station improvements; and $2 million for Forest Park branch track design. The amendment also programmed $900,000 in Section 5310 funding for digital real-time station customer enhancements and $256,277 in local-match funds for Englewood Green Line Station feasibility work. Separately during the construction report, staff screened a social-media video from the Red Line Extension ceremony and highlighted outreach and DBE engagement around the multi-billion-dollar project.
Board members discussed social-media metrics and the rollout of construction communications; staff said the video was posted on CTA's YouTube channel and other social platforms and agreed to share view metrics with board members. Bill Mooney reiterated that the Red Line Extension is a multibillion-dollar investment (staff referenced $5.7 billion) expected to create jobs and deliver four new fully ADA-accessible stations on the Far South Side.
The easement ordinance and the CIP amendment were placed on the omnibus and later approved by the full board as part of the omnibus vote.
