CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Chicago Transit Authority said it has taken a “significant” step towards securing federal money for the planned Red Line extension.
The CTA said without the Federal Transportation Administration's preliminary approval of the Red Line extension, the project likely would have hit a dead-end.
Now, officials said service on the 5.6-mile extension — if the $1 billion in federal money is approved — is set to begin in 2029, three years later than originally planned. The CTA the earlier completion date had been a preliminary estimate, and was based on "limited information."
The CTA now has two years to complete the next phase of planning.
"While this year has brought forth a tremendous amount of uncertainty, one thing that remains certain is CTA’s unwavering commitment to advancing the Red Line Extension project,” CTA President Dorval R. Carter Jr., said in a statement. “A project of this magnitude requires careful planning and design, which I’m proud to say has been done and will continue every step of the way as we work to advance this transformational project that will benefit the Far South Side and the entire city of Chicago.”
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The extension of the Red Line to 130th Street is expected to add four new stations, and will run between 95th and 130th Streets. The total cost is projected at $2.3 billion.