(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Illinois leaders say the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) Red Line Extension project will receive a significant boost in funding from the federal government.
The Federal Transit Administration is now providing $746 million to the CTA Red Line Extension Project — which is $396 million more than what was originally promised. The move will speed up the rate at which federal funding is paid out to CTA over the course of the project.
U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Chicago) said the financial boost means the agency can secure contracts immediately and “save hundreds of millions of dollars in project costs.”
“Public transit is a lifeline to daily life for many Chicagoans,” Quigley said. “The Red Line Extension project is a major step in building a more equitable transit system for our city, ensuring the benefits of public transit can be utilized by communities that have historically lacked access.”
The project will extend the Red Line south from the existing terminal, located at 95th Street/Dan Ryan Expressway, to 130th Street. CTA officials said the extension will serve about 100,000 people, and they added that most of those served by the extension “are from low-income households on Chicago's South Side.”
Quigley, along with Democratic Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin, said the financial support was possible because of the infrastructure bill passed in 2021, which they said has designated $89.9 billion in transit funding. They added that Illinois has received $4.1 billion in direct transit funding — the fourth highest of any state.
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