CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Information sessions are being held this week for North Side residents and business people who want to know how they’ll be impacted by the just-started CTA Red Purple Line Modernization Project.
The CTA will be installing new tracks and switches this year between Lawrence and Bryn Mawr and for the three years after that will be rebuilding the Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn and Bryn Mawr stations.
According to CTA spokeswoman Tammy Chase, the project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024.
Area resident Richard Faloon knows he’ll be inconvenienced by the CTA project, but he said it’ll be worth it.
“I think it’ll be nice to see the stations updated and ADA compliant, but it’s going to be quite the effect to the commute for three years," Faloon said.
Michael Roper is the owner of Hopleaf Bar in Andersonville. He’s concerned about the closing of the Berwyn station while a new station is built. He said he does big tourist traffic from out-of-towners coming from downtown.
Otherwise, he said, “they’re going to look at Timeout or whatever and they’re going to say, oh, I can get there real easily from my hotel, get on the Red Line, get off at Berwyn and then they’re going to get on the train and there is no stop at Berwyn.”
48th Ward Ald. Harry Osterman said there have been dozens of meetings with residents and businesses in preparation for the start of the work.
“The challenge that we’re going to face...is how do we survive five years of construction?” he said.
Osterman said the Red Line in his community is more than 100-years old and is crumbling and is in need of replacement.
“I’m going to probably be eating more egg rolls and food on Bryn Mawr and on Berwyn, but the reality is, like anything in a community, people have to support local businesses," Osterman said.
Spokeswoman Tammy Chase said the CTA has a “whole robust effort with the city’s Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Department and the city’s Department of Planning to try to help businesses that will be impacted by the construction work.”
She said the agencies will be looking “to identify all of the grant programs, all of the small business lending. Everything we can do to help our businesses, whether it’s to improve their storefront or build a website or advertise and use Google or Facebook to maximize their exposure to customers.
“We’re looking at everything, because as good neighbors, we have to do that. We have to take care of our neighbors," Chase said.
The three remaining informational open houses will be:
Tuesday, Jan. 28:
4-8 p.m.
Furama Restaurant, 4936 N. Broadway.
Thursday, Jan. 30:
9 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4-8 p.m.
St. Ita Catholic Church, 5500 N. Broadway