The Chicago Transit Board authorized an intergovernmental agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation for the transfer of funding to support the design of future track work along a significant portion of the Blue Line’s Forest Park Branch.
This is the latest investment associated with the Forest Park Branch Rebuild Project– a multi-year, multi-phased investment program to reconstruct the entire Forest Park Branch of the Blue Line and make it 100% accessible to those who use mobility devices.
As a result of this IGA, CTA will have the funding needed to advance the $28.2 million design phase of future track work between the Illinois Medical District and Forest Park stations. As part of this future project work, which has not yet been funded, crews would completely remove more than 13 miles of existing track and underlying infrastructure, replacing them with new materials and a new drainage system.
Design work is expected to begin in late 2026. A timeline for construction would be available after the design work is complete.
IDOT applied for federal funding on the CTA’s behalf and secured a $15.8 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration. Per the terms of the agreement, eligible design costs incurred by the CTA will be reimbursed by IDOT. CTA will cover the remaining balance of design costs with a mix of state and federal funding sources.
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