The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) will begin the complete renovation of the 70-year-old Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Clark/Division Red Line Station next week, which will keep the station open but require the temporary closure of a portion of Division Street.

“This project will be the first major renovation of the Clark/Division station since it opened during World War II,” said CDOT Commissioner Gabe Klein.  “The renovation will greatly enhance the customer experience and will follow the design elements of previous successful reconstruction projects along the Red Line.”

The Clark/Division renovation is one of several CTA capital improvement projects that are key elements of Building a New Chicago, a comprehensive $7.3 billion infrastructure renewal program put forward by Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

“This is another example of the CTA and CDOT working together to modernize and improve the transit experience, and to meet increasing ridership demand—especially for our rail service,” said CTA President Forrest Claypool, noting that rail ridership was up more than six percent over the first six months of 2012.  The Clark/Division station was the 16th busiest CTA rail station in 2011, with more than 2.54 million passengers entering.

The project, which has a construction budget of $41.1 million, will rebuild the original 1940’s mezzanine and platform, and build a new mezzanine at LaSalle Street and Division.   Construction of the new 8,800-square-foot mezzanine at LaSalle will increase the entering/exiting capacity of the station by adding stairs, fare turnstiles, elevators and escalators.

Major highlights of the renovation project include:

• Two new elevators and three new escalators
• New granite floors and stairs
• New decorative wall and ceiling tiles
• Brighter and more energy-efficient lighting
• New security equipment and customer-assistance kiosks
• Improved communication and speaker systems
• New cast iron street-level entrances
• Bike ramps and racks to promote alternate modes of transportation

The new mezzanine at LaSalle will to open to CTA customers in September 2014.   The renovation will continue on the original portions of the station to mid-2015.  

Beginning the morning of Monday, September 10th, one half-block of Division, from LaSalle to the alley west of Clark Street, will be closed to traffic for approximately one year.  

Division will partially reopen to traffic next fall with one eastbound lane for about nine months.  After Division fully reopens to traffic, the construction will continue underground for several additional months.

LaSalle and Clark will remain open to all traffic throughout the construction project. 

Pedestrian access will be maintained on one side of Division at all times during the construction period.   CDOT will closely monitor vehicular and pedestrian movement, while traffic aides will help to minimize the impact of construction.  

The CTA’s #70 Division bus affected by the closure will be rerouted starting September 10th for the duration of the construction.

Eastbound traffic on Division will be rerouted south on LaSalle to Chicago Avenue, east to Dearborn Street and back north to Division.  Westbound traffic on Division will be rerouted south on Clark to Chicago, west to LaSalle and back north to Division. 

CDOT conducted extensive community outreach to notify the neighborhood and motorists about the project and related closure of Division, including: the placement of on-site electronic message boards; meetings with all of the businesses, property owners and neighborhood organizations; and collaboration with local elected officials.

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