By: Olivia Hill (Loyola Senior), Makayla Merrell (Loyola Sophomore), Kate Roudebush (Loyola Sophomore), and Ava Ubaydi (Loyola Junior)
In 2019, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) began the $2.1 billion Red and Purple Modernization Phase One Project (RPM) which aims to create smoother, more reliable transportation service for riders of the Red and Purple lines.
RPM, which intends to be completed by 2025, involves a new signal system between Howard and Belmont, a new bypass structure and rebuilds of four red line stations. Upon the project’s completion, the CTA expects transit to be relieved of overcrowding and more accessible to riders with disabilities.
As of this summer, the CTA began the final major phase of RPM which will finalize fully accessible Red line stations at the Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn, and Bryn Mawr stations. These stations will be modernized and more easily usable for riders with disabilities.
Though the project’s longevity and intricacies pose unique challenges for riders, the CTA is working alongside communities to minimize adversities and is optimistic about the construction and the advantages it will soon bring to the community.
With portions of the Red and Purple lines currently including infrastructure that is over a century old, changes are essential for the L and its riders.
“Rebuilding and modernizing stations, tracks, and infrastructure will allow [the] CTA to improve operational efficiency and meet ridership demand for the next 100 years,” said Christina Bader, Project Manager of Strategic Planning for the CTA.
Dependable, streamlined service is of utmost importance with this project.
RPM Construction Poses Challenges for Chicago’s Locale
The project hopes to benefit Chicago’s transit, yet the work’s longevity and complexity have proven to be challenging for affected communities and riders.
Despite the project’s intensive workload, many residents know little about what is truly being done to improve their methods of travel.
For some, however, the destruction that has come out of RPM has caused challenges that cannot be overlooked.
Though the CTA and the city of Chicago have made it clear that the RPM project aims to revitalize local economies and foster community spaces around existing and proposed stations, some businesses are currently facing challenges brought on by the construction.
Retail storefronts along Red and Purple Line stops offer Chicagoans a wide variety of ways to support their favorite businesses. Whether it be a restaurant, art gallery, café, gym, or bookshop, riders are guaranteed to find something that suits their interests with the added convenience of being central to a transit hub.
At 1134 W Argyle Street, just steps away from the previous Argyle Red Line station, QIdeas Plants offers Uptown residents a unique selection of houseplants and gifts.
The store’s location has undoubtedly had an impact on business, especially with the redevelopment of the L stop in the iconic “Asia on Argyle” district.
QIdeas owner, Ellen Duong, has seen firsthand how RPM has disrupted the community since the Argyle station has been temporarily relocated to Foster and Winona, one block north of the previous entrance.
“The revitalization changed the area’s zoning laws which in turn changed the neighborhood experience and foot traffic,” she said. “Due to the closure, there was less foot traffic and it resulted in a decrease in business.”
This is not an uncommon experience for businesses around affected stations. This project is a massive undertaking by the CTA and it will take years to complete effective transformations in the surrounding areas.
“Due to the density of Uptown and the makeup of the housing market, a lot of our customers utilize the train to travel,” Duong said. “Being near the train station was certainly a plus for us and creating an open, inviting and safe space to passengers was important.”
QIdeas, currently closed for remodeling until January, once welcomed customers into its space with a lush sidewalk display of fruit trees and houseplants. Now, bulldozers and fencing populate the street, with the emblematic pagoda and signage put into storage until the construction’s predicted wrap date in 2025.
Small business owners like Duong want to ensure that the historical significance of the neighborhoods is sustained amongst improved infrastructure. “We want to protect and continue to grow Argyle’s historic cultural relevance and allow Argyle to evolve and connect with younger generations in order to sustainably exist,” she said.
While economic development spurred by the Red and Purple Line Modernization Project is welcomed with open arms, it is important that businesses that have existed near L stops for decades continue to see community support amid this transit transformation.
Residents Call for a Logical Approach to Transit
Many residents in the Rogers Park and Edgewater communities rely on CTA transit for their daily commutes. Due to the convenient location of the Loyola Red Line stop across the street from campus, many students rely on it every day to get them to work, the Water Tower Campus, or simply to explore the city.
“Any day or time that I need to go somewhere, I can get there on the Red Line. I really wouldn’t have any other way of public transportation without it,” Loyola Sophomore Hunter Minne said.
Historically, concerns about efficiency, ease and safety have dominated conversations about Chicago’s public transit. Seemingly every Chicagoan has countless stories of their own unpleasant experiences–from delayed travel times to inconvenient rerouting, the L can be full of surprises.
Whether one loves or hates public transportation, they can typically name what they feel are much-needed improvements to the current systems at any given time.
This desire for smoother, more logical travel routes is quite common throughout the Rogers Park, Edgewater and the Chicagoland area.
Looking Forward
Overall, the RPM Project boasts big benefits for many communities, a much-needed change from the century-old infrastructure that has been declining over the years.
As the project approaches completion, the CTA continues to update its performance metrics to promote transparency and keep riders up to date.
From improved stations to increased community connectivity, the CTA boasts that the project’s changes will greatly improve Chicago’s public transportation to strengthen communities, serve riders and stimulate inclusive economic growth.
“CTA is planning ahead for future improvements,” said Bader. “Once implemented, the station and infrastructure improvements would add capacity and reduce travel times for CTA riders in Rogers Park.”
Transit mobility is extremely important in Rogers Park as it provides residents access to recreation and workplaces. Whether you ride the bus, drive, or utilize the rainbow of L lines in Chicago, there is no denying that this modernization project will have benefits.
Residents are excited for the improvements that are to come. “It will take some time to accomplish,” said Rogers Park resident Alma Olavarria Gallegos (26). “But this needs to happen, and the CTA shouldn’t just stop here.”
