Southbound Three-track Operations Begin; Southport, Diversey Stations Re-Open

The next phase of three-track operation at the Belmont and Fullerton stations begins Sunday, March 30, 2008. Southbound trains will be limited to one southbound track at the Belmont and Fullerton stations due to construction for the Brown Line capacity expansion project. To help ease the impact, the CTA will begin operating eight-car trains on the Brown Line during morning and evening rush hours. Currently, Brown Line trains consist of six cars. The introduction of eight-car service will occur nearly 18 months earlier than originally planned.

In order to safely provide eight-car trains, Paulina and Wellington stations will close for renovation on March 30. Currently, these stations can only berth six-car trains. While the stations are under construction, Brown Line trains will bypass both stations.

Also on March 30, the CTA will reopen the Southport station and open a temporary station at Diversey. Both stations had been closed for construction and will be able to accommodate eight-car trains by March 30. Using a temporary station at Diversey will make it possible to reopen for service nearly three months earlier than originally planned. Work to install elevators and complete the stationhouse at Diversey will continue throughout the spring.

Brown Line Renovation Project

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is in the process of upgrading and repairing the Brown Line of the Chicago "El" System. This work constitutes the first real repair to the Brown Line in over 90 years and will relieve congestion caused by the phenomenal growth in ridership over the last quarter century. When completed, the renovated Brown Line will spur economic growth in our communities and ease the commute for hard working Chicagoans.

Unfortunately, during the years of public hearings on this project, the CTA never mentioned that station closures were possible, or that they were even being considered until the beginning of 2005. At that time, I worked with other elected officials to find additional funds to avert these stations closure but unfortunately the federal funding package prohibited additional resource from being added.

Since these closures are unavoidable, I am working to mitigate the impact on neighborhood residents. Alderman Schulter, other elected officials and I started the Brown Line Task Force to address the concerns of the local businesses and community groups. This task force developed suggestions which the CTA is now implementing. The most important of which are customized free business consulting services from the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center and a

dedicated Brown Line website. The website contains important information on temporary station closures and on the business outreach program (free advertising for businesses in the affected area).

Please check the Brown Line website often for updated information and feel free to read my statement to the Chicago City Council in April 2005 regarding the station closures.