CHICAGO – In a historic day for Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson joined the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) President Dorval R. Carter, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, the Illinois Congressional Delegation, and other elected officials today signed and finalized a $1.9 billion funding agreement that will allow the CTA to move forward with the transformational Red Line Extension Project. 

“The Red Line Extension Project is transformational for our city, especially for the South Side,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “This project demonstrates the power of investing in people, and I am thrilled that we are taking a significant step forward in actualizing equitable transportation options for our city. I am grateful to the many partners from all levels of government who championed this effort and made this historic moment possible – together, we are working to achieve economic vibrancy and stability for all communities, regardless of socioeconomic status.”  

The CTA and the FTA signed a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA), which guarantees the project will receive the funding pledged by the federal government. With this agreement, the Red Line Extension will advance toward groundbreaking, expected by early 2026. The project will extend by 5.5 miles the CTA’s Red Line, the busiest of its eight rail lines, from 95th Street to 130th Street, including building four new Red Line stations. 

“After decades of promises, a profound change for the lives of Chicagoans is finally here,” said FTA Deputy Administrator Veronica Vanterpool. “Beyond providing the Far South Side access to new destinations, this expansion will drive significant economic growth and development, creating opportunities as well as fostering a vibrant local economy for Chicagoans well into the future.”  

The federal grant is the largest transit infrastructure grant awarded to CTA in the agency’s history and is the final step in securing the funding needed for the $5.7 billion Red Line Extension Project. 

The RLE is a transformational South Side project that will improve access to rapid rail transit and provide faster, more convenient service to residents. Extending service will also improve access to jobs, educational and health care institutions and promote economic development. 

“Today, I was thrilled to celebrate the finalized $1.9 billion funding agreement that allows the City of Chicago to move forward with the Red Line Extension Project,” said U.S. Senator Dick Durbin. “Thousands of residents on the South Side of Chicago have been waiting for this project to become a reality. This extension will improve transit access for Chicagoans while creating thousands of jobs and bolstering our economy. I’m heartened to see this firm commitment, with significant buy-in from the federal government, which my Chicago-area delegation colleagues and I have long-advocated for.” 

“The Red Line Extension project will undo nearly 60 years of racial inequity in transit,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “Residents of the Far South Side of Chicago deserve the same access to rapid CTA transit and the numerous quality of life benefits that come with it. I am proud to deliver on the promise I made to the community years ago and deliver access to affordable transportation in the city.” 

This announcement follows a sustained advocacy effort from the Chicagoland Congressional Delegation, including U.S. Senators Durbin and Duckworth and U.S. Reps. Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01), Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Jesús "Chuy" García (D-IL-04), Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Sean Casten (D-IL-06), and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), who urged the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to make a robust federal investment in the Red Line Extension Project. 

Red Line Extension Project Overview 

The RLE Project will: 

• Build a 5.5-mile extension of the Red Line starting at 95th Street Terminal to the vicinity of 130th Street. 
• Include four new accessible stations near 103rd Street, 111th Street, Michigan Avenue (near 116th), and 130th Street, each of which would include bus, bike, pedestrian and parking facilities. 
• Build a new rail yard and related rail facilities to improve operational efficiency for the entire Red Line and CTA system. 

The Red Line Extension Project will provide a new, more direct connection to the Red Line– this means an easier trip and less time commuting. Once the extension opens, it is expected to provide up to 20 minutes time savings to riders traveling from the future 130th Station. 

Project benefits for surrounding communities: 

• An award-winning RLE Transit-Supportive Development (TSD) Plan in partnership with Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development (DPD). The Plan is a proactive effort to guide the future development of the long-disinvested communities located near the RLE project area, and it reflects the vision of those who currently reside and conduct business in these communities. 
• Estimated construction jobs to be created: 12,512 
• Estimated indirect jobs to be created: 59,800 
• Estimated 25,000 additional jobs to become available with the access to transit for community served 
• Opportunities for workforce training, apprenticeships and careers with partners Chicago Women in Trades, HIRE 360 and Metropolitan Family Services. 
• Participation in the project by small Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)-certified small businesses. 
• CTA supports DBEs through efforts including the Building Small Business program and partnerships with its construction contractors. 

CTA awarded a contract in August 2024 to Walsh-VINCI Transit Community Partners to design and build the RLE project. The new extension and stations are expected to be completed and in service in 2030. 

Preliminary project renderings can be found here. For more information about the Red Line Extension Project, visit transitchicago.com/rle. 

###