The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), in coordination with the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), announced that advance utility and structural locate work for the new State/Lake CTA Station will begin this month, with lane closures scheduled to start on Lake Street on August 18 and on State Street on August 25. This early phase of construction will not include demolition work and will not affect CTA service at the existing State/Lake elevated station. 

The project will replace the more than 100-year-old existing State/Lake CTA station with a modern, fully accessible rail hub featuring wider platforms and a range of customer amenities. 

The traffic impacts for advance utility work are as follows:  

• Beginning Monday, August 18, Lake Street from Dearborn Street to Wabash Ave will be reduced to one lane.  

• On Monday, August 25, State Street from Lake Street to Randolph Street will be reduced to one lane in each direction.  

 
These lane reductions will allow crews to begin utility potholing in preparation for major excavation work. Access to all businesses will be maintained throughout construction.  The existing State/Lake elevated CTA station will remain open during this phase.  

The work, expected to last approximately three to four months, will focus primarily on potholing operations. Also known as "daylighting," potholing involves carefully excavating small, precise holes to locate and verify the position of underground utilities, structures, and unknown objects. This process is essential for avoiding damage to critical infrastructure and ensuring the safety of all future construction activities associated with the new station. 

The majority of the work involves excavation, mechanical drilling and boring, and vacuum excavating to non-invasively locate the underground items. Jackhammer activity will be used when obstructions are encountered. Regular working hours for this phase are 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.  
 
A full, long-term closure of the State/Lake CTA station will be required as part of a future phase of the project to allow for the demolition of the existing structure and construction of the new, modern facility. Additional details and timing will be shared as the project progresses.  
 
About the Project 
Originally built in 1895, the State/Lake CTA station is being completely reconstructed to meet modern accessibility standards, improve safety, and create a more welcoming rider experience. Key upgrades include: 

• Complete ADA compliant elevator access to both elevated platforms. 
• Complete ADA compliant elevator access to the Lake Street subway mezzanine and platform. 
• Improved vehicular safety with the removal of columns in the intersection. 
• New signature glass canopy that will provide continuous weather protection over entire platform area. 
• Wider platforms reducing constrained conditions for safer passenger flow. 
• Maximized glass areas improving security concerns. 
• LED energy efficient lighting on and below the platform. 
• Improved sidewalk crossings with bump-outs reducing pedestrian exposure. 

Station construction is expected to be completed in 2029. 

For more information about the project and to sign up for updates, visit www.statelakestation.org.