CTA Red, Purple and Brown line service will be disrupted on some upcoming weekends this fall, as the next stage of a major reconstruction of North Side tracks and stations begins.
Brown Line interruptions are expected between the Belmont and Southport stops from Saturday through Monday. The Red and Purple lines are expected to be disrupted from Belmont to Addison the weekends of Oct. 27 through 30, and Nov. 10 through 13, though exact dates could change depending on construction schedules.
During the service disruptions, the CTA said it will provide shuttle buses between stations.
The work is part of the $2.1 billion Red and Purple line modernization project that is upgrading part of CTA’s busiest stretch of track. It includes a new flyover near the busy Belmont station that opened in November 2021 and carries northbound Brown Line trains over the Red and Purple tracks. Then demolition began on a 0.3-mile stretch of track north of the station so it could be rebuilt and straightened, requiring the CTA to tear down nearby buildings and move the then-127-year-old Vautravers Building 30 feet to the west.
First to undergo work were the southbound tracks, where demolition began in winter 2022 and is expected to be finished later this year. During the next part of construction, the northbound tracks will be torn down and rebuilt, with work expected to begin later this year and finished in 2025.
The service disruptions in October and November are anticipated as the new tracks are put into service, the CTA said.
The project also includes work farther north on the Red Line, where the CTA has closed and is rebuilding the Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn and Bryn Mawr stations, along with new tracks. Temporary stations are in use at the Argyle and Bryn Mawr stops during construction, which includes making the new stations fully accessible to passengers with disabilities, adding elevators and wider platforms, and improving amenities.
The four stations are expected to reopen near the end of 2024, and the entire project, including the installation of new signals, is expected to be complete by 2025.