The Chicago Transit Authority says a $2.9 billion construction contract has been awarded to Transit Community Partnership – Walsh Construction, VINCI Construction, Systra, and EXP for the CTA Red Line Extension.
Work will include designing and building the RLE, including four, fully accessible Red Line stations on the Far South Side; project groundbreaking expected late 2025. Originally expected to cost about $3.6 billion, the CTA announced last week that the budget is now $5.3 billion due to high interest rates as well as a 60-percent increase in construction labor and materials.
“The Red Line Extension corrects past transit inequity and increases access to the most affordable transportation in the city. Hiring the contracting team that can provide the best value to the CTA to construct the RLE is a consequential step that demonstrates our vow to build this project,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “The CTA’s Red Line Extension Project is an example of how transportation dollars can be distributed to have lasting impact on the Far South Side including workforce and small business opportunities that create jobs and support families.”
Preliminary site work, demolition, and utility relocation will happen this fall.
Following the rigorous two-year bid process, CTA determined that the proposal submitted by Walsh-VINCI Transit Community Partners provided the best value to CTA. In considering the bids, CTA considered the technical proposals on how the project would be built and the proposed cost. The Walsh-VINCI Transit Community Partners team brings to CTA its local, national and global transit construction experience.
Walsh-Vinci’s proposal was selected because it provided an innovative design and construction approach that will minimize impacts to community. Walsh-VINCI Transit Community Partners includes Walsh Construction, VINCI Construction, EXP, Systra, and other subcontractors.
- Walsh Construction has built or is building several transit projects in the Chicago area, including the $2.1 billion CTA RPM Phase One Project.
- VINCI Construction has completed more than $50 billion worth of design-build construction projects in 42 countries over the past 10 years in the U.S. and around the world.
- Systra has worked on multiple mega projects within the Chicago area, including CTA’s RPM Phase One Project and other U.S. transit projects.
- EXP has also worked on RPM in addition to other large Chicago area projects, including CTA projects such as the Garfield (Green Line) Gateway Project, O’Hare Blue Line Belmont and Jefferson Park improvements, Washington/Wabash Elevated Loop Station, 95th Street Terminal Improvement Project and the Forest Park Blue Line’s Illinois Medical District Station Rehabilitation.
CTA and the contractor will hold public meetings as design and construction planning begins on this exciting project. The contractor will work closely with local communities and CTA customers on construction impacts to neighborhoods and service.
Once completed in 2030, the 5.6-mile extension will utilize a mix of elevated and grade level tracks stretching from the current terminus at 95th Street down to 130th Street. Bringing new accessible stations at 103rd Street, 111th Street, Michigan Avenue, and 130th Street, as well as a new train yard and shop on 120th Street near the Metra KYD facility.
