Wednesday, June 11, 2014

CTA Awards Contracts For Wilson Rehab, Says Construction To Start In Fall

203,000,000 state and federal dollars come with a lot of red tape wrapped around them. Since November 3, 2011, when the first announcement came that the Wilson CTA station and the tracks around it would be getting a total rehab, the CTA and Uptown have been through a lot.

Town hall meetings. Public meetings. Open houses. Community surveys. Informational meetings. Workshops. Discussions about entrance locations. Discussions about pillar locations. Discussions about historic preservation. We've learned more than we wanted to about new tracks, new signalling, and what the Berry and Gerber buildings are. There've been requests for construction bids, contractors awarded contracts, and then more requests for bids.  Public meetings on LEED and environmental impact.

Oh, there have been a lot of hoops.  It's been delightful.

But now, there's a light at the end of that tunnel (and we're pretty sure it's not an oncoming L train).  Yes, indeed, even the CTA is saying the project is nearly ready to start.  In an announcement today on its website:

"The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is taking the next steps in modernizing the Red Line.

The CTA Board Wednesday approved the award of two construction contracts for the Wilson and 95th/Dan Ryan stations—projects that will replace and expand existing stations and provide customers with a convenient, 21st century transit experience. [...]


The Board approved the award of both the $153.6 million construction contract for the Wilson station reconstruction project, and a $23.1 million contract for the initial foundation and retaining wall work for the 95th/Dan Ryan station to Walsh/2-in-1 Joint Venture, which was selected for both projects following separate bidding processes.

The $203 million Wilson project will replace the badly deteriorated station house, built in 1923, with a new, modern and accessible station that will also serve as a new transfer point between Red and Purple Line service. Project work also includes the reconstruction of 2,200 feet of century-old elevated tracks, signals and supporting infrastructure that will be relocated from the street and sidewalks along Broadway and Wilson to the west to create a safer and more pedestrian-friendly environment. 


This comprehensive station work will be performed within the footprint of the existing station, which is located in the Uptown Square Historic District, and with minimal impact to 24/7 rail service. Work is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2014.

Proposed rendering of the main station entrance interior to the Wilson Red Line station, which will be brighter, more spacious and have a number of new amenities, including two new elevators, to make it ADA accessible.

Both projects are part of Mayor Emanuel’s Building a New Chicago program, with support from Gov. Pat Quinn’s Illinois Jobs Now program, which is updating infrastructure that is critical to the city and includes improvements that will help CTA continue to serve customers as effectively as possible. Funding for both projects come from federal, state and local sources.

More information about the projects is available at www.transitchicago.com/wilson and http://www.transitchicago.com/95thTerminal."


Curbed Chicago has an article on it with renderings from the CTA:  "Here's What $400M Worth of Red Line Station Looks Like."

3 comments:

  1. Would this be the same WALSH/II IN ONE JOINT VENTURE III, that filed cause of action No. 1–08–3167, Decided: March 20, 2009, against defendants-appellees Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, an Illinois municipal corporation (District), and Darlene A. LoCascio for Contract No. 07–220–P3, which pertained to a project with an estimated cost of $244,600,000, known as the Primary Settling Tanks and Grit Removal Facilities at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not sure where you got your info, but that Contract was built by FHP/SNN/IHC. Walsh/II in One is part of the Thornton Reservoir construction.

      Delete
    2. No. Clearly, you have googled someone else.

      Delete