The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has secured more than $18 million to advance the design phase of the Forest Park Branch Rebuild, a long-term project to modernize the Blue Line corridor between the Illinois Medical District and Forest Park stations.
The Chicago Transit Board approved an intergovernmental agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation to transfer funding for the project. IDOT secured a $15.8 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration on CTA’s behalf, while CTA will fund the remaining design costs through a combination of state and federal funding sources. The total design phase is valued at $28.2 million.
The design work will support the reconstruction of more than 13 miles of track and the replacement of the underlying drainage system along the Forest Park Branch. The improvements aim to address aging infrastructure, recurring flooding, and speed restrictions that currently affect most of the corridor. Design activities are scheduled to begin in late 2026. The Forest Park Branch Rebuild forms part of the Connect 290/Blue Program, a joint initiative involving CTA, IDOT, and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) to modernize transportation infrastructure along the I-290 and Blue Line corridor.
CTA completed an earlier phase of the project in 2023 by rebuilding nearly three miles of track between the LaSalle and Illinois Medical District stations, reconstructing the Racine station, and upgrading traction power infrastructure. The accessible Racine station reopened in 2025.