The CTA says it's recently been hard at work completing this year's Refresh & Renew program. This initiative, launched in 2019, is supposed to keep train stops in a state of good repair by having workers perform routine maintenance to improve station safety, security, and appearance. This year, an estimated $6.5 million in repairs and maintenance will be spent on upgrading 29 stations and 14 bus turnarounds.
"Thanks to our hardworking crews, we were proud to welcome new riders onto our system this summer as our city played host to large events, including the Democratic National Convention and Lollapalooza," stated embattled CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. Most recently, Block Club's Manny Ramos reported that while the transit agency chief had James Bond-like international travel habits in one year, his visits to Chicago 'L' stations were relatively rare.
"Our crews worked at an aggressive pace to make improvements across the system and that work will continue—as it does every year—to bring improvements to additional stations," Carter added in his statement.
According to the CTA, before this year's work began, crews thoroughly inspected each location to identify what needed to be fixed or replaced, either immediately or in the near future. Through November, the crews are focusing on 12 rail stations across seven lines, plus five bus turnarounds. Here's a list of locations scheduled to get makeovers this fall.
- Red Line: Grand, Granville
- Blue Line: Oak Park, Western (Forest Park branch)
- Green Line: Ridgeland, Conservatory
- Brown Line: Sedgwick, Paulina
- Pink Line: Kedzie, Cicero
- Purple Line: Davis
- Yellow Line: Oakton
- Bus Turnarounds: 47th/Lake Park, Grand/Latrobe, Grand/Nordica, Division/Austin, Jackson/Austin
The upgrades being made as part of the program include concrete repairs, removal of outdated fixtures/equipment, utility repairs, and plumbing line repairs. Planned aesthetic improvements include painting, replacing sheet metal/damaged signage, lighting upgrades, cleaning, and repairs to the surfaces of columns, walls, railings, fencing/gates, platform fixtures, and more. To see what some of the stations looked like before and after getting a facelift, visit the CTA's Refresh & Renew webpage.
The CTA is also doing seasonal power washing to remove the grim that collects over the winter, the agency said. The crews scrubbing and power washing the stations are a separate team often working late at night, when there are fewer customers on the platforms. Each of the CTA's 145 rail stations is power washed at least once a month during the spring and fall as part of routine station cleaning, according to the agency.
When Streetsblog last covered the Refresh & Renew program in March 2024, some transit advocates said they wished the CTA would be more proactive about keeping 'L' stops in good shape all year. Back then, Better Streets Chicago cofounder Kyle Lucas said he wished the agency would offer public restrooms at the stations to help prevent urination on platforms and in elevators. "It can be a real sanitary issue, in particular, when you think about elevators," he said. "A lot of people with disabilities need to go to elevators, and for manual wheelchair users, that's really unsafe and unsanitary for them to roll through those sorts of conditions."
Here's what Commuters Take Action (CTAction) had to say about the Refresh & Renew program last spring. "We welcome any initiative to keep CTA stations clean," said cofounder Fabio Göttlicher. "Riders deserve transit spaces where they can feel comfortable... Work like this should be part of routine maintenance. Tasks like power washing of stations should be done so often that riders don't even have a chance to notice their stations getting dirty."
When we reached out to CTAction recently for a comment on the initiative, they didn't seem any more enthusiastic than before. In a statement, the organization reiterated that while they are all for any initiative that makes the CTA riders feel more welcome, "the work outlined in the CTA's press release describes routine maintenance and upkeep that shouldn't be particularly newsworthy."
Contacted recently, the Active Transportation Alliance also said the CTA's current cleaning blitz is a good thing, but agreed that the agency should raise its 24/7/365 cleaning standards. "The Chicago Transit Authority's Refresh & Renew 2024 program is a welcome initiative to improve the cleanliness and maintenance of train stations across the city," said ATA Communications Director Ted Villaire. "Regular cleaning and maintenance of transit facilities create a more inviting atmosphere for passengers; improve public health and safety; and extend the lifespan of infrastructure. Clean and well-maintained stations can also boost ridership by improving the overall perception of public transportation."
But, like Lucas and Göttlicher, Villaire noted that there's more needs to be done to make CTA stations truly world-class. "While the Refresh & Renew program is a positive step, it's important to note that the City still has work to do in consistently maintaining cleanliness across its transit system," he said. "The CTA should strive to implement more frequent and thorough cleaning practices throughout the year, not just during special programs. This ongoing commitment to cleanliness and maintenance is essential for ensuring a safe, comfortable, and reliable public transportation system for all Chicago residents and visitors."
Check out the CTA's Refresh & Renew webpage for more info and images.
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