Eyes on the street: Four new Red Line stations are ready for their closeups

Thanks Obama! If you’re psyched about the four new ADA-accessible, aesthetically pleasing Red Line stations that opened in Uptown and Edgewater this morning, give a hat-tip to the 44th president, a former Chicagoan.

On January 9, 2017, his administration announced approval of a $1.1 billion federal grant for the $2.1 billion first phase of the CTA’s Red and Purple Modernization project. That was a mere 11 days before the anti-transit Donald Trump administration took over Washington, D.C.

There was a nearly identical scenario on January 10 of this year, when the administration of Obama’s ex-veep Joe Biden heralded a $1.9 billion grant for the long-awaited $5.7 billion Red Line Extension on the Far South Side. That was also just days before the sustainable transportation-hostile Trump team gained control of the White House again.

But let’s stop talking politics for now, and focus in the fact that the Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn, and Bryn Mawr stops now have snazzy, wheelchair-friendly stations with elevators and escalators. The century-old rail stops also got wider platforms, overhead weather canopies, and lots of cool new artwork. RPM Phase Phase One also includes the Belmont Flyover, and a new signal system between Howard Street and Belmont Avenue, 23 track miles.

Here’s what I saw when I rode the Red Line this morning. All photos by John Greenfield.

Wilson Station

Lawrence Station

Argyle Station

Berwyn Station

Bryn Mawr Station

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