Chicago Elevated Train Funding Passes with Unanimous Support

The Chicago City Council has authorized a billion dollars in funding for upgrades and maintenance for the city's Red, Purple, and Brown Line trains; the city hopes to get additional federal funds before Obama leaves office.

1 minute read

December 2, 2016, 11:00 AM PST

By Casey Brazeal @northandclark


Chicago El

Jess Kraft / Shutterstock

The Chicago Transit Authority will receive a major cash infusion to modernize, speed up, and add capacity to its urban train system. The Chicago City Council approved 1.1 billion dollars in spending just in time to apply for a 1.1 billion dollar matching grant from the federal government. The plan, named RPM, "…would rebuild the Red and Purple Line tracks from Lawrence to Howard, upgrade signals, reconstruct four stations and create a flyover just north of the Belmont stop to eliminate conflicts between Red, Purple, and, Brown Line trains," John Greenfield reports for Streetsblog.

The timing of this funding is not accidental, "The deadline for the CTA to apply for the $1.1 billion federal Core Capacity grant," Greenfield writes. While the Trump administration has promised to build a trillion dollars of infrastructure, it's unclear how much, if any, of that infrastructure will include public transportation. His administration's plan makes no mention of the phrase "Public Transportation" or the words "Train" or "Bus."

Wednesday, November 30, 2016 in Chi.Streetsblog

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

4 hours ago - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of new neifhborhood under construction with enpty lots in foreground.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won

A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

5 hours ago - CALmatters

Low-rise Pearl Sreet mall in Boulfer, Colorado.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide

Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

6 hours ago - Boulder Reporting Lab

Two-story buildings with porches in walkable Florida neighborhood.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code

The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.

7 hours ago - CNU Public Square