Some CTA Blue Line stations to close Sunday for rebuild; fare reductions offered

CHICAGO - Commuters heading toward the Near West Side and the Illinois Medical District will need to prepare as some CTA Blue Line stations will temporarily close for rebuilding.

Beginning 3 a.m. Sunday, the CTA will begin the first phase of the Forest Park Branch Rebuild that will help eliminate service delays on the Blue Line train and will improve accessibility for residents with disabilities.

The Clinton, UIC-Halsted and Racine stations will be closed until late August, CTA officials said.

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Trains will still run between the O’Hare and LaSalle stations and between the Forest Park and Illinois Medical District stations.

To help reduce some of the impact, the CTA will add train cars to the Green Line — which runs parallel to the Blue Line.

During this time, fares in the Pink and Green lines will be reduced by half, said CTA spokeswoman Catherine Hosinski. Free bus rides will be available on all route stops between the Green and Pink lines from Ashland to Austin.

A bus shuttle will run 24/7 during the project and an express shuttle between Jackson and the IMD will be available during rush hours in the morning and evening.

"We are taking every step to keep customers informed on the project and the impacts to service that may happen," Hosinki said.

Hosinski said customers should plan ahead and consider testing alternative routes before the project starts so that they are prepared.