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The Chicago Transit Authority has launched a comprehensive program of track repairs and maintenance designed to provide faster commutes and smoother rides for \u2018L\u2019 customers\u2014improvements made possible by\u00a0Mayor Emanuel\u2019s innovative fee on ride-hailing services.<\/p>\n
The CTA\u2019s FastTracks program will reduce by up to six minutes off a typical round-trip commute on the Red, Blue, Brown and Green Lines, the four busiest rail lines, by repairing and upgrading rail, rail ties and\u00a0electrical power in multiple locations throughout the system. The $179 million investment is being funded through a small increase in fees charged to app-based ride-hailing companies operating in Chicago. The fee,\u00a0proposed by the Mayor and approved by City Council in November, is the first of its kind in the country to directly support investment in public transportation.<\/p>\n
The first phase of FastTracks includes track repairs in various spots on the Green Line just south of 35th Street. Other projects in 2018 through 2021 include improvements along:<\/p>\n
The track work across these rail lines will remove slow zones and increase service reliability. The improvements entail a combination of repairing and replacing sections of iron rail; replacing deteriorated wooden rail\u00a0ties; and adjusting and maintaining track ballast. The electrical power improvements along the Blue Line O\u2019Hare branch will allow CTA to run additional trains during high-ridership times like the morning rush period on\u00a0weekdays, which will help address crowded trains and reduce the amount of time customers have to wait on platforms.<\/p>\n