13-Oct-17 – The CTA station at State & Lake in the Loop will join the 21st century with the help of $56.9 million in federal funding, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced on Thursday.

The station will be reconstructed and modernized. It will be ADA-compliant and have wider platforms.

“The CTA hub at State and Lake is an iconic location in the heart of Chicago and it deserves a state-of-the-art station,” said Emanuel. “This project has been talked about for more than a decade and now we are moving forward on plans to rebuild this station and ensure a modern and reliable transit system for Chicago’s residents.”

The $56.9 million comes from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program, which provides money for transportation projects that reduce traffic congestion and air pollution. It is the same federal program that paid for the new CTA station at Washington / Wabash that opened in September.

It will not cover the full cost of construction, which the city expects to be more than $75 million. Emanuel says the city “plans to seek additional federal funding for construction.”

The city does have $5.5 million to pay for design of the new station.

The current structure at State & Lake was originally built in 1895. Last year, it was the second-busiest L stop in the Loop, with riders entering the station more than 3.1 million times.

“As one of the city’s busiest transfer points, State/Lake is critically important for CTA capacity, safety, and the economy of the Central Business District,” said Rebekah Scheinfeld (left), Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner. “This project will benefit riders coming from all corners of the city.”

 Related story: First new downtown L station in 20 years opens at Washington / Wabash