CHICAGO ~ Chicago's West Side has a new addition to its public transportation system with the opening of the Austin Green Line station. Mayor Brandon Johnson, along with Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Acting President Nora Leerhsen and other dignitaries, gathered to celebrate the grand opening of this fully accessible station. This milestone is part of the CTA's All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) and aligns with Mayor Johnson's vision to make Chicago the most accessible city in the world.

In a statement, Mayor Johnson emphasized the importance of investing in accessible public transportation for all Chicagoans. He believes that by removing barriers to transportation, opportunities for employment, education, healthcare, and everyday activities will expand. The new Austin station is a testament to this commitment towards equity and opportunity on the West Side and throughout Chicago.

The CTA's ASAP Strategic Plan was released in 2018 as a roadmap for making all rail stations fully accessible by 2038. This includes upgrading or replacing existing system elevators. With the opening of the Austin station, 110 out of 146 rail stations (75%) are now ADA accessible. This marks a significant achievement for the city, with 14 stations recently opened or currently funded and in various stages of planning, design or construction.

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Acting President Leerhsen highlighted how public transit is about connecting people to opportunities and every accessible station brings them one step closer to achieving this goal. She expressed her pride in reaching 75% accessibility and breaking ground on the historic Red Line Extension project. However, she also acknowledged that there is still work to be done and that CTA remains committed to securing funding for 100% accessibility within the next decade.

Funding for this critical infrastructure project was sourced through federal government programs such as Surface Transportation Program (STP) and Gov. Pritzker's Rebuild Illinois Capital Plan. A total budget of $25.6 million was allocated for this project, with $20.3 million coming from STP funds and $5.3 million from Rebuild Illinois.

The original street level station was built in 1899 and had not been upgraded since its reconstruction in 1962. The recent renovations included the installation of a new elevator and escalator connecting to the platform, reconstruction of stairs and a new ADA compliant ramp, extension of the platform, and other station enhancements. During construction, riders were able to access rail services using the station's auxiliary entrance.

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Currently, CTA has secured funding for all stations identified in Phase One and approximately half of those in Phase Two of the ASAP Plan. Additionally, $37 million has been secured for elevator replacement and modernization efforts. CTA is currently conducting an inventory of elevator conditions to plan for future projects.

Despite these achievements, funding remains the biggest obstacle in achieving a fully accessible rail system. Since the launch of the ASAP Plan, CTA has secured $740.8 million in funding with planning and construction underway for most non-accessible stations identified in Phases One and Two. However, CTA continues to seek out additional sources of funding for Phases Three and Four of the program.

The opening of the Austin Green Line station is a significant step towards making Chicago's public transportation system more accessible for all residents. With continued efforts from city officials and partnerships with organizations like CTA, Chicago is on its way to becoming a model city for accessibility.

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