Could CTA's Renovations To The Belmont Blue Line Subway Station Be Underway Soon?
Work on a planned rehab of the Belmont Blue Line subway station may soon get underway. That is the speculation, anyway, after soil testing crews were spotted at the site Wednesday, Curbed Chicago reports.
The testing crews arrived almost four months to the day after Mayor Rahm Emanuel's office announced a $15M renovation of the station in the Avondale neighborhood. The station originally opened in 1970 as part of the Blue Line's extension from Logan Square to Jefferson Park. The new design from Ross Barney Architects (shown) includes a community gateway for passengers to board the Belmont and Kimball/Homan buses faster, pedestrian improvements and a redesigned canopy to cover passengers waiting for buses. This project is not associated with CTA's $492M improvements to the Blue Line's O'Hare branch.
Although soil testing crews are not always an indicator that construction will soon follow, the mayor's prioritizing of the project means construction crews should be expected shortly. The station renovations are also intended to serve as a touchstone for the Avondale community, which is benefiting handsomely from activity in neighboring Logan Square.
