Work on the downtown subway portion of the Blue Line was completed in September 2007.

Work on the O’Hare branch of the Blue Line is currently underway and will be complete by the end of 2008.

Work on the Red Line subway between Clark/Division and Grand, between Wilson and Sheridan, and on the southbound track between Morse and Loyola was completed in 2007. Progress was made on all four tracks (Red and Brown lines) between Armitage and Diversey during 2007.

Slow zone elimination on the remaining portion of the Red Line subway and on all four tracks (Red and Brown lines) between Diversey and Wellington is currently underway and will be complete by the end of 2008. Work between Belmont and Sheridan stations is expected to be completed in Summer 2009.

Beginning in May 2008, slow zone elimination and track renewal will begin on the Lake Street and Wabash Avenue sides of the Loop Elevated in downtown. Construction involves the upgrade of approximately 10,000 feet of track. When the project is completed at the end of 2008, customers will experience more reliable and efficient rail service.

While work is underway, one or both tracks on the Lake and Wabash sides of the Loop Elevated will close on:

• Select weekends (10 p.m. Friday until 4 a.m. Monday)
• Most weeknights (10 p.m. until 4 a.m. the following morning)

During periods when the Lake and Wabash sides of the Loop Elevated are closed, all trains that normally operate on the Loop during night and weekend hours – the Orange, Green, Pink, and Brown lines – will operate on the Wells and Van Buren sides of the Loop, making all stops. The Red Line will also operate via the Wells and Van Buren sides of the Loop on nights and weekends when it is operating on the Loop Elevated instead of in the subway. Three types of track closures will require rail service to be rerouted in the Loop:

• Both Tracks Closed: Brown, Green, and Orange line trains will operate on the Wells and Van Buren sides of the Loop. Pink Line trains will operate between 54th/Cermak and Ashland, where customers may transfer to the Green Line to Downtown.
• Inner Loop Track Closed Only: Orange and Pink line trains will operate on the Outer Loop track – the same side regularly used by the Brown Line. Southbound Green Line trains will operate on the Wells and Van Buren sides of the Loop.
• Outer Loop Track Closed Only: Brown Line trains will operate on the Inner Loop track– the same side regularly used by the Orange and Pink lines. Northbound Green Line trains will operate on the Wells and Van Buren sides of the Loop.

Slow zone elimination work began in 2007 on all four tracks (Red and Brown lines) between Armitage and Diversey.

Work on all four tracks (Red and Brown lines) between Diversey and Wellington is currently underway. Construction to eliminate slow zones between Belmont and Western stations begins in spring 2008. Efforts on both of these sections will be complete by the end of 2008.