Your New Blue

Station and Track Upgrades from Grand to O’Hare

Say goodbye to slow zones and outdated stations. Say hello to Your New Blue.

Big improvements are in store for the more than 80,000 daily riders of the CTA’s Blue Line O’Hare branch. Among the benefits of this $492 million project:

• Modernized stations to better meet the needs of riders now and into the future. This means upgrades to stations built in 1895 -- when Grover Cleveland was President of the United States.
• Faster service. This will save passengers up to 10 minutes on a round trip between downtown and O’Hare.
• A generally improved experience for Blue Line riders on the O’Hare branch. The project will bring brighter lights, cleaner, drier tunnels and, in some stations, a new elevator, improved entrances and original public artwork for customers and the community to enjoy.

The investment is also expected to generate 1,300 new jobs during construction.

See below for specific improvements headed for your section of the Blue Line:

• Station Work
  • Grand, Chicago and Division
  • Damen (Completed December 2014)
  • Western (Completed January 2015)
  • California (Completed October 2014)
  • Logan Square
  • Belmont
  • Addison (Completed November 2016)
  • Jefferson Park (Updated September 2018)
  • Irving Park thru Cumberland (Completed November 2016)
• Track & Infrastructure Work
  • Milwaukee Elevated Improvements
  • Dearborn Subway Improvements
  • Kimball Subway Improvements
• Signal Work

As we upgrade the Blue Line, we will do our best to limit inconveniences. Riders will see temporary station closures and small delays overnight and on weekends. Check out the latest information on systemwide service changes, sign up for CTA Updates or follow @cta on Twitter to stay up-to-speed on work that might affect your trip.

Public art

As part of the Your New Blue project, new public works of art are planned for stations undergoing rehabilitation work. Original artwork adds value not only to our stations and their surrounding communities, but also to the overall transit experience for our riders. Expanding our collection of permanent art is a valuable investment for our system and the neighborhoods we serve.

• CTA Further Expands Impressive Collection of Public Art with Two New Unique Art Pieces Along the Blue Line (press release, 11/09/2021)
• CTA Unveils Interactive Artwork at Damen Blue Line (press release, 04/06/2018)
• CTA Montrose Blue Line Station to Get New, Unique Public Artwork by Chicago Artist as Part of Mayor Emanuel’s Your New Blue Program (press release, 11/07/2017)
• CTA Holds Community Meeting on Your New Blue Irving Park and Addison Station Art Projects (press release, 06/08/2017)
• CTA Seeks Artist for Montrose Blue Line Station  (press release, 01/23/2017)
• Irving Park, Addison on the Blue Line Are Latest CTA Stations to Get New Public Artwork (press release, 12/14/2016)
• Four CTA Rail Stations to Receive New Artwork by Award-Winning Artists (press release, 10/14/2016)
• CTA to Host Community Meeting Seeking Public Input on the Your New Blue Damen Station Art Project (press release, 09/26/2014)
• CTA Seeks Artists for Blue Line Station Artwork as Part of the Your New Blue Project (press release, 12/13/2013)

Project news & info

• Mayor Lightfoot and CTA Mark Completion of Modernization Work to Jefferson Park Blue Line Transit Center (press release, 07/23/2019)
• Signal Improvement Work to Benefit Blue Line O’Hare Branch Service (press release, 05/02/2019)
• Mayor Emanuel, CTA Announce the Completion of the Belmont Blue Gateway Project (press release, 03/29/2019)
• Mayor Emanuel and CTA Announce Modernization Work to Begin at Jefferson Park Transit Center as Part of Your New Blue O’Hare Branch Modernization Program (press release, 09/27/2018)
• Mayor Emanuel and CTA Unveil Newly Modernized Illinois Medical District Blue Line Station (press release, 08/31/2018)
• CTA Awards Contract for Modernization of Grand, Chicago and Division Blue Line Stations (press release, 08/15/2018)
• Mayor Emanuel and CTA Kick Off Next Phase of Blue Line Modernization (press release, 05/22/2018)
• Your New Blue Modernization Program to Improve CTA Blue Line Service Moves Forward (press release, 04/18/2018)
• As Part of Mayor Emanuel’s Your New Blue Modernization Program, CTA Awards Contract for Major Upgrades at Jefferson Park and Belmont Blue Line Terminals (press release, 09/13/2017)
• Mayor Emanuel, CTA Announce the Completed Renovation of Five Blue Line Stations as part of the Your New Blue O’Hare Branch Modernization Program (press release, 11/28/2016)
• Mayor Emanuel, CTA Announce Belmont Blue Station Upgrades to Feature Notable Architecture (press release, 10/17/2016)
• CTA Prepares to Begin Rehabilitation of Five Blue Line Stations in Next Phase of Mayor Emanuel’s Your New Blue O’Hare Branch Modernization Program (press release, 03/11/2015)
• Mayor Emanuel, Secretary Foxx Announce Your New Blue O'Hare Branch Modernization Project to Receive $120 Million in Federal Funding (press release, 02/05/2015)
• Newly Rehabilitated Damen Blue Line Station Reopened Today (press release, 12/22/2014)
• CTA Reminder: Temporary Closure of Blue Line Damen Station Early Monday Morning (press release, 10/17/2014)
• Mayor Emanuel, Senator Durbin & CTA Welcome Customers to Newly Revitalized California Station (press release, 10/16/2014)
• Damen Blue Line Station to Close Temporarily on October 20 for Major Renovations as Part of Your New Blue Project (press release, 10/13/2014)
• California Blue Line station to Close Temporarily for Major Renovations as Part of Your New Blue project (press release, 08/29/2014)
• Blue Line Service between Damen and Logan Square Affected 8/22-8/25 for Your New Blue Track Improvement Work (press release, 08/15/2014)
• CTA Announces Details on Plan to Upgrade Three Blue Line Stations as Part of Your New Blue Modernization Program (press release, 08/11/2014)
• Weekend Blue Line Service between Western and Logan Square Temporarily Suspended as Your New Blue Track Work Continues (press release, 08/07/2014)
• Your New Blue Track Improvement Work Resumes this Weekend Affecting Blue Line Service between Western and Logan Square (press release, 05/29/2014)
• Weekend Blue Line Service Affected between Western and Logan Square as Your New Blue Track Improvement Work Continues (press release, 05/08/2014)
• Your New Blue Track Improvement Work to Affect Weekend Service Between Western and Damen Stations (press release, 04/24/2014)
• Your New Blue Track Improvement Work to Affect Weekend Service Between Western and Damen Stations (press release, 04/10/2014)
• Your New Blue Track Improvement Work to Affect Weekend Service between the Western and Damen Stations (press release, 04/03/2014)
• Your New Blue improvements to start in March (press release, 02/24/2014)
• CTA Selects Your New Blue Contractor for Damen, Western and California Station Renovations (press release, 02/05/2014)
• Mayor Emanuel, Governor Quinn Announce Comprehensive Improvement Plan for CTA Blue Line O’Hare Branch (press release, 12/05/2013)