The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) recently unveiled the fully accessible, $25 million Austin Green Line station to lawmakers and other dignitaries.
The station provides connections to the #91 Austin route and three Pace bus routes that connect to several Metra stations.
The project updated a 127-year-old building that had not been upgraded since it was rebuilt in 1962. Workers added an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramp and an elevator and escalator connecting to the platform, reconstructed the outside station stairs and made other station enhancements.
“Public transit is about connecting people to opportunity, and every accessible station brings us one step closer to a Chicago where everyone can travel freely,” CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen said. “Reaching 75 percent accessibility — along with recent breaking ground on the historic Red Line Extension — is a huge milestone for our city and the surrounding communities. I’m incredibly proud of our team’s dedication, but we won’t stop here. We’re fully committed to working with our partners to secure the funding needed to reach 100 percent accessibility for every rider over the next decade.”
The project was part of CTA’s All Stations Accessibility Program. Austin is among the 14 stations recently opened or in various stages of planning, design or construction to become fully accessible.