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AVONDALE — Over the weekend, crews began to install the Belmont Blue Line station’s giant new canopy as the $17 million renovation project inches toward the finish line after months of construction.
The renovation project is part of the Chicago Transit Authority’s $500 million “Your New Blue” plan, which has brought track and station upgrades all along the north branch of the Blue Line since 2014.
With the canopy going up, construction on the station is expected to wrap up sometime this spring, according to CTA spokesman Jon Kaplan.
The station is also getting new LED lighting, fresh paint, electrical upgrades, repaved surfaces and new signs to speed up bus boarding.
Credit: CTAThe CTA is also planning to test pre-paid boarding for trains and buses at the new station, the first station to try out the technology, according to officials. The Belmont Blue Line station was chosen because it’s one of the CTA’s busiest bus-to-rail transfer locations.
The project, first announced in 2016, marks the first major renovation of the station, which, until now, had only received minor upgrades since it was built nearly 50 years ago.
The CTA expects crews to finish installing the steel and glass canopy sometime within the next few weeks. The canopy, designed by architectural firm Carol Ross Barney, weighs approximately 350,000 pounds.
After the canopy is fully assembled, crews will install new lighting, roofing materials and benches, according to Kaplan.
For the past several months, the CTA project has coincided with other construction projects in the area, creating a headache for residents and commuters alike.
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