- Credibility:
UPTOWN — Temporary street closures at Lawrence and Catalpa avenues in Uptown will go into effect starting Friday evening as the massive $2.1 billion Red-Purple Modernization Project continues.
The street closures are necessary as crews rebuilding the Red Line on the Far North Side demolish the existing rail viaducts at Lawrence and Catalpa, the CTA said in an alert to neighbors.
Starting 9 p.m. Friday, Lawrence Avenue will be closed between Winthrop Avenue and North Broadway to cars and bicycles. Lawrence Avenue will be open to local traffic from North Broadway east to Clifton Avenue, which is just west of the Red Line tracks.
Sidewalk closures within the work zone will alternate between the north and south side of Lawrence Avenue. Closures are expected to end at 5 a.m. Monday.
Crews will work around the clock this weekend to reopen Lawrence by the Monday morning rush, according to CTA.
Catalpa Avenue closures begin at 7 a.m. Monday, with the street closing from Winthrop Avenue to North Broadway. Local traffic can still access Catalpa between Winthrop and the alley west of the tracks.
Crews will work from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on the Catalpa viaduct demolition, though the street will remain closed for 24 hours during the work period. Construction is expected to wrap up by the evening of Sept. 15.
The rebuild of the Red Line in Uptown and Edgewater has reached its midway point, with crews in July putting into service the new northbound rail line serving Red and Purple Line trains.
Construction crews have now turned to demolishing and rebuilding the southbound or westernmost tracks, which were kept in service while the northbound tracks were constructed. New temporary stations have opened at Argyle and Bryn Mawr stations to accommodate the new phase of work.
The Red Line rebuild is slated to wrap up in 2025.
A full list of construction impact and project planning can be accessed here.
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