The Red Line Extension Project (RLE), which will extend the Red Line 5.6 miles to Chicago’s Far South Side, has advanced into the next phase of the federal “New Starts” program, meaning the project is now in line for $1.973 billion in grant funding. The grant would be the largest transit infrastructure grant awarded to the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) in the agency’s history. The project calls for extending the Red Line on the Far South Side from 95^th  to 130^th.

“Reversing decades of disinvestment starts with providing accessible transportation for all residents of this city,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “We will continue to work with stakeholders, the state, and federal government to ensure this project is moving full steam ahead.”

The $3.6 billion RLE Project will now begin the “engineering” phase of the project to further identify the federal grant dollars CTA can receive from the Federal Transportation Administration.