USA: A Chicago Green Line station that opened in 1899 and hadn’t been touched since 1962 now has an elevator, an escalator and a wheelchair ramp — and with it, the Chicago Transit Authority has crossed the 75% mark for system-wide accessibility.

Aerial view of the elevated CTA Green Line Austin station structure in Chicago
An aerial view of the elevated CTA Green Line Austin station in Chicago in October 2024. Illustrative photo. Photo: Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 4.0.

CTA, joined by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Mayor Brandon Johnson and Congressman Danny Davis, celebrated the reopening of the fully accessible Austin Green Line station on Aug. 7, according to CTA. The $25.6 million project is part of CTA’s All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP), which aims to make every rail station accessible by 2038; Railway Supply previously covered the opening of four modernized Red Line stations under the same program in 2025.

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What changed at a station frozen since the Kennedy era

Upgrades include a new elevator and escalator connecting to the platform, reconstructed outdoor stairs, an ADA-compliant ramp, an extended platform and a real-time monitor showing elevator status, according to WTTW News. With Austin now accessible, 110 of CTA’s 146 rail stations — 75% of the system — meet ADA standards, up from 70% before this project, CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen said.

Who paid, and what’s still unfunded

The Federal Highway Administration’s Surface Transportation Program covered $20.3 million of the cost, with Illinois’ Rebuild Illinois capital plan covering the remaining $5.3 million, according to The Center Square. Austin is one of 14 stations recently opened or currently in some stage of planning, design or construction under ASAP. CTA says 36 rail stations remain on its long-term remodel list, and the announcement does not specify a funding source or timeline for the remaining 25% of the system to reach full accessibility.

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