USA: Chicago Transit Authority approved its 2017 operating budget and 2017-21 capital budget on November 16.
CTA has a capital budget of $3·5bn for the next five years. The authority expects to start work on new projects next year, including the selection of an alignment for the proposed Red Line extension from 95th Street to 130th Street. It could begin preparatory work on the first phase of modernising the Red and Purple lines, which includes rebuilding four Red Line stations and grade separating a junction with the Brown Line.
In addition to these and several ongoing projects, CTA envisages that several station projects will be completed next year, along with the programme to overhaul 3200 Series metro cars on the Orange and Brown lines.
The operating budget is $1·5bn. CTA says that it ‘continues to focus on growing revenue through advertising, retail concessions and other non-fare related sources’.
