CTA BLUE LINE
Kenny Construction Company served as construction manager for the reconstruction the Chicago Transit Authority's (CTA) Blue Line-Cermak (Douglas) branch, the most ambitious project undertaken by CTA in decades. A key challenge: coordinating the demolition and rebuilding of 6.6 miles of double-track lines and elevated structures during weekends and opening them in time for thousands of Monday morning commuters.
Over the years, the Cermak branch had fallen into disrepair, leaving nearly half of its length in "slow zones" that limited its speed to 15 mph instead of the normal 55 mph. In addition, only three of 11 passenger stations complied with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the traction-power and signal systems had grown obsolete. Kenny Construction, a leading builder and manager of large and complex projects, oversaw the CTA "Renew the Blue" project from preconstruction planning to punch list completion.
The Kenny team's extensive coordination with both the general contractor and CTA's operations and management staff allowed for a complex sequencing of crews, equipment and materials. Scheduling included 45-hour weekend work to demolish and rebuild elevated track structures. Weekend work included building temporary stations and platforms to ensure uninterrupted commuter service. The team's outreach to residents and businesses in the affected areas also kept the project moving on a fast track.
Construction work included 6.6 miles of double-track transit line replacement, including five miles of elevated structure with open-deck construction and reconstruction of the 54th Street Storage Yard. Infrastructure work included fiber-optic communications backbones and nodes, control signals, and interlocking and grade crossing equipment. The stations, which feature center platforms, escalators and elevators, were open for service by April 30, 2004.
The project was completed in early 2005, nearly a year ahead of a four-year schedule that launched in September 2001. Kenny has served as construction manager with partner DMJM + Harris since Renew the Blue's inception. CTA amended its contract to include structure rehabilitation for the connecting track from the Cermak Branch of the Blue Line to the Green Line at Lake and Paulina streets.