Green Line Cermak Stop Construction Officially Underway; Completion Slated for End of 2014

Rendering for Green Line CTA Stop at Cermak (via ABC7)

From a city press release:

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and local officials broke ground today on the new Cermak Green Line station, a $50 million construction project that will energize the area around McCormick Place and provide a crucial additional transportation option for the Near South Side. The $50 million station is part of $92 million in overall transportation investments, including the rehabilitation of the Roosevelt and Harrison stations on the Red Line and the 18th Street Connector, which will significantly revitalize the near south side of the city.

Apparently the station will be done by the end of 2014:

The Cermak station will be the 146th CTA station. The construction project is being managed by the Chicago Department of Transportation, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2014. The station will be located near the intersection of Cermak Avenue and State Street and directly west of the McCormick Place convention center.

The press release also talks about some other Near South Side projects.  The most interesting to us was some of the improvements at Roosevelt Road:

Roosevelt Road Streetscape and Intermodal Improvements, between State Street and Columbus Drive. Total Cost: $7 million (All from TIF)

• Chicago Neighborhoods Now Project 

• Wider sidewalks and improved pedestrian facilities at the CTA intermodal facility 

• A raised two-way bicycle path along the north side of Roosevelt between Wabash and Indiana, improving connections to the park and museum campus 

• New pedestrian lighting between State and Indiana 

• Pedestrian safety improvements including new crosswalks, improved existing crosswalks, and pedestrian refuge islands 

• Streetscape enhancements including decorative pavers, community identifiers, street trees, seating and bike parking

All this sounds great.  What is surprising it this is the first time we've heard of the confirmed "two-way bicycle path" on Roosevelt.  If you recall we did a post on the idea back in July - but at the time it seemed like it was more of an "idea" not a project.

Sounds interesting, but as usual the devil is in the details.  And right now we don't have the details.

(Hat tip:  LL!)