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Joint I-290 Blue Line Modernization Project Project overview The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) are partnering to invest in improvements to the I-290 Multimodal Corridor that includes both the CTA Blue Line Forest Park Branch and the I-290 Eisenhower Expressway. Once-in-a-generation investment The 13-mile, $6.2 billion multi-phase project, spanning from downtown Chicago (in the east) to Mannheim Road in Hillside (in the west) will: e Provide disadvantaged communities with connectivity, mobility and cohesion across the I-290 expressway; ¢ Increase efficiency and speeds of the CTA Blue Line and continues making currently inaccessible CTA stations, accessible; ¢ Improve safety for all vulnerable roadway users, transit users, and motorists; ¢ Enhance the resilience of the corridor with stronger flood mitigation infrastructure to account for heavy rain events affecting the Des Plaines River. Innovation through partnership The 1-290 Blue Line multimodal modernization project combines elements of two, regionally significant projects from IDOT and CTA. ¢ IDOT’s comprehensive and ambitious $3.2 billion, 13-mile multimodal corridor improvement program extends along 1-290 from downtown Chicago to Mannheim Road in Hillside. The program is intent on bringing the I-290 multimodal corridor into a state of good repair, preparing for a growing population, and meeting the challenges of a changing climate. * CTA’s $3 billion Blue Line CTA Blue Line Forest Park Branch modernization project makes improvements from Halsted Portal through Forest Park Terminal. The goal is to rebuild aging track, make remaining stations accessible and address power reliability concerns by upgrading power substations. Elected officials, transportation leaders, and advocates agree this transportation project is the highest priority for the region, given the many economic, safety, and mobility benefits as described below. *1-290 crash rates 24 - 70% higher compared to other Chicago area freeways *western parts of the corridor 1-290 bridges: 50+ years old Pavement life: approx. 30 years Bridges life: approx. 50 years Background: The I-290 Blue Line corridor, built in the 1950s, demonstrated innovation and a shared vision of multimodal cooperation. It was a first-of-its-kind project to construct transit in the median of a grade-separated highway. Both the transit line and the highway provided the “express” access from the western suburbs to downtown Chicago. 
