Quick Overview

  • The Fluor and Walsh Construction joint venture has achieved substantial completion of Phase One of the Chicago Transit Authority's (CTA) $2.1 billion Red and Purple Modernization Project, said Shawn West, president of Fluor's infrastructure business.
  • According to a press release issued July 1, Fluor expects final completion of the Phase One modernization work, which includes more than 2 miles of track replacement, by November 2026.
  • This milestone comes about three months after a federal judge ordered the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) in March to restore funding for the project. The DOT had previously withheld funds due to a review of the CTA's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program.

In-Depth Analysis

According to the press release, this milestone brings the largest active capital project in CTA history closer to the finish line after years of construction.

Since construction began in 2019, the construction team has made significant progress while maintaining rail transit service. For example, workers have replaced more than 2 miles of century-old elevated track between Lawrence and Bryn Mawr and rebuilt four stations as modern, accessible facilities, the press release said.

The project also includes the Red-Purple Bypass, a newly constructed elevated bypass for Chicago's Brown Line. According to Fluor, the upgrade eliminates track conflicts and increases capacity for Red, Purple, and Brown Line services.

The contractor also installed 11 miles of new digital track circuit signaling systems. According to the press release, this will immediately increase capacity while creating conditions for future signal and rolling stock upgrades.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funded the Red and Purple Modernization Project in 2017 and separately approved a grant for the Red Line Extension in 2025. Together, these projects support the CTA's "Red Ahead" program, a multi-billion-dollar initiative aimed at upgrading Chicago's transit system.

In October 2025, federal officials issued policy changes around diversity and inclusion programs and placed the CTA's grant under review. In March, a judge ordered the DOT to restore funding.

Similar situations have occurred in New York and New Jersey, where a federal judge blocked the DOT from freezing funds for the $16 billion Hudson Tunnel Project due to its DBE program.