Chicago CTA Red Line stations reopening Sunday on the North Side with upgrades, improved accessibility

Four CTA Red Line L stations will reopen Sunday on the North Side with digital and accessibility upgrades after being closed since 2021.

The L is set to once again stop at the Argyle, Bryn Mawr, Lawrence and Berwyn stations.

The four stations — all built more than a century ago — were upgraded as part of the first phase of the CTA’s $2.1 billion Red and Purple Line Modernization Project that started in 2019.

Since they were closed in 2021 so the work could be done, they have been expanded and had digital screens added so riders can track trains. Also, improvements were made for accessibility, including putting in benches on each platform, elevators and escalators at main entrances, overhead canopies and new turnstiles and fare machines.

They will also feature artwork from five Chicago artists to reflect the neighborhoods around the four stations.

A track bypass to smooth traffic between the Red and Purple lines near Belmont Avenue was finished in 2021, and track reconstruction was done between Belmont and West Cornelia Avenue and the addition of a new signal system between the Howard and Belmont stations.

The CTA also plans to redevelop 10 blocks of space under the new Red and Purple line tracks between Lawrence and Ardmore avenues, including a pedestrian trail, dog park, benches, community plaza space, playground and fitness area. Construction is expected to start next year and be finished in 2027.

Earlier this year, the CTA said it expects to break ground between 106th Place and 118th Street on the South Side on the $5.75 billion, 5.5-mile Red Line extension next year.