The current Belmont Blue Line station was built in the ‘70s, a time when the expanding train line simply needed a functional location for passengers to board the train or wait for a bus. Now the CTA is proposing a renovation to the aging station, introducing a striking redesign that falls in line with the bold design of the forthcoming 95th/Dan Ryan Terminal and the sleek look of the Cermak-McCormick Place station that opened last year.
This morning, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. revealed conceptual renderings of the new Belmont Blue Line station, which features a prominent glass and steel canopy designed by the Chicago architecture firm Carol Ross Barney. Accompanied by streetscape and landscape improvements, the project is being referred to as a “community gateway,” providing a notable landmark that welcomes visitors and residents to the Avondale neighborhood.
Thankfully, the improvements to the station aren't merely cosmetic—the new station will also integrate prepaid bus boarding, a system that the CTA started testing at the station earlier this year. Passengers will be able to pay for their bus fare in advance of boarding #77 Belmont buses from 3–7pm on weekdays, allowing for speedier and more efficient boarding.
Construction on improvements to the station will begin in late 2017 and is expected to cost $15 million. It's unclear if the improvements will require the station to close or impact the #77 Belmont and #82 Kimball/Homan bus routes at any point during its construction.
Take a look at renderings of the new Belmont Blue Line station below:
Courtesy CTA
Courtesy CTA
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