Yesterday the CTA announced that Addison, one of the busiest station on the Red Line, will be partially closed for the next three weeks, beginning tonight (Friday, March 8). The closure comes as a part of the Red and Purple Modernization Project, a component of outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel's efforts to upgrade Chicago's transit infrastructure. Over the next three weeks, the CTA will be making nearly $4 million worth of railroad track improvements at the Addison station, eliminating slow zones and making rides smoother.
While the project will ultimately benefit CTA riders in the long-term, it will definitely create headaches over the next month. The Addison station will be completely closed this weekend (March 8-10) as well as the weekend of March 29 through 31. During these weekends the closure will begin late on Friday night and continue until late on Sunday night, with a shuttle bus available at Addison to transport riders to the next station.
When the Addison station is open between March 10 and 30, it will only offer southbound service. If you usually board a northbound train at Addison, you'll have to travel to either the Sheridan or Belmont stations. Alternatively, you could board a southbound train at Addison and then switch to a northbound train at Belmont. However, if you need an accessible station your nearby options are limited to boarding at either Belmont or Wilson.
Through the Addison Red Line station won't be closed over St. Patrick's Day weekend (March 15–17), there won't be any northbound service to the station meaning that holiday revelers on their way to Wrigleyville from the Loop will have to plan accordingly.
Barring a delay, renovations to the Addison station will be complete well before Monday, April 8, when the Cubs host the team's home opener at Wrigley Field.