Residents on the far South Side of Chicago are one step closer to seeing improved transit accessibility after decades of anticipation and unmet promises. The project slated to commence next year involves adding four new L stations, as part of the Chicago system's largest expansion project, costing close to $5.7 billion. The Biden administration has committed $1.9 billion towards this initiative, bolstering hopes for the coming construction phase, as reported by AP News.
Present concerns hinge, however, upon the upcoming change in presidential administration. Adella Bass, a local resident and health equity advocate, expressed both optimism for the project and concern over potential intervention by President-elect Donald Trump's administration, telling ABC News, "But you just never know with Trump." Her sentiments echo the larger apprehension that the project, though essentially locked in regarding funding, could still face obstacles ahead.
Transportation experts have weighed in on the feasibility of altering the course of such massive infrastructure undertakings. According to Steve Davis of Smart Growth America, the Trump administration may direct future competitive grants towards highway construction at the expense of alternate transportation methods but would find it difficult to significantly impede already approved projects. Davis further suggested that major infrastructure work like a $2 billion road widening would necessitate assurance of sustained funding, which is typically safeguarded from the whims of fluctuating political currents.
Ongoing transformation hopes ride high for many, including locals such as Jervon Hicks, a mentor for at-risk youth in Roseland, a community set to benefit from the new L station. "Roseland needs a makeover,” Hicks said in a statement obtained by ABC News. Businesses like Edwards Fashions remain in the area, with owner Ledall Edwards sharing his anticipation for improved transit bringing people—and prosperity—back to the once-thriving business district.
Amidst these developments, the Chicago Transit Authority has initiated preliminary work, setting up an office in Roseland and beginning property assessments for the track's path. The cost of such an undertaking has ballooned from an estimated $114 million in former Mayor Richard J. Daley's era to the current multibillion-dollar figure, a testament to the increasing complexity and expense that such infrastructure projects command over time. U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois highlighted the resilience of Chicago's transit system, underscoring its endurance through wars, depression, and even a pandemic. "The big infrastructure projects stand the test of time," Quigley told AP News, asserting the essential nature of transit in paving the way for future opportunities.
