CTA to renovate historic Quincy Station, add accessibility and modernize

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. announced the beginning of a major project to renovate the historic Quincy Loop station.

CTA says the project will make the 120-year-old station fully wheelchair accessible, while preserving its renowned historic appearance. The $18.2-million project is the largest renovation in nearly 30 years for Quincy, which was built in 1897 and is one of CTA's oldest rail stations.

"The renovation of the historic Quincy station is the next step on the path to ensuring every CTA station in Chicago is accessible to every resident of Chicago," said Mayor Emanuel.

Among the improvements, the Quincy station will receive two new elevators located on the inbound and outbound platforms to make the station accessible to customers with disabilities. This upgrade will increase the number of Loop stations that are fully accessible to customers.

The accessibility improvements are another step in CTA's push toward 100 percent accessibility across CTA, a goal set by President Carter's All Stations Accessibility Program.

Additional improvements include stair replacement, painting and lighting upgrades. The mezzanine-level ceiling will be enhanced with new, historic-style aluminum panels, while new light fixtures will be installed to complement the station's original features. In keeping with the station's turn-of-the-century look, the elevator tower exteriors will feature a pattern referencing the one present on the station's historic railings.

Quincy station serves more than 2.2 million riders annually via the Brown, Orange, Pink and Purple lines and is a major transfer point for 10 CTA bus routes, Union Station and the LaSalle Street Metra Station.