California Blue Line station to get elevators in $40 million accessibility upgrade

The CTA board has approved construction contracts for a $40 million renovation of Chicago’s California Blue Line station, with accessibility improvements at the center of the project. The agency expects work to begin in late fall 2027, using state transportation funding and local tax increment financing funds.

Plans call for two elevators, accessible doors and new stairs, along with expanded platforms and canopies. Those changes will improve access at a station that the CTA says served 1.1 million riders in 2025, making the project relevant to both regular commuters and other passengers who rely on the Blue Line.

The renovation also includes work beyond the station’s entrances and platforms. Crews will improve lighting, sidewalks, ramps and drainage, and complete landscaping work. Together, these elements make the project a broader update to the station site as well as an investment in accessibility.

During construction, passengers will use a temporary stationhouse and entrance at St. George’s Court. That temporary facility is part of the construction plan announced by the agency. The provided project details identify the expected start of work but do not give a completion date.

California last received improvements in 2014 through the Your New Blue Project. That work included lighting and signage upgrades, refurbished walls, stairs and platforms, and bicycle racks. The newly approved project adds elevators and accessible doors to the next round of station improvements.

The work falls under the CTA’s All Stations Accessibility Program, which has a goal of making every rail station fully accessible by 2038. Interim CTA President Nora Leerhsen described the California investment as a way to support independent travel and better serve riders with disabilities, while improving the station for the wider community.