CTA construction to cause extended closure of I-94 lane

Improvements to the 95th Street Red Line station will mean headaches for those who drive past it on the inbound Dan Ryan, starting Tuesday night and lasting through Thanksgiving.

After the evening rush hour Tuesday, crews started putting up electronic signs and barricades alerting drivers to the coming congestion that is going to make the inbound commute on the Dan Ryan messy.

The left lane will be shut down starting at Halsted Street, meaning a section of the expressway that already log jams for morning commuters will have only two lanes until you pass the 95th Street Red Line Station.

Drivers are already making plans to avoid this area.

“I'm going to take the Metra to work, there's not need, it's already gridlock when you start out here and you make that turn, that interpass at 111th, that's just going to make it worse especially in the morning time, rush hour,” said Mike Carter.

The work is needed for the CTA's plan to completely overhall the 95th Street station, which is the busiest one on the Red Line. It will improve bus lanes and provide additional amenities and business opportunities at the station.

“Just leave a little earlier, that's all, glad they're doing it. You glad they're doing it but it's just part of Chicago. It's like another season," said Leon Morgan.

And it's that construction season that Chicagoans love to hate when they have to drive in it. But there's a certain acceptance of it, and it's not so bad, drivers said, when you prepare yourself for it.

“It's not much you can do about it, I mean, it's nothing that nobody can do to change the situation, just have to adjust to it. Take alternate routes or do what you have to do. I mean complaining about it's not gonna do no good,” said Rob Thomas.

Work will stop around Thanksgiving, but resume in the Spring. The improvements will bring two stations to 95th Street. The south station will be done in 2017, and the station on the north side of 95th is scheduled to be completed in 2018.

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