Project

Economic & Access Impacts of the CTA Red Line Extension

For the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), EBP is supporting an HNTB-led team to better understand potential impacts the Red Line Extension (RLE) will have on Chicago and the broader region. Tasks include a GIS-based access analysis and transportation spending and performance analyses using TREDIS.

Utilizing TREDIS, EBP is estimating job, income, and GDP impacts generated directly or indirectly by the RLE. We consider multiple years of construction and operations spending, as well as currently planned developed around proposed station areas, when estimating impacts. Specific data on proposed building use, square footage, and unit type are key to providing accurate impact estimates. In addition, the inclusion of key projects such as an expanded medical district and commercial space allows for a fine-tuned estimate of development potential enabled by the project.

EBP is also measuring the RLE’s impact on access to jobs, grocery stores, and hospitals. Our expertise in transportation allows us to analyze peak and off-peak periods separately, and our data visualizations will aid in the communication of these effects in their specific geographic context. Disparities in the access measures by race and income will also be included in the analysis to determine the RLE’s equity impacts.