The Red Line South Project will commence on May 19th

May 19th is the date and the surrounding neighborhoods are still talking about the project. The May 18th meeting of the Greater Chatham Alliance will be discussing the coming project. In their May newsletter they noted some rumors and facts about the project:

• Starting May 18th, both State Street and Lafayette will be closed during the length of the project (approx. 5 months): No cars or trucks will be allowed to park on these streets. FACT!
• Vehicles on the above streets will be towed by the city and fined. During the first two weeks, you will only be towed! FACT!
• No vehicles will be allowed to drive down State Street and Lafayette during the entire Reconstruction Project. RUMORED!
• CTA will be running dual lanes of buses down the closed streets of State and Lafayette. RUMORED!
• 79th, 83rd and 87th arterial streets will be closed down during this project to accommodate construction equipment. RUMORED!
• CTA plans to add additional security to protect citizens boarding these express buses and in the areas affected. RUMORED!

Also concerned about crime, traffic, with the additional issue of parking if residents on Lafayette and State Streets aren't able to park in front of their residences.

If you want to learn more about this project and additional information to adjust your communtes for the next 5 months then visit the special page for this project @ http://www.transitchicago.com/redsouth/

In the meanwhile here are some articles that will keep you aprised of this project. Found most of them courtesy of Chicago-L.org.

• Red Line going offline during reconstruction - John Hilkevitch
• Red Line rehab includes 3 elevators, prep work for new 95th St. station - Sun-Times
• Red Line shutdown on South Side may curb business at rib joint, other shops - Sun-Times
• All systems go for Red Line shuttle - RedEye
• Red Line riders get set for 5-month construction project: 'It’s going to be crazy' - Sun-Times