ATP
ATP on Aug. 5 announced that, following a rigorous Request for Qualifications (RFQ) evaluation process, it has selected the following three firms to advance to the RFP phase for the final design and construction of the civil, rail, station, and system components of the Austin Light Rail project:
- Austin Rail Constructors, a joint venture led by Stacy & Witbeck, Inc. and Sundt Construction, Inc.
- FCC Construction, Inc.
- Kiewit Infrastructure South Co.
The partners ATP selects for this contract will help shape and build nearly every aspect of the system, including the transitway, tracks, systems, stations, bridges, traffic signals, utilities, drainage structures and streetscape. The agreement is expected to extend through the duration of design, construction, and opening for service, planned for 2033.
After the proposal deadline on Oct. 24, 2025, ATP says it will evaluate each submission and expects to award a contract in early 2026.
CTA
The CTA on Aug. 5 announced more than 20 rail stations and bus turnarounds have already received repairs and improvements this year, as part of its cyclical facility improvement program “Refresh & Renew.” More than two dozen additional locations throughout the system will receive repairs and improvements before the end of the year.
Since the spring, crews have been performing an estimated $6.5 million in repairs and maintenance at the following rail locations across the CTA service region:
- Red Line: Addison, Sox-35th, Belmont, 47th, Garfield, 63rd, 69th
- Brown Line: Rockwell, Damen
- Blue Line: Pulaski, Austin, Kedzie-Homan
- Green Line: 35th/Bronzeville, Oak Park, Halsted
- Pink Line: Damen, Polk
By the end of the 2025, work will be completed at additional rail stations and bus turnarounds, including:
- Blue Line: Western (O’Hare), Grand
- Red Line: Harrison, 79th, 95th, Jarvis, Morse
- Brown Line: Kimball
- Green Line: 43rd
- Orange Line: Kedzie
- Pink Line: 18th
- Purple Line: Noyes
“I am always so pleased when I hear riders say, ‘this is my station’ or ‘this is my bus stop’—people take ownership and pride in their touchpoint to transit,” said CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen. “The ‘Refresh and Renew’ program is an investment that shows that we join them in taking pride in our shared spaces.”
To complement Refresh & Renew, CTA also deploys power washing teams to attack grime collected during the winter months. This separate group of personnel is dispatched during the overnight hours and is tasked with scrubbing and power washing the surfaces of CTA’s stations. Each year between the spring and fall seasons, each of CTA’s 146 rail stations is power washed at least once a month as part of routine station cleaning efforts.
Created in 2019, Refresh & Renew, the agency says, is intended to keep CTA’s stations in a state of good repair with routine maintenance that enhances the safety, security and overall look and feel of facilities.
Prior to starting work at a location, crews perform an initial and thorough inspection of the location to identify any behind-the-scenes or customer-facing items that need repair and/or replacement—either immediately or in the near-term.
Some of the more comprehensive improvements made as part of this program include concrete repairs, removal of outdated fixtures and equipment, repairs to utility and plumbing lines and more. Work also includes smaller cosmetic upgrades such as painting and replacing sheet metal or damaged signage, lighting upgrades, cleaning, and repair of surfaces (e.g., columns, walls, railings, fencing/gates and platform fixtures) and power washing are also performed.
More information is available here.
