An update from the CTA regarding construction contracts signals that plans for renovations at the Blue Line’s busy Belmont and Jefferson Park are still moving forward. According to the CTA, the $30.8 million construction contract for the renovations has been awarded to Walsh Construction, a firm that has remained busy during this development cycle.

The Jefferson Park and Belmont stations are the fourth and seventh busiest stations along the Blue Line’s O’Hare branch, the CTA says. Plans for renovations will include an aesthetic refresh and modernization to lighting, signage, and station platforms. Ross Barney architects was selected for the makeover at the Belmont station, which will see the addition of a large, glassy awning. A major transfer point for travelers heading to and from O’Hare, the new “Belmont Gateway” station is being envisioned not only as a transportation hub, but as a neighborhood identifier for the Avondale community.

At Jefferson Park, new canopies will be installed over the bus terminal and rail station entry. In addition, the existing bus bays will be reconfigured to make them more accessible. The CTA says that the overhaul at the Jefferson Park station will be the biggest rehab to the terminal since it was reconstructed in 2001.

In terms of a timeline, the CTA anticipates a late-2018 completion and opening at the Belmont station while Jefferson Park will be completed sometime in 2019.