Morgan (CTA station)

Morgan
Station statistics
Address	Morgan Street & Lake Street
Coordinates	41°53′08″N 87°39′08″W / 41.8856°N 87.6522°W / 41.8856; -87.6522Coordinates: 41°53′08″N 87°39′08″W / 41.8856°N 87.6522°W / 41.8856; -87.6522
Lines	Green Line   Pink Line
Structure	Elevated
Platforms	2 Side Platforms
Tracks	2 tracks
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Other information
Opened	November 6, 1893
Closed	April 4, 1948
Rebuilt	start in August 2010 opening in 2012
Accessible
Owned by	Chicago Transit Authority
Services
Preceding station   Chicago 'L'   Following station Ashland toward Harlem Green Line Clinton toward Ashland/63rd or Cottage Grove Ashland toward 54th/Cermak Pink Line Clinton toward The Loop

Morgan/Lake is a demolished station of what is currently known as Chicago Transit Authority's Green and Pink Lines.^[1] The station is being rebuilt after years of intense lobbying by local residents and members of the Fulton Market Merchant Association.^[2] It is scheduled to open some time in 2012.^[3]

History

The first Morgan station was one of the 20 initial stations along the Lake Street Elevated Railroad when it opened in 1893. The station operated continuously until April 4, 1948, when the newly-created CTA closed it due to low ridership, in an attempt to speed up and simplify rail service along the line.^[4] Soon afterward, the station was demolished. The neighborhood continued to be served by a station at Halsted Street, four blocks to the east.

Halsted continued to serve the neighborhood until 1994, when the Lake Street Elevated, now part of CTA's Green Line, was closed for an extensive rehabilitation project. This project involved the closure of several stations; included in these was the Halsted station. With the closure of Halsted, no Green Line stations remained in the West Loop or Fulton Market areas between Ashland Avenue and Clinton Street, a distance of 1.3 miles (2.1 km). This closure was unpopular, and since that date, community residents, businesses, and local organizations have argued that these areas need a new "infill station" to restore rail service. In the last 15 years, significant amounts of growth have occurred near the line, including large residential buildings and many popular restaurants and nightclubs, heightening the need for a new station.

New Station

Morgan was a logical location for the new station sought by the community, as it lies roughly halfway between Ashland and Clinton, and the intersection of Morgan/Lake is close to much of the new development. It also sits near many art galleries that have opened recently, as well as Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Studios, a major tourist attraction. In the early 2000s, CTA began to work with local groups and city officials to plan and identify funding sources for the new station. Currently, the Chicago Department of Transportation estimates the total cost at $35 to $40 million.^[5] Initially, the neighborhood planned to cover the entire cost with funding from a local tax increment financing district. Recently,^[when?] however, the Chicago Department of Transportation decided to seek federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program funding to cover $8 million of the cost, allowing some of the TIF money to be used for other purposes.^{[citation needed]}

Construction is scheduled to begin in March 2010.^[6][7] The station house will be designed by TranSystems.^[8] Like most currently active Green Line and Pink Line stations, Morgan will be ADA-accessible, with an elevator on either side of the tracks. The station will also have bike storage.

As of August 2010, construction has begun on the station.

References

1. ^ http://www.chicago-l.org/stations/morgan-lake.html
2. ^ http://www.gazettechicago.com/index/?p=41
3. ^ "Morgan CTA Green/Pink Line Station". City of Chicago. http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cdot/provdrs/transit_facilities/svcs/morgan_cta_greenpinklinestation.html. Retrieved April 27, 2010. 
4. ^ "10 Stations Closed as CTA Speeds Up Lake St. Elevated". Chicago Daily Tribune: p. 4. April 5, 1948. 
5. ^ "Featured Articles from the Chicago Tribune". Chicago Tribune. http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2009/sep/30/local/chi-morgan-street-el-city-zone-3sep30. 
6. ^ http://www.chicagojournal.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=60&ArticleID=6554&TM=47757.67
7. ^ Chicago Tribune. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-morgan-street-el-city-zone-3sep30,0,3277050.story. ^{[dead link]}
8. ^ http://www.transystems.com/industry_project_view.asp?ListSource=industry_category_xml&industry_id=4&projidx=27