I'm Julie Gates and this is your Transit Unplugged News Minute. We're seeing a big win for Chicago. We're talking a potential funding in the billions. The Federal Transit Administration announced that funding for the Red Line Expansion Project has moved to the next phase. The project would extend the Red Line 5.6 miles to Chicago's far South Side, providing a more equitable transit system for communities that have historically lacked access. The Chicago Transit Authority is in line for $1.9 billion in critical grant funding needed to build the project. This would be the largest transit infrastructure grant awarded in the agency's history. In early September, the FTA notified CTA that the project has advanced into the next phase of the federal New Starts Program. That means that CTA can begin the engineering phase of the project, which will continue into 2024. Once all approvals have been met, funding is anticipated by the end of 2024 and then construction can begin in 2025.

This Transit Unplugged News Minute is being brought to you by Modaxo, passionate about moving the world's people. I'm Julie Gates.