ASAP O’Hare Line – Belmont & Irving Park – Cook County, Illinois

As part of the Chicago Transit Authority’s All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP), DB Sterlin provided civil, structural, and surveying services to support renovations at the Belmont and Irving Park Blue Line stations on the O’Hare Branch. The ASAP program seeks to make the CTA rail system fully accessible within 20 years, addressing 42 stations currently without elevators or other accessibility features. Belmont and Irving Park stations are among the first two Phase II projects.

Comprehensive Civil, Structural, and Survey Support
DB Sterlin’s responsibilities included utility design and coordination, permitting coordination, and coordination with the City of Chicago Office of Underground Coordination (OUC). Subsurface utility engineering (SUE) investigations were performed to accurately identify underground utilities and avoid conflicts during construction. Civil and structural engineering services included developing existing condition, removal, and restoration plans, structural inspection per IDOT and NBIS standards, and construction-phase support.

Surveying services included full topographic and LIDAR surveys at street level, side streets, arterial streets, viaducts, inside stations, at platform level, and along track alignments. These surveys provided a complete and precise dataset to support design and construction activities.

Enhancing Accessibility and Compliance
The project includes new elevators, accessible routes, and clearances for wheelchairs and other mobility devices throughout the stations. Additional improvements include new exits at Belmont Station and upgrades to the existing exit facilities at Irving Park Station. These enhancements bring the stations into full compliance with city codes and ADA requirements, providing improved mobility and accessibility for all transit users.

Supporting Safe and Efficient Transit
Through utility design and coordination, permitting and OUC coordination, SUE investigation, topographic and LIDAR surveys, and structural engineering support, DB Sterlin ensured that construction activities were executed efficiently, safely, and in accordance with regulatory standards. These improvements contribute to CTA’s mission of creating a fully accessible and modern rail network.