Cermak-McCormick Elevated Station Construction Engineering

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) constructed an entirely new elevated station on the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Green Line. This new facility, Cermak Road Station, is located on the more than 2.5-mile stretch between Roosevelt and 35th Street stations. By providing a major new entrance and exit point for the CTA system, Cermak Road Station improves transit accessibility for residents, businesses, and visitors in McCormick Place and the South Loop area. Lochner served as construction manager for this complex urban construction project, which was constructed under an expedited schedule of just 16 months.

The new station comprises a 2,762-square-foot main building on the north side of Cermak Road and three station house entrance points—two on Cermak Road and one on 23rd Street—each with security and monitoring systems. A steel and glass arched structure covers the existing tracks and the new 625-foot central platform; a passenger address and real-time communications system has been installed. Two elevators from the street to the platform provide access to passengers with disabilities, and bicycle racks at each station house encourage non-motorized travel. The construction also included new sidewalks, landscaping, and street lighting on 23rd Street, as well as new signage on Cermak Road.

Lochner oversaw all aspects of construction. Several CTA track columns and foundations needed to be removed and replaced to accommodate the station construction. This required Lochner to closely monitor the contractor’s live load shoring implementation to ensure that no settlement of CTA’s track structure or surrounding buildings/utilities occurred. The station foundations required the installation of micropiles; Lochner assisted in coordination between the contractor and the Department of Buildings to secure the appropriate permits for micropile use. The foundation construction necessitated extensive utility coordination and relocation, as well as sewer and water main upgrades, and Lochner coordinated between the numerous companies and public agencies involved in this utility work. CTA track ties also needed to be relocated to accommodate a new foot walk. The monitoring of the steel erection for the arched structure was critical, as was the installation of the structure’s welded and bolted connections. The project also included modifications to the existing train control and signal system, and significant testing of the new system parameters.

In addition to the multifaceted construction work, requiring considerable coordination between CDOT and CTA, Lochner oversaw adherence to a complex construction schedule designed to minimize disruption to train operations. Lochner also ensured that all traffic control and safety procedures were adhered to during temporary lane and sidewalk closures on the busy thoroughfares of Cermak Road and 23rd Street, both of which remained open during construction.