The construction work to realign the tracks at the Belmont and Fullerton Brown Line stations will be accelerated, allowing the CTA to restore the southbound track to service by the end of 2008, six months earlier than previously announced.

Southbound Brown, Red and Purple Express trains have been limited to one southbound track at Belmont and Fullerton since March 30 while the platforms are being rebuilt and tracks reconfigured to allow room for the installation of elevators at both stations. As a result of three-track operation, CTA has supplemented bus service near the stations and added personnel and signage in an effort to assist affected customers.

In addition, the CTA announced that it will add escalators to the Belmont and Fullerton stations. The original plans provided space for future installation of escalators but because the project remains within its budget and on schedule the CTA has determined that there are sufficient funds to install two escalators at each station. The escalator installation is scheduled to be completed by December 2009.

Read press release.

The next phase of three-track operation at the Belmont and Fullerton stations has started.

Effective March 30, 2008, southbound trains are limited to one track at the Belmont and Fullerton stations due to construction for the Brown Line capacity expansion project.  To help ease the impact, the CTA is operating eight-car trains on the Brown Line during morning and evening rush hours.  The introduction of eight-car service has occurred nearly 18 months earlier than originally planned.

Read more about three-track operation.

Crews placed the newly constructed northbound platform and tracks into service at the Belmont Brown/Red/Purple Express station on Thursday, August 9. The new platform and tracks are located east of the current platform and tracks. Customers will board northbound Red, Brown and Purple Line Express trains on the east side of the new northbound platform.

On Sunday, December 17, 2006 at 4 p.m., the Chicago Transit Authority temporarily relocated the entrance to the Belmont station on the Red, Brown and Purple lines. The new temporary entrance is approximately 75 feet to the east of the existing entrance. The customer assistant booth, turnstiles and farecard vending machines have moved to the new temporary entrance as well. Customers will continue to use the existing stairways to the elevated platforms to access Purple Line Express and Red and Brown Line trains. The temporary entrance is expected to be in place while CTA continues work to rebuild the Belmont station and extend platforms.

CTA’s #77 Belmont bus, which provides direct service to the Belmont station, will not be affected. (read more)