CHICAGO (STMW) – The North Side’s Argyle Red Line stop will close for up to six weeks starting Friday as crews work on long overdue repairs to the century-old station.

The Uptown neighborhood stop is the fourth of seven Red Line stations to close this summer and fall for six weeks at a time to make way for $86 million in repairs to upgrade every aspect of the passenger experience.

“These are literally the worst stations in the system. … It’s been a source of frustration over the years that they’ve been neglected. … We are attacking that problem — finally,” CTA President Forrest Claypool said when announcing the project in April.

“By the end of this year or early 2013, you’ll have a complete facelift of stations that haven’t been touched in a hundred years.”

The Argyle station first opened for business in 1908, according to the CTA. It was rebuilt in 1921, but has only seen patchwork repairs in the 90 years since then.

During the closure, crews will focus on much-needed repairs to the stationhouse and tracks, as well as viaducts and concession spaces, the CTA said.

As an alternative, riders can use the nearby Berwyn or Lawrence stations, which are each about four blocks away from Argyle, the CTA said. The No. 151 Sheridan bus and No. 36 Broadway bus are also alternatives to rail service and pick up passengers within two blocks of the station.

Rogers Park’s Morse stop and Edgewater’s Granville stop are both open again after similar renovations. The Thorndale station, also in Edgewater, remains closed until late September.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2012. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)