CTA Repairs Continue At A Slow Pace On The North Side
CHICAGO -- Six months and counting and it's been slow moving.
That's how some neighbors described repairs along the CTA train tracks on the far North Side.
The work began six months ago when chunks of concrete fell off a retaining wall and damaged two cars.
CBS 2's Vi Nguyen has more from Rogers Park where some neighbors want to know what's taking so long to repair the wall.
It looks like progress is being made on Glenwood Avenue but the question is how much longer will it take. Neighbors know the repairs are needed. But it's been six months now. So CBS 2 asked the CTA if this is normal.
Resident Carlos Torres said "my concern is why is this taking so long. I don't see why one city block or less than a city block should take so long to fix."
Torres takes his dog on a walk several times a day in a Rogers Park neighborhood and couldn't help but notice the work in progress near Glenwood and Touhy.
"They got a little bit of progress, I think with this wood stuff they put up," Torres said. He moved in over the summer just three months after the incident happened.
A CTA spokesperson told CBS 2 back in April, a small portion of the east retaining wall fell away from the viaduct structure, causing chunks of concrete to crush at least two cars. Luckily no one was hurt.
But Malcolm Burns said he first noticed a problem with the aging wall two years ago.
"I know when I first came over here it looked horrible," Burns said. "I've seen pieces fall off of it. It was really bad."
The Red and Purple Line trains continue to operate every day while work is being completed.
"I wouldn't say every day, but most of the days they're out here," Burns noted.
It's unclear what the work schedule is, but neighbors hope things are wrapping up soon.
"My main concern was just that friends wouldn't have anywhere to park because it takes up a huge part of the parking," Torres said. "But I figured it would be done by now."
The CTA said repairs to portions of the wall were done in July. But since then they had to do some extra work, some preventive maintenance work and that's expected to wrap up in the next few weeks.
A statement from the CTA reads:
"In July, CTA completed repairs to the portion of the embankment retaining wall that incurred spalling damage this spring. Some additional work has occurred in the area since July as part of preventive maintenance work, which is expected to be complete in the next few weeks. Costs associated with these repairs and maintenance work are part of CTA's operating budget."
