The US$396 million increase in 2025's first-year funding highlights the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Illinois congressional delegation's strong support for the US$3.6 billion RLE Project. The CTA’s RLE project, extending the Red Line by 5.6 miles to Chicago’s Far South Side, is one of three national projects proposed for the 2025 federal grant pipeline, previously recommended but not yet in a construction grant agreement. The Engineering phase is expected to continue this year, with CTA aiming for a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) by the end of 2024, pending federal review and approvals. The RLE project is a community-input-driven investment in Chicago’s Far South Side that will:

• Build a 5.6-mile extension of the Red Line starting at 95th Street Terminal to the vicinity of 130th Street.
• Include four new accessible stations near 103rd Street, 111th Street, Michigan Avenue, and 130th Street, each of which would include bus, bike, pedestrian, and parking facilities.
• Build a new rail yard and related rail facilities to improve operational efficiency for the entire Red Line and CTA system.