Bryn Mawr (5600N/1200W)
Bryn Mawr Avenue and Broadway, Edgewater

Service Notes:

Red Line: Howard

Accessible Station

Owl Service

Quick Facts:

Address:

1116 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue (main entrance, north side of Bryn Mawr Ave.)
1119 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue (auxiliary entrance, south side of Bryn Mawr Ave.)
1119 W. Hollywood Avenue (Hollywood Ave. entrance)
Established: May 16, 1908
Original Line: Northwestern Elevated Railroad
Previous Names: Edgewater

Skip-Stop Type:

Station
Rebuilt: 1921, 1974, 2021-05
Status: In Use

History:

"L" service first entered north Chicago and Evanston by way of an agreement to use the tracks of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway's tracks, replacing the steam service that the St. Paul had previously provided. The Chicago City Council authorized the electrification of the tracks of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad's tracks from Graceland Avenue (Irving Park Road) to the city limits on July 1, 1907. Unlike Evanston (as per the 1907 franchise agreement from the city), the Chicago City Council did not require that the grade-level tracks be elevated, but they did prohibit the use of a third rail for safety's sake, necessitating the use of overhead trolley wire. "L" service north of Wilson to Central Avenue in Evanston began on May 16, 1908.

The St. Paul had a station named Edgewater at Bryn Mawr Avenue near Evanston Avenue (now Broadway). The station, of a style typical of railroad depots, was located on the east side of the tracks on the south side of Bryn Mawr. As they did at the other stations on the newly electrified line, the Northwestern Elevated Railroad chose not to use the station facilities of the St. Paul steam railroad, which were situated and designed for the needs of a main line commuter railroad rather than a rapid transit service. Instead, the Northwestern built a new station at the same location as the St. Paul's station. The "L" station facility at Edgewater was a simple ground-level station and modest platform on the south side of Bryn Mawr Avenue. The station house was a small, wood frame building set between the two tracks at ground level with a wooden walkway and stairs leading up to it from the street. The exterior used clapboard siding and a hipped roof with eaves. The rear opened out onto an island platform. The platform had a short canopy with a hipped roof (which was actually a continuation of the station house's roof) and center wooden columns with angled brackets, and wood decking.

 

Track Elevation and a New Station

In the mid-1910s, the Northwestern Elevated began to elevate the tracks north from Wilson to Howard, but work was slow due to the city's refusal to close intersecting streets and the narrow right-of-way. The elevation work involved complex staging and the temporary relocation of tracks to maintain service while building the new elevated embankment in the same right-of-way. In early 1916, trains were moved onto a temporary trestle, allowing demolition of the original tracks and stations, but construction of a permanent embankment had to wait until the end of World War I due to a materials shortage.

With the track elevation came a completely new station. The entrance to the "L" station was located on the south side of Bryn Mawr Avenue. The station had a design typical of the facilities built as part of the Wilson-Howard elevation project. Designed by architect Charles P. Rawson and engineered by C.F Loweth, the architectural design was a Prairie School-influenced vernacular form, with the Prairie influence seen most acutely in the ornamental cement pilasters on the front facade and in the details of the wooden doors, windows, and ticket agents' booths. The exterior was brick and cast concrete with a bedford stone base, wooden doors and large plate glass windows and transoms. Ornamental globed light fixtures decorated the pilaster capitals. The station house was centered within the solid-fill embankment, with retail spaces flanking it on both sides filling in the remaining width of the embankment.

The interior was rendered in plaster, wood, glazed brick, and brick with terrazzo floors. There were arches stretching across the interior between the support columns. In the center of the interior, passengers found a decorative wooden ticket agent's booth with ornamental woodwork and a metal grille over the ticket agent's window. The station also had public restrooms.

There were four tracks through Edgewater station, but the outer two tracks were for express trains and were not served by the station. A single island platform between the two center tracks served local trains. The platform had wood decking and a canopy with metal columns down the center line which split into gently-curving gull wing-shaped roof supports, supporting a wooden canopy roof. The stairs were sheltered by wooden enclosures with wooden bottoms and windows on top, divided into rows of square panes, with swinging doors at the front of each enclosure. Like most of the stations north of Lawrence, there was an auxiliary exit, located on the north side of the street, descending down in the middle of retail spaces built under the elevated. Bryn Mawr is one of the only stations between Wilson to Howard to retain this auxiliary exit in service today.

In December 1920, it was reported that the Bryn Mawr station, along with Argyle, Edgewater Beach,, Thorndale, Granville, and Jarvis, would be completed by late Spring 1921.1 By early 1922, the new four track mainline was completed, allowing full express service to the city limits.

By 1926, the station's name had been changed to Bryn Mawr.

 

Station Renovation

The renovated Bryn Mawr station house, seen here shortly after completion in 1974, had all new flooring, wall treatments, fare controls, agent's booth, and signage. For a larger view, click here. (Photo from CTA Collection)

Bryn Mawr station was rehabilitated in 1974, in a project that kept most of the station's existing superstructure and a good deal of the existing finished build-out, at least at the platform level. The rehab included a complete reworking of the station house, including a new front facade (some of the pilasters were left in place, but it received otherwise all-new facing, windows and doors), new fare controls and agent's booth, new concession, new flooring, and new wall and ceiling finishes. The basic form of the original station house remained visible, most readily identifiable in those arched columns, but otherwise it was an entirely new interior. The electrical and mechanical systems were upgraded as needed. One set of stairs to the station house and the auxiliary exit stairs were upgraded with new materials, but another of the stairs to the station house was replaced with an all-new escalator. All three vertical access paths received new lighting.

At platform level, more was left intact. The original 1920s canopy remained, although it was cleaned, repaired, and repainted. The wooden platform deck, while repaired and replaced as needed, remained in the same materials. New stainless steel, aluminum and Plexiglas enclosures were built around the stairs and escalator down to street-level, replacing the original wooden kiosks that had been there previously. All new lighting was installed under the canopy, as well as on the platform beyond the canopy. New signage was installed throughout the station. Currently, Bryn Mawr is the only station built in the 1920s North Side elevation project to still have its auxiliary exit stairway across from the main station entrance open and in use (Morse still has a secondary exit as well, but to another street).

 

CTA-era Developments

In 2006, the station name signs and column signs on the platform were replaced, with Green Line Graphic Standard signs replacing the KDR Standard graphics, and new entrance signs installed as part of a signage upgrade project on the Red Line. As part of this effort, the station also received granite compass roses inset into the sidewalk in front of the station entrance to assist customers leaving the station to navigate their way, and three-sided galvanized steel pylons in the station house and on the platform to display maps and station timetables.

In 2008, the canopy at Bryn Mawr was refurbished. The roof was removed and replaced with a new corrugated metal top. The metal canopy supports were stripped and repainted. New lighting was also installed as part of the renovation.

 

Unrealized Renovation Proposals

On Tuesday, December 18, 2012, the CTA board approved authorizing an agreement with the City to use local funding to help pay for enhancements at Bryn Mawr station, which include a station house renovation and the addition of an elevator to make the station accessible. The CTA has identified $25 million in funds for improving the station. State and federal funds provide $15 million of funding, while $10 million comes from tax increment financing. Details of what specific work will occur at the station and a timeline for when work will begin have not yet been determined, according to the CTA.2 Mayor Rahm Emanuel introduced a proposal to City Council on February 13, 2013 to support the enhancements to the Bryn Mawr station with up to $10 million in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) assistance.3

The project is planned to include new lighting, fixtures, and platform surfaces, along with upgrades to the existing station house, tracks, and elevator.4

Bryn Mawr was not part of the Red North Station Interim Improvements Project, which improved seven North Side Red Line stations in 2012 -- Jarvis, Morse, Granville, Thorndale, Berwyn, Argyle and Lawrence -- which included renovations to the station facilities and the viaducts and tracks through the station areas. That work included substantial improvements to the stations, including masonry work, new interior flooring and finishes, new platform decks, and new lighting and signage, but did not include the addition of elevators for accessibility. It is not clear if the work being planned for Bryn Mawr will be life-extension work like that in Red North Station Interim Improvements Project until the Red-Purple Modernization Project (RPM) (see below) can rebuild the station, or if the project will perform the complete reconstruction envisioned in the RPM Project.

 

Red-Purple Lines Modernization (RPM) Project

Due to the deteriorating condition of the infrastructure and approaching ridership capacity on the Red Line north of Belmont and on the Purple Line by the 2000s, the CTA initiated the Red-Purple Modernization Project (RPM) to bring the existing transit stations, track systems, and structures into a state of good repair. The project, which stretches along the existing Red and Purple lines from north of Belmont station to Linden terminal, would help bring the existing transit line into a state of good repair, reduce travel times, improve access to job markets and destinations, and provide improved access to people with disabilities.

The RPM program began with a "vision study", conducted between fall 2009 and fall 2010 to assess the scope of needs, conduct an existing conditions analysis, understand the public's priorities and concerns, and frame project alternatives. The analysis helped define the purpose and need for the project and included a high-level evaluation of potential improvements to the corridor. This produced several alternatives to how to approach improvements in the total RPM corridor (Belmont to Linden).

In January 2011, the CTA and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) initiated the scoping process and environmental review process in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which included further study, refining, and eventually narrowing of these alternatives as part of an environment impact study (EIS). The process included numerous public meetings and input opportunities, and study of various alternatives for achieving a good state of repair for the infrastructure in the project area.

A number of alternatives were considered for the RPM project, including the comprehensive reconstruction of track, stations, and structures along the line. By early 2012, there were four alternatives under consideration and study, not including an FTA-required "no action" baseline scenario, included:

The Modernization with Station Consolidation option includes the consolidation of Thorndale station with the Granville and Bryn Mawr stations by closing the existing Thorndale station and adding entrances to Granville and Bryn Mawr -- at Glenlake Avenue for Granville station, approximately one block north of Thorndale station and one block south of Granville station; and at Hollywood Avenue, approximately two blocks south of Thorndale station and one block north of Bryn Mawr station.

Other alternatives considered earlier in the study but subsequently eliminated due to public comment and further study included basic rehabilitation without adding a transfer station at Loyola, a modernization option with only three tracks between Lawrence and Howard, and a modernization option with a 2-track subway under Broadway.

Once the program study and environmental analysis had reached this point, CTA had gathered enough information on the corridor, its needs, and community preferences to shift gears and focus on developing a more defined initial slate of projects, which would bring maximum benefit to the most people, to pursue for final EIS and funding. This initial slate of projects in the overall RPM corridor is what became RPM Phase One. (For more background and information about the planning, development, and funding of RPM Phase One, see the Red-Purple Modernization Project section of the North Side Main Line page.)

The Chicago Transit Board approved the award of a $1.2 billion contract to The Walsh-Fluor Design Build Team (WFDBT) on December 12, 2018 to engineer, design and build RPM Phase One. Led by Walsh Construction with joint venture partner Fluor, the WFDBT also included lead designer Stantec and lead architects EXP. CTA broke ground on the RPM Phase One project on October 2, 2019.

Temporary Stations

The reconstruction of the 4-track North Side Main Line in the Lawrence-to-Bryn Mawr Modernization (LBMM) zone of RPM Phase One, between Leland Avenue south of Lawrence station to Ardmore Avenue between Bryn Mawr and Thorndale stations, occurred in two stages to allow train service to continue during construction.

The 4-track right-of-way was rebuilt half a time: In Stage A, the two east tracks, tracks 3 and 4 (normally used by northbound Red and Purple line trains), closed and the east half of the embankment was closed and replaced with a new box girder elevated track structure. During Stage A, trains continued operating through the LBMM zone on the old tracks 1 and 2 (normally used by southbound trains) on the existing embankment, with Red and Purple line trains sharing the same track in each direction between Thorndale and Montrose interlockings.

In Stage B, trains were shifted onto the newly-built elevated structure and new tracks 3 and 4, allowing the old tracks 1 and 2 to be closed and demolished, and the west half of the embankment to be removed and replaced with a new elevated structure for those tracks. Once the new tracks 1 and 2 elevated structure was completed, the LBMM zone would resume operating as a 4-track railroad.

Lawrence and Berwyn temporarily closed at the start of Stage A, and remained closed through the end of Stage B. However, Bryn Mawr and Argyle remained open during Stages A and B construction through the use of temporary station facilities, some of which reused parts of the existing stations during Stage A.

Stage A Temporary Bryn Mawr Station

The temporary Bryn Mawr station used during Stage A had two separate entrances, one for each direction. Customers accessed Howard-bound trains through the old, 1920s station entrance on the south side of Bryn Mawr Avenue under the "L" viaduct. The existing island platform became, with the closure of track 3 along the east side, a side platform serving northbound trains running on track 2. The existing auxiliary exit to the north side of Bryn Mawr Avenue remained in service during this phase.

There were no substantial changes to the public passenger areas of the existing Bryn Mawr station for its use as the Stage A temporary northbound station (other than a lot of signage indicating it was for Howard-bound service only), except for three modifications: The existing stairway between the station house and platform level, which projected southward from the station house, was blocked off and eventually demolished. The existing escalator to the platform, which projected northward, was demolished and replaced with an assembled-in-place metal stair with wood treads to replace the blocked-off stairway. Finally, approximately 117 feet of the south end of the existing platform (where the blocked-off stairway led) and canopy was demolished and a new 117 feet platform extension section was constructed on the north end of the platform. These changes were due to the far south end of the existing platform being in the way of the planned Stage B temporary station (see below); it was more efficient if the modifications were simply made up front at the start of Stage A rather than closer to Stage B. In addition, the existing exit only corridor on the north side of Bryn Mawr Avenue was partially modified, including the demolition of the adjacent tenant space on both sides.

To provide access to southbound service at Bryn Mawr during Stage A, a temporary platform needed to be built along track 1, on the west side of the embankment, along with an entry point. To avoid impacting or demolishing the existing commercial buildings along Bryn Mawr Avenue, which were immediately adjacent to the embankment, the temporary platform and station entrance were located a 1/2-block north of Bryn Mawr Avenue, with entry from the east side of Broadway, on the site of a closed Toyota car dealership. The mid-block location was neither convenient or highly visible, and having two different entrances for the different directions located a block apart was not innately intuitive for riders; therefore, its design needed to be eye-catching and visible so that passengers could find it, especially from Bryn Mawr Avenue, a half-block south. In addition, the entrance, while temporary, would be used for approximately two years, so it would both need to be reasonably robust and would have a sustained presence in the community.

To mitigate these concerns, the general contractor, Walsh-Fluor, proposed a station design that incorporated expanded massing and signage to elevate CTA’s identity and visibility at this location, and to create architectural interest. The design, executed by Exp, the architecture firm also responsible for the new, permanent RPM stations, included an extended roof profile at the northwest corner of the station house along Broadway that served as an entry "beacon" to make the station more visible in the context of larger scale buildings and expanse of the North Broadway corridor and streetwall. The station was painted bright red to enhance visibility and signify the "Red Line", with an illuminated CTA logo on the top of the corner tower for identity and wayfinding.

The station house was approximately 25 feet wide and 32 feet deep, constructed of a wood posts and framing clad in painted cement fiber board (used because it is more durable and maintainable than plywood) and concrete floors. The north and west walls at the northwest corner were open, creating a large open entry point. Fare vending machines were located along the south wall immediately inside. Turnstiles stretched across the width of the middle of the interior, with a Customer Assistant booth at the south end of the fare array, built into the south wall. A rear opening at the north end of the east wall led to a a 150-foot long walkway from the station house to the platform access. The walkway stretched along the north edge of the lot, which is otherwise used for materials storage, "lay-down" and staging by the contractor. The walkway was covered with a roof for some weather protection, with the sides enclosed by chainlink fencing. At the east end of the corridor, the walkway split: one stair to the platform was immediately ahead, while a side cooridor split off projecting about 50 feet southward to a second stairway to the platform.

The new side platform along track 1 for southbound trains was cantilevered over the alley that runs along the west side of the "L" embankment. It was 425 feet long (the standard length for a CTA 8-car platform), and was 8 feet wide for its entire length. The platform featured a short 90-foot long canopy, just shy of two cars long, covering 800 square feet of the platform. The canopy started about 60 feet back from the front (south) end of the platform, covering the area at the tops of the two platform stairways and the space between the two stairs. The canopy was a simple design, constructed of steel vertical supports along the back of the platform and a flat steel-framed roof cantilevered over the platform from the support columns. The back railing was a solid back wall of timber framing covered with painted plywood sheets. The decking was treated wood planks.

In September 2022, the design for the temporary Bryn Mawr station house on Broadway received the Lerch Bates People's Choice architectural award in the "Civic" category from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Chicago. The winner was selected by the public in open voting from the finalists' designs chosen by Chicago Architecture Center's Docents in a round one jury review from over 125 projects submitted. In December 2022, CTA announced that the temporary Bryn Mawr station received the international Architecture MasterPrize award in the "Transportation" category. The Architecture MasterPrize celebrates architectural design excellence and innovation in commercial, conceptual, educational, green, healthcare and wellness, heritage, high-rise, hospitality, industrial, infrastructure, institutional, mixed use, recreational, residential, restoration, social housing, transportation and more. A jury of esteemed architects, industry professionals and academics considered entries in 41 categories across the disciplines of architecture, interior design and landscape design.

Construction and Service History of Stage A Temporary Bryn Mawr Station

Work on the temporary stations began in earnest in summer 2020. During June, the closed Toyota dealership that stood on the site of the future Bryn Mawr temporary station house on Broadway was demolished, and the site cleared. In July, contractors began excavating for the station house foundations, as well as for temporary platform footings in alley adjacent to the embankment, behind the temporary station house site, then poured the foundations. In August, framing for the station building was erected, continuing into September; that same month, steel installation for the new southbound side platform began, as did installing foundations for a 117-foot extension of the existing island platform for northbound service on track 2. Steel erection for the southbound platform structure, stairways and canopy continued through fall, with cladding and electrical service for the station buildings in October and platform decking and stair installation in November. General work on the station house and southbound platform continued through December, including installation of electrical and communications systems and various fixtures and equipment, while existing platform extension began to be built out.

The escalator in the 1920s Bryn Mawr station house in the embankment was closed after the morning rush period on Monday, February 1, 2021. The 47-year-old escalator was removed as part of the preparation for the existing Bryn Mawr station to become part of the temporary station; in order to provide safe access with sufficient capacity for entering and exiting customers, the one-way escalator needed to be replaced with a two-way stairway. The replacement stairway was placed in service at 3:30pm, Tuesday, April 13, 2021.

Stage A began, and the temporary Bryn Mawr stations opened, at 12:01am, Sunday, May 16, 2021. At that time, the existing station entrance became the access point for Howard-bound Red Line trains, while the newly-built temporary station house on Broadway a half-block north of Bryn Mawr Avenue became the access point for 95th-bound trains; there was no free transfer between the two station houses. The address of the new southbound station entrance was 5629 N. Broadway (the existing station house, used for northbound service, retained its 1119 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. address). Concurrent with the start of Stage A and the change of the existing station house to outbound-only service, the new 117-foot platform extension on the north end of the old island platform (now a side platform under the Stage A configuration) came into service. At the same time, the south 117 feet of the existing island platform were removed from service, and the stairway from the station house that landed in this section was also closed. (The north stairway, which had previously been the escalator, became the only stair from this station house to the platform.) The berthing locations along this platform on track 2 for northbound trains (which were for trains operating "against traffic" before Stage A, when track 2 was normally for southbound trains) were moved northward onto the platform extension. The berth marker change accommodated the opening the north platform extension and closure of the south part of the old platform.

Service on the #92 Foster bus was rerouted to connect to Bryn Mawr station while Berwyn station was closed. Buses operated in a clockwise loop, rerouted via Foster eastbound, Broadway northbound, Bryn Mawr eastbound to Winthrop (just east of the Red Line station) to layover; then begin trips on Bryn Mawr eastbound, Sheridan southbound and Foster westbound, then resume normal routing.

The Stage A Bryn Mawr temporary station closed at approximately 10pm, Friday, July 28, 2023, when Stage B started and the Bryn Mawr Stage B temporary station opened. This closed both the temporary facility built in 2021, and the station entrance that had been housed in the embankment since the 1920s.

Workers began dismantling the temporary stations within a few days, first salvaging any fixtures or material that were needed to the Stage B stations or that CTA wanted for spares, stock, or other purposes. Major demolition began with the southbound platform, on August 7. By August 11, removal of the station house light fixtures, panels and equipment from the southbound station was completed. Subcontractor McDonagh continued demolition of the southbound platform structural steel, decking, and guardrail. On August 15, demolition of the southbound platform and canopy was complete.

With the demo of the southbound platform completed, removal of the northbound (former island) platform began in mid-August 2021. McDonagh began the platform demolition north of the viaduct. Demolition of the platform was completed in mid-September, and demolition of the embankment station house began at this time. Demolition of the temporary station house on Broadway also started in mid-September. In early October, contractors removed the canopy, timber posts and fencing from the walkway between the Bryn Mawr temporary station house and the demoed southbound platform stairways. On October 9, McDonagh installed temporary fencing around the Broadway station house and demolished the building. Over the following days, the station house footings and concrete slab-on-grade was broken up and removed. Demolition of the Broadway temporary station was complete on October 17.

Stage B Temporary Bryn Mawr Station

The temporary Bryn Mawr station used during Stage B was located on the south side of Bryn Mawr Avenue, east of the "L" right-of-way. The property the station house was built on was owned by CTA, and previously contained commercial retail space built in the 1920s that was an extension of the station house located under the viaduct; this retail extension of the old station facility was demolished during Stage A (even as the station portion under the viaduct remained in use) first to allow the property to serve as a construction lot, then to allow the Stage B station house to be built.

The Stage B station house would have poor visibility from even short distances away due to it being recessed back a bit from the sidewalk while having the "L" structures immediately to the west and a wall of 2-to-3 story commercial buildings across an alley immediately to the east. This challenge was similar to the issued posed by the Stage A temporary entrance on Broadway, and was addressed similarly through color and massing of the station house. But rather than using height to create visibility from a distance (since the tall structures on either side would have still blocked sightlines to such a structure), the station house was designed with an extended facade profile that protruded outward from the building toward the street. This angled projection served both to create architectural interest and break through the streetwall of buildings and structures alongside it to make the station more visible in the context of larger scale buildings and ongoing construction work along the Bryn Mawr Avenue corridor. The station was painted bright red to enhance visibility and signify the "Red Line", with illuminated CTA logos on both sides of the facade extension for identity and wayfinding.

The station house was approximately 23 feet wide and 84 feet deep, constructed of a wood posts and framing clad in painted cement fiber board and concrete floors. The north wall facing the street featured a 14-foot wide entryway with no doors at the east end of the wall, with the remaining front elevation solid except for a single 2-foot wide window. The side and rear elevations were solid, except for two windows along the east side in the fare control area and a few doors to access ancillary spaces. Fare vending machines were located along the west wall immediately inside. Turnstiles stretched across the width of the middle of the interior, with a Customer Assistant booth at the west end of the fare array, built into the west wall. Past the turnstiles, the paid area narrowed into a passageway to the rear occupying the west half of the interior, while the east half of the building was partitioned into various ancillary equipment and service rooms. At the rear of the building, a 6-foot wide hallway extended to the west, leading to the stairs to the platform. The platform access stairs were supported on foundations placed on a re-graded portion of the existing embankment, which meant that a portion of the embankment had to remain through the end of Stage B and could not be demolished until after the permanent station opened and the Stage B temporary station could be removed.

The Stage B Bryn Mawr temporary station had only one new platform, a side platform along the west side of the new track 3 for southbound trains. The structural framing for the platform was unique because it was required to be supported off of the new concrete box beam track structure for tracks 3 and 4. The cantilevered platform was 425 feet long (the standard length for a CTA 8-car platform) and 8 feet wide for its entire length. The platform featured a short 100-foot long canopy at the far north end of the platform, covering the platform at the rear two cars of an 8-car train including the area at the top of the stairs from the station house and about 80 feet north of the stairs. The canopy was a simple design, constructed of steel vertical supports along the back of the platform and a flat steel-framed roof of plywood sheathing and a roof membrane cantilevered over the platform from the support columns. A covered windbreak was located closer to the south end of the platform to provide additional covered and heated waiting area. The back railing was a solid wall of timber framing covered with painted plywood sheets. The decking was treated wood planks.

An exit-only stair to Catalpa Avenue was provided for passengers to exit from the far south end of the platform; the additional exit was required to provide sufficient emergency egress capacity to meet fire code, but was also provided for passenger convenience. An exit rotogate and emergency exit only gate were provided at street level to control access from Catalpa.

The Stage B Bryn Mawr temporary station having a single platform only serving 95th-bound trains was due to the limitations and constraints of the track structure used and the environment around it. During Stage B, trains operated in both directions on the newly-built permanent track structure for tracks 3 and 4 -- southbound trains ran on track 3 and northbound on track 4. The new structure was both completely straight for its entire length, but also built such that track 4 (the outermost track on the east side) was farther east than it had been on the old embankment. This was done to widen the space between tracks 2 and 3 so that the new stations' island platforms could be wider and meet ADA accessibility requirements, as well as provide higher passenger capacity. To achieve this spread out track spacing, the new track 3-4 structure overhangs the alley that runs parallel along the east side of the CTA right-of-way, and as a result the east edge of the new track structure is very close to the buildings that back up to the alley. The permanent tracks 3 and 4 do not have space between them for an island platform, which left side platforms as the only option for the temporary facility. The west side of the track structure outboard of track 3 had plenty of space for an 8-car platform, since the permanent alignment of the new tracks 2 and 3 are spaced out to leave room for the new, permanent island platforms. However, due to the proximity of the permanent track 4 to the existing buildings backing up to the alley, there was not space along the east side of track 4 for an 8-car platform. (While not all buildings extended all the way to the rear property line at the alley, the longest gap between buildings that did was only about 315 feet, long enough for a 6-car train platform but not long enough for an 8-car train which requires 425 feet to meet current CTA standards.) Therefore, at the outset of the RPM Phase One project it was decided that the Stage B Bryn Mawr temporary station would only serve southbound trains. Passengers needing to board or exit northbound trains would either need to "backride" (use a southbound train to or from the adjacent station to connect between northbound service and Bryn Mawr) or simply board/exit at an adjacent station, both of which had Red Line service in both directions. In addition, #84 Peterson buses (which connected to Bryn Mawr) were rerouted during Stage B to terminate at the east end of the route via a counterclockwise loop that first connected to Bryn Mawr but then circled north via Sheridan Road to Thorndale station, where #84 passengers could connect to Red Line service in both directions without transferring to backriding.

Construction and Service History of Stage B Temporary Bryn Mawr Station

While not needed for service until the next stage actually began, the temporary stations needed for Stage B had to be constructed and completed during Stage A.

Construction of the Stage B temporary Bryn Mawr and Argyle stations began in June 2022, beginning with site clearance, utilities and foundations. Foundations were being poured for the temporary station houses at Bryn Mawr by December 2022. By January 2023, the ground level site continued to be graded and prepared.

By February 2023, the Bryn Mawr Stage B station foundations were completed, and the steel stairway structure was installed; installation of the framing for the temporary station house had started. Framing for the Bryn Mawr station continued and installation of interior wall board and lighting, and platform decking, started in March.

Platform installation and framing for the station continued into April, while installation of conduit, systems and utilities was underway. By May, framing for the station was complete, and platform installation continued.

The Stage A Bryn Mawr temporary station closed at approximately 10pm, Friday, July 28, 2023, when Stage B started and the Bryn Mawr Stage B temporary station opened.

 

Permanent Station Design

The reconstructed Bryn Mawr station includes a main station house on the north side of Bryn Mawr Avenue (across the street from where the previous station entrance has been) and a farecard-only auxiliary entrance on the south side of Bryn Mawr Avenue, a second station house entrance one block north on the south side of Hollywood Avenue, and a new 590-foot long island platform stretching between Bryn Mawr and Hollywood avenues.

The primary station house on the south side of Bryn Mawr Avenue is located under the rebuilt box girder elevated track structure. The station house facade consists of a modular terra cotta panel integrated "rainscreen wall system" and aluminum and glass storefront. This wall system provides a masonry-like appearance that is compatible with the surrounding streetscape and neighboring buildings while also providing a crisp, contemporary feel; the material is also durable, maintainable and replaceable. This same wall clading system is used at all four stations rebuilt as part of RPM Phase One, creating a consistent identity for this group of stations, even as the specific design of each station differs. However, because the terracotta wall system is modular and flexible in choices of color, texture and profile, it offered the opportunity to create variations in station house facades, allowing each station to be "customized" in response to each neighborhood context.

The front entrance is framed between a pair of thick concrete columns, square with beveled cornered and a column cap that flares outward, each of which support one of the 2-track elevated guideways. The front entrance at the sidewalk, while constrained in width by the structural columns, takes advantage of the higher elevation of the rebuilt track structure, and especially the space between the track bridges where the platform is situated whose clearance is even higher, to create a front facade that feels tall and open. The station expands behind the columns. A canopy projects over the sidewalk from above the clerestory windows along the top of the front facade, with downward-projecting lights inset in its white bottom surface to create additional illumination and openness.

The design of the Bryn Mawr station house was guided by two additional requirements, both were established in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) plan for the project: One was that the building's design harmonize with the surrounding Bryn Mawr Historic District, a vibrant neighborhood commercial district whose streetscape features an array of storefronts of varying architectural expression, but largely dating from the 1920s and 30s and many featuring extensive ornamental terra cotta in an exceptional state of preservation. The other was to develop design plans for the station that are consistent with the design of the Prairie School style station entrance originally constructed circa 1921.

As a result of this guidance, the Prairie style pilasters at from the old Bryn Mawr station house were salvaged, restored and incorporated into the new facade design, framing the center doors of the front entrance. The street-facing elevation was also designed to respond to the existing datum lines, rhythms, and proportions of adjacent buildings while incorporating the restored pilasters adjacent to the entry to serve as the defining feature of the main entrance. Finally, the use of the terra cotta wall system, executed in white was chosen in response to and to compliment the terracotta facades along the historic street. The black aluminum storefront creates a strong contrast with the white terracotta that creates an elegant, clean and crisp composition that is compatible with adjacent architecture. This design approach was reviewed and approved by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), the City of Chicago Historic Preservation Department, and Department of Planning and Development in 2019-20 during the design development process.

The interior of the main station house widens beyond the entrance foyer, creating a spacious unpaid area that includes fare vending machines, timetables, maps and other wayfinding, and digital information screens. The station house interior finishes include a combination of white glazed brick and stainless steel wall panels. Floors are granite throughout the public areas and at the intermediate stair landing. The glass back wall of the elevator and Customer Assistant kiosk align with the turnstile array to divide the unpaid and paid areas. Beyond the gateline, the public area of the station elongates into a corridor containing the vertical access elements connecting to the platform -- an elevator, an 'up' escalator, and a wide set of stairs -- tapering as it progresses. The flooring is granite.

The secondary station house at Hollywood follows the same basic design, with the front entry framed between two track structure columns then the building widening behind. The exterior is clad in the same modular white terra cotta wall system, with the front entry using a black aluminum storefront between two terra cotta walls at the corners. A tall front elevation with a clerestory above the doors topped by a projecting canopy mimic the main station house, though the front entry is simplified by the historic pilasters being replaced with glass sidelight panels. The Hollywood station house is set back farther from the street than the other entrances, creating a small plaza in front of the station house. The interior is generally the same as the main station house, using the same wall and floor finishes, except that because it is designed to function either staffed or unstaffed, the regular turnstiles are replaced by high-barrier gate (HBG) turnstiles that can operate without supervision if the Customer Assistant booth is unattended. In addition, the elevator is set farther back into the paid area, with high steel gates completing the fare barrier with the turnstiles and CA booth. There is also no escalator at the Hollywood entrance, only stairs and an elevator.

The auxiliary entrance on the south side of Bryn Mawr also uses the modular terra cotta wall system, a design approach to keep all three Bryn Mawr station entrances within the same architectural expression, but further simplifies the execution by removing the storefront and simply using steel fence panels between the HBG turnstiles (which are located right on the sidewalk, essentially making them part of the building's front facade) and above in the clerestory, making it an open air facility. The interior uses the same wall and floor finishes as the other station houses, but the footprint is very small, with two stairs just beyond the turnstiles rising to a mid-level, then joining in a switchback to ascend as a single stairway to the platform.

The boarding platform is an island type, set between the two middle tracks which serve Red Line local trains. The platform structure is independent of the two track structures, floating between the two box girder track bridges and supported by its own independent concrete column bents. The platform is 590 feet long -- long enough for 10-car trains, plus additional length to reach all the way between Bryn Mawr and Hollywood avenues -- and decked with precast concrete panels. A canopy covers the entire length of the platform. The canopy structure is supported by a row of custom-fabricated steel Y-shaped tapered columns along the length of the platform. At the top of each arm of the Y column is a hallow steel structural beam running the length of the canopy supporting a peaked roof which angles down toward each track. A roof system of steel joists and purlins supports translucent polycarbonate roofing panels. Steel tube framing is installed under the outer ends of the canopy roof to create a boxed-in eave between the track edges of the canopy and the top of the canopy Y-support columns, with the underside enclosed with a soffit of metal panels. This creates a hollow, enclosed space to run conduits, concealing them to improve the appearance of the canopy while keeping them accessible through a series of access panels periodically along the soffit; it also allows elements such as lighting, speakers and security cameras to be recessed into the eave and flush with the soffit, also providing a more finished, refined appearance. Stairs, escalators, and the approach to the elevator doors are surrounded by high enclosures of perforated metal to provide additional weather protection.

CTA first unveiled renderings of what the new RPM Phase One stations would look like on January 28, 2021.

 

Station Artwork

New, one-of-a-kind artwork is being commissioned for each of the rebuilt RPM Phase One stations, as part of CTA's collection of world-class public artwork in its stations and other facilities to create an attractive environment for commuters. The public art at CTA facilities includes mosaics, art glass, sculptures and interactive installations created by nationally and internationally acclaimed artists, many of whom are local.

On April 12, 2023, the Chicago Transit Board awarded contracts to five artists to create art for the new reconstructed RPM stations. The artists will create original artwork for the Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn and Bryn Mawr stations; the artwork will enhance the overall transit experience and add unique elements to the new stations that represent the communities they serve. The artists were hired by CTA following a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process.

Artwork for the Bryn Mawr main station house will be created by William Conger of Chicago, which the commission for the Bryn Mawr Hollywood entrance was awarded to Alice Hargrave, also of Chicago.

CTA hosted community meetings with each artist in summer 2023 to introduce the artists to the local community and elicit feedback and input for the artists to use in their design development.

On April 8, 2024, CTA released images of the new artwork for the four new Red Line RPM stations. Because Bryn Mawr has two full, accessible station house entrances, there are two commissioned artworks for the station, one for each station house. The Bryn Mawr main station house features Today, an architectural glass installation for the elevator surround and a smalti-mosaic for station corridor wall by Chicago artist William Conger. The Hollywood station house features a series of art-glass installations installations called Avian Listening by Chicago artist Alice Hargrave: "Lake Calls" and "Nocturnal Night Calls" on the elevator surround, and "Prairie Calls" on the corridor wall.

 

New Permanent Station Renovation Construction

Lawrence and Berwyn temporarily closed at the start of Stage A, and remained closed through the end of Stage B. However, Bryn Mawr and Argyle remained open during Stages A and B construction through the use of temporary station facilities, some of which reused parts of the existing stations during Stage A. Because of this, construction of the new permanent station at Bryn Mawr could not begin until Stage B, since parts of the old Bryn Mawr station which were in the way of the new permanent station remained in use during Stage A. Once the remainder of the old Bryn Mawr station used during Stage A (which included the main station entrance and auxiliary exit under the viaduct, and the island platform between tracks 2 and 3) were demolished early in Stage B, construction of the new permanent Bryn Mawr station could begin.

Over the weekend of April 6-7, 2024, sub-contractor Kone set the escalator for the Bryn Mawr main station house. The escalator truss sections were delivered by truck, and the lower section was set into place on Saturday, April 6. Bryn Mawr Avenue was closed for weekend for the work, from 9pm Friday to 5am Monday.

The rebuilt, accessible Bryn Mawr station opened for service shortly after midnight, Sunday, July 20, 2025.

 

 

.

brynmawr01.jpg (31k)
The Bryn Mawr station circa 1960 looking north from the northbound express track. Two 6000-series trains wait at the platform, the one on the right northbound, the left southbound. This photograph was taken from a moving northbound North Shore Line train. (Photo from North Shore Line, from Sunday River Productions)

brynmawrSign.jpg (35k)
An original blue and white enamel Bryn Mawr platform sign. These remained at the station until its renovation in the mid-1970s. (Photo from North Shore Line, from Sunday River Productions)

ctaS-330b.jpg (104k)
Line car S-330, seen passing Bryn Mawr station on October 4, 1972, was created from Northwestern wood car 1755 in April 1956. The car body was built from 1755 and salvaged materials from the Skokie carpenter's shop and the lift platform, which is raised by a hoist, was salvages from a CSL truck. (Photo by Steve Zabel, Collection of Joe Testagrose)

brynmawr07.jpg (84k)
A man poses at the new agent's booth, controlled by a Visifare turnstile, at the reopening celebration festivities following extensive renovation at Bryn Mawr station on May 12, 1974. (CTA Photo)
brynmawr03.jpg (203k)
Bryn Mawr's exterior got a new facade in the 1974 renovation. The Prairie School columns were retained, but otherwise the exterior was clad on nondescript brick facing with glass and stainless steel windows and doors, seen looking southwest on June 14, 2003. (Photo by Graham Garfield)

brynmawr04.jpg (180k)
The platform at Bryn Mawr, looking north on June 14, 2003. The canopy dates from the 1921 track elevation and the stair enclosure (behind the pay phone) is from a 1974 renovation. The Bryn Mawr station name sign was installed circa 1998 and is of the then-new Green Line Graphic Standard (though the colored tabs on either side have been omitted to fit the existing bracket). (Photo by Graham Garfield)

brynmawr05.jpg (180k)
Across from the main entrance, a corridor leads back from the sidewalk on the north side of Bryn Mawr Avenue to an auxiliary exit from the platform, controlled by two rotogates. Seen looking north June 14, 2003, this side was not modified in the 1974 station rehab, showing what the original exteriors looked like, including the light fixtures. (Photo by Graham Garfield)

brynmawr06.jpg (152k)
The interior of the Bryn Mawr station house is still largely as it was outfitted in the 1974 renovation, with the exception of modern Cubic farecard turnstiles, seen looking south at the fare controls from the unpaid area on June 14, 2003. (Photo by Graham Garfield)
cta7006_20201007a.jpg (253k)
Car 7006 leads its mate on Track 1 on the North Side Main Line on October 7, 2020 on the first day of non-revenue testing outside of Skokie Yard. The pair operated back and forth on Track 1 between Howard and Wilson during the midday on October 7th and 8th when no Purple Line Express service was scheduled (allowing the track to be closed to all other trains). The cars are approaching Bryn Mawr, where a temporary station is under construction (steel on the background for a southbound platform, and foundations in the foreground for extending the existing island platform for northbound trains) for the RPM project. (Photo by Graham Garfield)
cta7006_20201007b.jpg (260k)
7000-series prototype cars 7005-7006 are running back and forth on North Main Track 1 during their first day of main line nonrevenue testing on October 7, 2020. The cars are moving "against traffic" (in the opposite direction trains normally go on the track) away from the camera, as evidenced by the fact that the red taillights (including the red ring around the head/taillight module) are illuminated on car 7006, indicating it is the rear of the train. The white-painted steel behind the train is for the temporary southbound platform and canopy being built for Bryn Mawr station. (Photo by Graham Garfield)
cta7006_20201007c.jpg (257k)
Car 7006 is leading a 2-car test train of the first 7000-series prototype cars passing Bryn Mawr on October 7, 2020. The cars operated in non-revenue service, without passengers, bi-directionally on Track 1, testing the propulsion, braking, Global Positioning, leveling, public address, and other systems, as well as clearances. (Photo by Graham Garfield)
cta7005_5287_20201007.jpg (282k)
While on its first day of main line non-revenue testing, 7000-series prototype car 7005 is set up to operate against traffic on track NM1, while 5000-series car 5287 passes on track NM2 while bringing up the rear of a passing Red Line train leaving Bryn Mawr on October 7, 2020. The view gives a good aesthetic comparison of the new 7000s and their predecessors, the 5000s. (Photo by Graham Garfield)
cta7005_20210616.jpg (271k)
Car 7006 leads an 8-car Howard-bound Red Line train stopping at Bryn Mawr station on June 16, 2021. The 7000-series prototypes had started in-service testing on the Red Line two days earlier, after their stint on the Pink Line; they would run on Red for a month, then Purple and Yellow for another month. The train is stopped at the temporary Bryn Mawr station built as part of the Red-Purple Modernization Project. The inbound platform in the foreground on track 1 is new; the outbound platform on track 2 is the former island platform from the old station but with a northward platform extension added, which is what is visible in front of the train on the left. (Photo by Graham Garfield)

Notes:

1. "3 NEW STATIONS ON NORTH SIDE "L" READY JAN. 1." Chicago Daily Tribune, 1920 December 1, pg. 21.
2. Swartz, Tracy. "Bryn Mawr stop to see overhaul." Red Eye, 2012 December 19.
3. "TIF Proposed For Bryn Mawr Red Line Station Improvements". City of Chicago press release, 2013 February 13.
4. Ibid.