Chicago CTA

Red Line platforms, Blue Line tunnels, Loop elevated tracks, and the Pedway beneath downtown Chicago

Chicago, IL

Chicago's elevated and subway rail network is one of the oldest continuously operating rapid transit systems in the United States. The Chicago Transit Authority today runs eight lines across the city, from the lakefront neighborhoods of the North Side to the South Side communities served by the Dan Ryan corridor, and west to O'Hare International Airport — all tied together at the downtown Loop.

The elevated structure encircling the Loop dates to the 1890s, when separate private companies built competing lines above the city's central streets. Those competing operations were eventually consolidated, and the city tunneled beneath State Street beginning in the 1930s, opening the State Street Subway in 1943 to relieve surface congestion. The Milwaukee-Dearborn tunnel followed in 1951, carrying what is now the Blue Line through the core of downtown.

Stations across the system reflect the different eras in which they were built or last renovated. Grand/State, opened as part of the 1943 subway, retains its vaulted ceiling and mid-century tilework, while the Blue Line's O'Hare terminal — opened in 1984 as part of a direct airport connection — was designed around the movement of luggage-laden travelers rather than daily commuters. The Sox–35th Red Line station, built in 1969 above the Dan Ryan Expressway, represents a different moment still, when transit planning and freeway construction were treated as a single problem.

Running beneath the Loop itself, the Chicago Pedway connects major subway stations to office towers and shopping concourses through more than forty blocks of underground corridors, a network that began in the 1950s and has expanded piecemeal since.

The Chicago CTA Grand Station platform corridor features blue tiled walls with red accents and granite flooring, part of the State Street Subway.
October 20, 2019 — The Grand station, part of the Chicago Transit Authority's Red Line, serves as a key transit hub in the city's downtown area. Opened in 1943 as part of the State Street Subway, it was designed to alleviate congestion and connect the north and south sides of Chicago. The station's interior features a distinctive mid-20th-century aesthetic, characterized by its tiled walls with blue and red accents and polished granite flooring.
The Grand Station Red Line stairway in Chicago features blue ceramic tiles and stainless-steel railings, connecting commuters to the city's rapid transit system.
October 20, 2019 — The Grand Station Red Line stairway in Chicago, a key access point for the city's rapid transit system, showcases a design characteristic of late 20th-century CTA renovations. The corridor features blue ceramic tiles and stainless-steel railings, reflecting a focus on durability and functionality. Subtle skyline motifs integrated into the tilework serve as a nod to Chicago's architectural identity. This subterranean passage facilitates commuter flow between the North Side, Loop, and South Side neighborhoods, connecting them via the Red Line.
Interior of the Grand/State CTA Station in Chicago, a transfer point for the Red and Purple Lines, featuring a vaulted ceiling with blue mosaic tiles and ticket vending machines.
October 20, 2019 — The interior of the Grand/State CTA Station in Chicago, a key transfer point on the city's rapid transit system. Opened in 1951, the station serves both the Red and Purple Lines, facilitating transit for thousands of commuters daily. The station's design features a distinctive vaulted ceiling adorned with blue mosaic tiles, a common aesthetic in mid-20th century public works projects. Passengers are seen here utilizing ticket vending machines, a modern convenience within this enduring piece of Chicago's transportation history.
Under the Elevated Tracks Chicago Loop
October 20, 2019 — An illuminated stairway leads up to one of Chicago’s iconic “L” (elevated) train platforms in the Loop at night. The steel structure, marked with the system’s signature riveted beams, is part of the century-old elevated rail network that defines the city’s core transit identity. Below, a “Police Line – Do Not Cross” barricade and the quiet, empty street evoke a rare moment of stillness in an area usually dominated by the hum of trains and late-night traffic.
Chicago Pedway Near Randolph Washington Station
October 20, 2019 — An empty corridor of the Chicago Pedway connects the Randolph/Washington subway station to surrounding office buildings and shopping centers beneath the Loop. The Pedway system, developed beginning in the 1950s, extends for more than 40 city blocks, linking major transit lines with civic and commercial spaces. Its mid-century design—terrazzo floors, tiled walls, and fluorescent lighting—reflects the city’s practical approach to all-weather pedestrian infrastructure, a defining feature of downtown Chicago’s urban core.
CTA Blue Line subway platform inside Chicago's Milwaukee-Dearborn Subway tunnel.
October 20, 2019 — CTA Blue Line subway platform in Chicago is part of the Milwaukee-Dearborn Subway, the downtown tunnel used by Blue Line trains through the Loop. The subway opened in 1951 and carries trains between O'Hare International Airport, downtown Chicago, and the Forest Park branch. Its arched tunnel and side platform are typical of Chicago's mid-20th-century rapid transit construction.
Randolph-Washington/State exit area in the CTA State Street subway in Chicago’s Loop.
October 20, 2019 — Randolph-Washington/State exit area in the CTA State Street subway in Chicago’s Loop. The subway opened in 1943 and carries Red Line trains beneath State Street through downtown. Station wayfinding directs riders to Randolph and Washington streets and to transfers within the downtown CTA network.
Red Line Sox 35th Street platform in Chicago
October 20, 2019 — The Chicago Transit Authority’s Sox–35th station serves the Red Line on the city’s South Side, positioned above the Dan Ryan Expressway near Pershing Road. The station provides direct access to Guaranteed Rate Field, home of the Chicago White Sox, whose name can be seen across the pedestrian bridge in the background. Opened in 1969 as part of the Dan Ryan branch of the Red Line, the elevated structure was designed for efficiency amid highway traffic, symbolizing mid-century Chicago’s integration of mass transit and freeway infrastructure.
CTA sign beneath elevated “L” tracks in the Chicago Loop at night.
October 20, 2019 — A CTA sign beneath elevated "L" tracks marks transit service in the Chicago Loop. The elevated rail structure carries multiple Chicago Transit Authority lines through the central business district. Sections of Chicago's elevated rapid transit network date to the 1890s, with ongoing maintenance and upgrades supporting daily service.
Commuters wait on a vaulted, column-lined subway platform at a CTA station in downtown Chicago.
October 18, 2019 — This vaulted platform serves State/Lake station, a CTA Loop stop connecting the Green, Orange, Brown, and Pink lines in downtown Chicago. The station's barrel-arched ceiling and rows of concrete columns date to an earlier era of Chicago's elevated and subway transit construction, distinguishing it from more modern CTA stops. Located near Randolph and State Streets, the station provides access to the Loop's theater and retail district.
CTA Blue Line trains at O'Hare station inside Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
December 16, 2012 — CTA Blue Line trains at O'Hare station in Chicago are at the rapid-transit terminal for O'Hare International Airport. Opened in 1984, the station is the western end of the CTA Blue Line. It provides a direct rail connection between the airport terminals and downtown Chicago.
CTA Blue Line train at O'Hare station platform in Chicago.
December 16, 2012 — CTA Blue Line train at O'Hare station in Chicago, the airport terminal station for rapid transit service to downtown and the West Side. The underground station opened in 1984 as part of the extension of the Blue Line to O'Hare International Airport. Its platforms connect with the airport terminals and include glass-block walls and broad island platforms designed for airport passenger circulation.

Built in Minneapolis

Minneapolis Photographer

Browse by location, move through long-running series, or start with recent work.

© 1996–2026 Chad Davis