‘Meet the Contractors’ event at Olive-Harvey College offers an opportunity for small businesses to connect with prime contractors involved in historic RLE project.
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is taking a step forward in the Red Line Extension (RLE) Project by hosting a ‘Meet the Contractors’ event on Wednesday, September 25, at Olive-Harvey College. This event will provide a unique opportunity for local small businesses to connect with Walsh VINCI Transit Community Partners, the new team leading the design and construction of the historic project and pursue subcontracting opportunities.
This is the first of many Meet the Contractor meetings with Walsh-VINCI that will be held for small businesses interested in participating in the historic $5.3 billion Red Line Extension Project, which is the largest transit project in CTA history and the biggest investment on the Far South Side of Chicago in decades.
RLE will extend the Red Line from 95th Street to 130th Street. This 5.6-mile expansion includes four new, fully accessible stations at 103rd, 111th, Michigan near 116th, and 130th Street. Once completed, the project will bring faster, more efficient transit options to the Far South Side while acting as a critical economic catalyst in one of Chicago’s most underserved areas.
For the Far South Side, this project is more than a transportation investment. It is a commitment to creating jobs, fostering economic development, and improving access to vital resources. The CTA and its contracting team are also committed to engaging with Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) with a 25% DBE goal for the design portion of the contract and a 22% DBE goal for the construction portion of the contract which can lead to hundreds of millions of dollars of DBE opportunities.
Small business owners, contractors, and community stakeholders are encouraged to attend this event to explore opportunities and contribute to one of the most impactful infrastructure projects in Chicago’s history.
