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Chicago transit work could demolish 16 buildings

Transit officials have announced plans to untangle one of Chicago's worst commuter train choke points, and it may involve the destruction of 16 buildings.

It's part of a $1.7 billion first phase of improvements to a northern section of the Chicago Transit Authority's Red Line and parallel Purple Line. The 24-hour Red Line is the backbone of the system and has the most riders of any of the rail lines.

But the trains, running between downtown and Chicago's northern neighborhoods, have to come to a halt around Belmont station to allow Brown Line trains to cross, causing daily delays for 150,000 passengers.

The CTA wants to lift the Brown Line with an overpass.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports (http://bit.ly/QhmyMe ) the CTA would have to acquire residential and other buildings.

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