CTA to renovate Blue Line Illinois Medical District station

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A major overhaul is planned for the Illinois Medical District station on the CTA Blue Line, one of Chicago's busiest transit stops.

The CTA board is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a construction contract for the $23 million project, which is expected to be finished by 2017.

The Illinois Medical District stop is the third busiest on the Blue Line Forest Park branch. Last month, one of the aluminum canopies that covers the walkways collapsed onto the tracks during a storm.

This will be the largest renovation to the station since it opened 50 years ago. The CTA released renderings of what the new and improved station will look like. They show a modern new main stationhouse at Odgen Avenue, with a new elevator and updates to both entrances that would improve accessibility.

The station will remain open during construction, with only occasional entrance closures.