Editing Orange Line (CTA) (section)

==Former proposed extension==
[[File:CTA Car No. 43 (3804304760) (cropped).jpg|thumb|100px|A preserved [[1–50 series (CTA)|1–50 series]] railcar at the [[Fox River Trolley Museum]] displays a "Ford City" destination sign]]

Printed [[Destination sign#Rollsign|rollsigns]] on some CTA rail cars include an entry for "Ford City."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hilkevitch |first=Jon |date=October 30, 2006 |title=Signs mark growth of CTA: Agency's history is mapped out in labels |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/automotive/columnists/chi-0610300003oct30,1,2555968.column?coll=chi-newslocal-hed |archive-url=https://archive.today/20081201055319/http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/automotive/columnists/chi-0610300003oct30,1,2555968.column?coll=chi-newslocal-hed |archive-date=2008-12-01 |work=Chicago Tribune}}</ref> The [[Ford City Mall]] is about two miles (3&nbsp;km) south of Midway Airport, and it was originally planned to be the line's terminal. Because there was no funding available, the city decided to end the line at Midway Airport.

The CTA analyzed the cost of an Orange Line extension to Ford City in 2008 and determined that the project would cost approximately $200&nbsp;million. Community meetings were held in neighborhoods surrounding Midway and Ford City to judge the level of public support for the extension.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.transitchicago.com/news/ctaandpress.wu?action=displayarticledetail&articleid=116291|title=CTA Press Release, August 13, 2008|website=transitchicago.com|access-date=22 April 2018}}{{Dead link|date=August 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

The four corridors being studied for the Orange Line extension include alignments along Cicero Avenue, Pulaski Road, and a combination of the Belt Railway and either Cicero or Kostner Avenues. The corridors selected for further study are Cicero Ave ([[Bus rapid transit|Bus Rapid Transit]]) and Belt/Cicero or Belt/Kostner ([[Rapid transit|Heavy Rail Transit]]).<ref>{{Cite web |last=CTA |title=Corridors and Profiles Evaluated |url=http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/alternatives_analysis/orangepubpres200808part2.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415233034/http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/alternatives_analysis/orangepubpres200808part2.pdf |archive-date=2016-04-15 |access-date=2008-12-27 |website=Orange Line Extension Alternatives Analysis Study}}</ref> In April 2009, the Cicero Avenue/Belt Railway corridor was chosen as the most viable option and advanced in the Alternatives Analysis process.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 2009 |title=Orange Line Extension Alternatives Analysis Study |url=http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/alternatives_analysis/Public_Meeting_Orange_Screen_2_Presentation_-_April_2008.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415233036/http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/alternatives_analysis/Public_Meeting_Orange_Screen_2_Presentation_-_April_2008.pdf |archive-date=2016-04-15 |access-date=2009-05-16}}</ref> By December 2009, the CTA had identified the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) as the Belt/Cicero route. According to a CTA report,

{{blockquote|The LPA would operate in a trench along the BRC right-of-way between the existing Midway station and approximately 6400 South, where it would begin to transition to an elevated structure above Marquette Road, where it would curve to the southwest over the BRC Clearing Yard and then continue south on elevated structure in the median of Cicero Avenue. The Orange Line extension would end at a new terminal station in the vicinity of Ford City Mall.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/planning/Orange_Line_Extension_Locally_Preferred_Alternative_Report.pdf |title=CTA Orange Line Extension Alternatives Analysis |date=August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415233040/http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/planning/Orange_Line_Extension_Locally_Preferred_Alternative_Report.pdf |archive-date=2016-04-15 }} , p. 60</ref>}}

The CTA planned to prepare a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and complete preliminary engineering. However, the extension was canceled.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.transitchicago.com/orangeeis/|title=Orange Line Extension |website=Chicago Transit Authority}}</ref>