Washington/State (CTA)

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For other 'L' stations on the Chicago Transit Authority named Washington, see Washington (CTA).

Washington

Coordinates:	100 N, 0 E/W
Lines:	Red
Platforms:	1 island platform
Opened:	1943 (closed 2006–2008)
2005 passenger entrances:	3,045,923 19%

Washington/State is a closed 'L' station on the CTA's Red Line. It is a subway station in the State Street Subway located at 128 North State Street in downtown Chicago, Illinois. Nearby places of interest include Chicago City Hall, the Richard J. Daley Center, various other government buildings, the Chicago Cultural Center, Millennium Park, and the city's theater district along Randolph Street. Additionally, the station is about three blocks away from Metra Electric Line and South Shore Line stations. As of 2006 the station is closed for construction; it is planned to be reopened in 2008.

The Washington platform was part of a long continuous platform beneath State Street which ran from the Jackson station to the Lake station, spanning nearly seven blocks. There are two mezzanines with turnstiles for the station: a northern at Randolph shared with the Lake station and a southern at Madison. There are stairs and escalators along State Street between Randolph and Madison to access both mezzanines. Additionally, Washington is equipped with elevators and therefore accessible to people with disabilities.

The Lake station itself was once considered part of the Washington station, but was separated in 1997 in order to better facilitate transfers between the Red Line subway and the elevated State/Lake station.

There was a long tunnel connecting the Washington station to its counterpart on the Blue Line subway, Washington/Dearborn, to allow transfers between the Red and Blue Lines.

[edit] Block 37 superstation

As part of the development of 108 North State Street (commonly known as "Block 37") the CTA is constructing a 'superstation' located between the Red and Blue Lines (which run in parallel subways through the Loop). Washington/State station, and the transfer tunnel were closed in October 2006 for work related to the construction of this new station^[1]. Washington/State station is scheduled to reopen in 2008.