Here are a few options for rewriting the headline, all using the same words, in a slightly different news style: * Option 1 (More direct): CTA Locks Red Line Extension Funding Before Trump Inauguration * Option 2 (Emphasis on speed): Before Trump’s Inauguration, CTA Locks Down Red Line Extension Funding * Option 3 (Slightly more formal): Red Line Extension Funding Secured by CTA Before Trump Takes Office The original headline is already quite concise and newsy. The changes above primarily adjust the word order for emphasis or slightly alter the tone.

The Federal Transit Administration plans to sign an agreement formally obligating the $1.9 billion in federal grants. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin hailed the commitment as a “significant milestone,” emphasizing the contractual nature of the agreement, which solidifies the federal government’s support for the project. Initial announcements of the funding were made in September 2023, but anxieties persisted following the election of Donald Trump, given his past criticism of Chicago and Mayor Brandon Johnson.

The CTA aims to begin construction on the Red Line extension late next year, with completion anticipated by 2029. The project encompasses new stations at 103rd Street, 111th Street near Eggleston Avenue, Michigan Avenue near 116th Street, and a new terminal at 130th Street near Altgeld Gardens. A contractor was hired in August, and the project’s cost has been revised upwards, from an initial estimate of $3.6 billion to a current projection of $5.75 billion reflected in the CTA’s 2025 budget. The CTA intends to finance the remaining cost through state funding, local transit tax increment financing, CTA bonds, and other sources.