The Chicago Transit Authority is said to be looking into the possibility of having some L trains stop inside area supermarkets, or potentially consider adding bank branches and restaurants on its properties in an effort to get more mileage out of its extensive network of rail and bus routes situated on prime real estate.

"Right off the bat we are going to be looking at the idea of grocery stores right at train stations," said Jeff Ahmadian, CTA's deputy general counsel for the CTA, was quoted in a report in the Chicago Tribune. "People could get off directly inside the grocery store and go shopping without ever going outside," he said, citing the Red Line's Berwyn, Wilson and North/Clybourn stops as candidates for grocery stores, as well as other L stops that could also add supermarkets.

Ahmadian said several grocery chains are interested in the concept but declined to identify them.

To determine the feasibility of such moves, CTA has hired real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle to assess transit property and secure businesses for CTA stations and other transit-oriented development.