CHICAGO — Improvements and 52 stations and replacement of 43 grade crossings are part of Metra’s planned capital projects during its 2025 construction season, the commuter rail operator announced Tuesday, March 18.
Track, bridge, and signal work is also on the agenda.
“We plan to take full advantage of the construction season to address projects big and small across the railroad,” Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski said in a press release. “Thanks to our leaders in Washington and Springfield, Metra has received significant financial support in recent years to help us begin to address a backlog of critical capital projects that will benefit our riders for years to come.”
Most work will take place on off-peak hours and weekends, which could result in train delays. Information on construction impacts on operation is available at this page on Metra’s website.
Track work includes replacement of about 117,000 ties, as well as major rail replacement work on the Rock Island District (22,666 feet of rail between Mokena and Joliet) and the Milwaukee District North line (18,920 feet between Canal Street in Chicago and Rondout). The Metra Electric will see 7,000 feet of rail replacement on curves. Metra will also continue work to prepare for addition of a fourth track on the Metra Electric line near Millennium station, while Union Pacific is working to complete the third track on the UP West Line between West Chicago and Geneva, the only section of that route without three tracks.
Detailed plans, including lists of all stations and grade crossings planned for improvements, are available here.
John, you really need to take the term “Left Handed” out of your vocabulary when talking about the Geneva Sub. That vanished when UP took over and when the crossovers were installed in Wheaton and Lombard as well as the third track from Park to Vale (Elmhurst to River Forest). Do we run on the left most of the time? Perhaps. But there have been many early rush hour mornings where I have run my train down the south side from Elburn all the way to Elmhurst, and sometimes down to 25th, Vale or even Kedzie when there is opposing westbound traffic coming up track 1, the north track. And the non rush trains? Its a free for all. Heck, we will even run down the middle track when they have something on 1 and you have to meet a scoot at Elmhurst who is on 3.
Why is a third track being added east of Geneva if, according to Metra, Union Pacific intends to shut down commuter service on its lines mid-year?
“Union Pacific is working to complete the third track on the UP West Line between West Chicago and Geneva, the only section of that route without three tracks.”
Being a left handed railroad, they are waiting for the brand new south platform to be finished at Geneva.
That bridge over the Fox River and IL-31 had a lot of 1880’s era quarry stone from downstream Batavia holding it up at each end.