NEW LENOX, Ill. — The Village of New Lenox has approved an $8.6 million bid to build a new Metra station.
John Burns Construction Co., which had the lowest qualified bid among 12 bidders, was awarded the contract at a Nov. 11 meeting of the village board, Patch.com reports. The station is to be “substantially complete” by Nov. 14, 2020,with the rest of the work completed by July 30, 2021.
New Lenox, on the Metra Rock Island line, has been without a station since 2018, when its prior structure, built by the Rock Island in 1900, was closed to make room for a retail project adjacent to the station site. That station was subsequently moved to a farm 5 miles away which is also home to other historic structures. [See “New Lenox, Ill., station set to move,” Trains News Wire, Aug. 10, 2019.
@Mark Reiter: Depending on the station design, they encompass more than just a air conditioned/heated room.
Depending on the station volume, it may have an agent, though that is declining due to the use of e-ticketing.
Also depending on the volume, room for a local set of vendors may be included to lease space for coffee resellers.
The bathrooms, doors, ramps, parking all require a level of ADA compliance.
Also included in the room are active status LCD’s that show train arrival and departure times.
The station also has to have an active security camera system tied into the Metra security network. This network also supports the displays and central announcements from the Metra dispatching office. That means a PA and sound system are required.
Some of the newer stations are providing pods for banks to install ATM’s next to the Ventra eticket dispensers.
So electrical, water/sewage, telecom requirements are part of the station design.
Still amazes me the cost for these new Metra stations that are essentially a big room, maybe with heat/ac.
town has a bunch of morons for letting the station go for a retail project. Probably would have save 50% of the cost for the new station.
The historic depots are eye candy, but they are also maintenance headaches. Even when renovated, they are inefficient when compared to new construction.
Um. Wouldn’t it have made more sense to just move the old station? Why build a new building when you don’t have to?