Elburn, Ill, officials resume consideration of pedestrian crossing for Metra
Written by jrood
Elburn, Ill., Planning Commissioners revisited a past proposal to construct a pedestrian crossing over the railroad tracks between the Metra station and the north side of the village, local newspapers report. They hope the village can pursue the project in the future to reduce risks for people walking across the railway to and from the station and their homes or downtown Elburn.
"It
should be the town’s mandate to provide a safe way for people to cross the
tracks," Planning Commissioner John Krukoff said.
Village
officials did not proceed with the project after a 2006 engineering study
estimated the cost of a pedestrian overpass of bridge, and a pedestrian tunnel.
"Unfortunately,
all the options were very expensive," Planning Commission Chairman Jeff Metcalf
said.
After
some discussion, Planning Commissioners ruled out the pedestrian tunnel as an
option for a future pedestrian crossing.
"Tunnels
end up being hidden crime areas, they are wet and smelly and become rundown in
a couple of years," Commissioner Paul Molitor said.
The
Planning Commission did not make a recommendation to the village, but will
discuss the issue further at future meetings.
Krukoff
suggested that the village could work with the county to try to obtain federal
grants for a pedestrian overpass.
Possible
sites, estimated costs:
•
Pedestrian overpass from southeast
corner of Village Hall property on North
Street, to the west side of the Metra
property, $1.2 million
.
•
Overpass from vacant village lot on North
Street just north of the Metra
station, to
the west end of the Metra platform,
$685,270.
•
Overpass from the south side of North
Street near the Elburn Animal Hospital
to 100 feet west of the Metra platform,
$729,672.
