Metra lays out 2016 construction program

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
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Metra Signal Department employees removing the hot air duct from a switch in preparation for track work.
Metra

Metra has laid out plans to begin infrastructure improvements to its stations, track, bridges and road crossings this year to ensure safe and reliable service and maintain a state of good repair systemwide. Construction work is expected to begin this week and continue through the fall, weather permitting.

 

“Now that spring is here, we plan to take full advantage of the construction season by making improvements where we can with our limited funding,” said Metra Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Don Orseno. “Our goal is to be as efficient as possible with the resources we have and limit the impact of construction activity on our customers.”

A portion of the work is being performed by Metra’s in-house crews, who are dispatched to make repairs to stations and carry out other smaller jobs, as well as contracted construction firms for larger-scale projects.

Improvements are planned for 27 of Metra’s 241 stations this year, including stations along the Metra Electric Line, Heritage Corridor, Milwaukee North Line, Milwaukee West Line, North Central Service, Rock Island Line, Union Pacific North Line, UP Northwest Line, UP West Line, BNSF Line and Chicago Union station.

Highlights of the program include work at the Calumet Station, a full, $5.5-million renovation of the station will include rebuilding platforms, constructing a new elevator and replacing the stairs at both ends of the station.

Metra and its railroad partners plan to replace more than 120,000 ties this year as part of many railroad track improvement projects, including a $1.8 million project to rebuilt turnouts and switches on Track 1 near Roosevelt Road south of Chicago Union Station, which will impact train traffic in and out of the south end of Union Station, which is used by Metra’s BNSF, SouthWest Service and Heritage Corridor lines in addition to Amtrak.
The project is funded by Amtrak and Metra and is set to begin mid-April through the first week of June.

Improvements are planned for 21 bridges across the Metra system, including the Rock Island Line, the UP North Line and the BNSF Line.

Along the Rock Island, Metra will replace the bridge at Morgan Street in Chicago and rehabilitate the bridges at 37th, 39th, 51st and 57th Streets. In addition, a $4-million rehabilitation of the 96th Avenue bridge in Mokena will begin later this year.

Metra and its partners plan to make improvements to 24 road crossings systemwide in 2016, including Ashland Avenue, 70th Street and Stony Island Avenue in Chicago among many others.

A complete list of construction projects is available at Metra’s website.

Additionally, Metra plans to begin a $5.5-million project to upgrade an electrical facility in Riverdale used to supply power along the Metra Electric Line. The project will go out to bid in May.

 

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