Metra leaders and elected officials came together to on Friday to officially dedicate the new Lovana S. "Lou" Jones/Bronzeville Station along the Rock Island Line.

The Metra Board of Directors voted in 2009 to name the stop after Jones, who served the area as a state representative in the Illinois General Assembly for nearly 20 years. She died in 2006. A plaque at the station that was unveiled today describes Jones' background and praises her tireless work on behalf of her constituents and the state.

"Lou used her political power and grassroots insights to fight for those traditionally locked out of economic opportunity and trapped in poverty," the plaque reads. "Through her commitment, Lou worked endlessly on behalf of the indigent children, the formerly incarcerated, working-class families and the poor. She helped to remove barriers to education, employment and opportunity for people throughout Illinois."

The station was funded with $4.9 million in federal money secured by Congressman Rush, a longtime supporter of the project, and an additional $6.8 million from the federal stimulus bill, known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Another plaque noting Congressman Bobby Rush's key role in securing funding for the station was also unveiled today.

The new fully accessible station features heated ramps, stairways, eight-car platforms, heated platform shelters, bicycle racks, benches, Metra's audio and visual information system, lighting and landscaping.

In addition to U.S. Cellular Field to the west and IIT to the east, the station also serves Chicago Police Headquarters, De La Salle Institute and the redeveloping Stateway Gardens housing complex. The station also provides a convenient link between Metra service and the CTA, which has stops at 35th St. on its Red and Green lines.