Metra West Hinsdale Station to be closed beginning Aug. 1 for platform replacement project
Written by Press Release
Work set to begin on Metra rail crossing replacement at 87th and Pulaski.
Metra
Metra will close the West Hinsdale Station on its BNSF Line for approximately two months beginning Aug. 1 to accommodate the replacement of the station’s boarding platforms. Trains will not stop at the station for the duration of the work.
Due to low ridership across the Metra system caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the decision was made to close the station during construction instead of the railroad’s usual practice of restricting access to portions of the platforms during the project’s various stages. The goal of the station shutdown is to cut the project timeline in half, from four months to two months, thereby reducing the impact on riders.
Metra BNSF passengers who normally board at West Hinsdale are asked to use either the downtown Hinsdale or Clarendon Hills stations for the duration of the construction project. Recent observations at the station indicate that approximately 20 passengers are currently using the West Hinsdale Station on weekdays.
Workers will replace the existing platforms with asphalt and new ADA-compliant tactile strips on the platform edges. Work will begin on the outbound (north) platform and then shift to the inbound (south) platform. The project will also preserve as many of the existing wrought iron fencing panels east of Stough Street as possible and replace the existing fence posts.
Residents near the station should expect to hear train horns sounding more frequently as required under Federal Railroad Administration safety regulations when workers are on or adjacent to the tracks. The commuter parking spaces at the station will be used to stage construction equipment and materials.
