Search Results for: CREATE

Assembled truss to be moved for CREATE project

As part of the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Project, on Saturday, August 25, the 130th & Torrence grade separation project general contractor, Walsh Construction, will use four Self-Propelled Mobile Transporters to relocate the fully-assembled,4.3-million-pound, 394-foot-long truss bridge to its final position on the new piers.

CREATE program update: keeping Chicago fluid

The CREATE program continues to improve movement through the nation’s rail nucleus.

The Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program marked nine years of existence in June 2012.

Watco creates new division

Watco Companies, LLC, has created a new service division named Watco Compliance Services. Team members of this division will be tasked with providing a uniform and standardized approach to compliance, training and operational excellence throughout Watco.

CREATE’s $133 million Englewood Flyover project breaks ground

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood helped break ground on the Englewood Flyover project, a critical component to the Chicago hub of the Midwest high-speed rail network. The construction project will build a bridge to separate traffic along two railroads, allowing 130 trains per day to move more quickly through one of the worst bottlenecks in North America. The investment will improve on-time performance of passenger trains, reduce freight congestion and create nearly 1,500 jobs. Secretary LaHood was joined by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, U.S. Congressmen Bobby Rush and Dan Lipinski, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and other state and local elected officials, as well as business, labor and civic leaders.

"Projects like this one are exactly why President Obama has made transportation such a big part of the American Jobs Act," said Secretary LaHood. "We have workers on site today, American factories producing new supplies and when the project is completed, people and goods will move more quickly and easily through the Midwest, making the region a better place to start a business or hire new workers."

The $133 million construction project is funded through a $126 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s high-speed intercity passenger rail program, with a $6.6 million contribution from Governor Quinn’s Illinois Jobs Now! construction program. This marks the start of the second major construction project in the Midwest, as work is also under way on the Chicago-St. Louis High-Speed Rail Corridor. Workers will build a bridge to carry 78 daily North-South Metra Rock Island commuter trains and approximately 60 East-West intercity passenger and freight trains that operate on the Norfolk Southern corridor. The new bridge will allow all trains to pass through without conflict and is designed to allow for additional tracks to be added to both corridors to accommodate future growth.

"The Englewood Flyover will make life easier for tens of thousands of commuters every day and put people to work immediately," Governor Pat Quinn said. "This vital project will eliminate a problem spot and set the stage for future passenger rail growth while boosting Illinois’ position at the economic engine of the Midwest."

"As a result of this federal funding, the hard hit construction industry in the Chicago metro area will see 1,500 jobs, good-paying jobs that can’t be outsourced. If we are going to continue growing our economy, we need more projects like this one, not fewer, which is why the American Jobs Act is so important," Senator Dick Durbin said.

"Every day, nearly 1,300 trains pass through Chicago-making it one of the busiest rail hubs in the United States," said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. "CREATE will invest in critically needed improvements to increase the efficiency of passenger and freight rail infrastructure, enhance the quality of life for residents and ensure Chicago remains a competitive destination for travel and trade."

"There aren’t many projects that deliver this kind of bang for the buck," Congressman Dan Lipinski said. Having obtained the initial $100 million for CREATE back in 2005, I’m very glad we’re finally breaking ground."

 

CREATE grade-separation project begins on Chicago’s South Side

Construction will begin on the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program grade-separation project, on Chicago’s South Side. The total $146 million project located at 130th Street, Torrence Avenue and the Norfolk Southern, is a cornerstone of the CREATE program. The construction phase is estimated to create more than 1,200 jobs and will improve safety at a critical crossing.

CREATE is intended to improve the efficiency of freight rail moving through Chicago, keeping the city competitive as a commercial center and generating and retaining thousands of jobs.

"This major project will create thousands of jobs by improving the flow of goods and services through one of Chicago’s major manufacturing areas," Illinois Governor Pat Quinn said. "My administration is committed to investing in infrastructure and jobs in every region of our state."

The project involves lowering 130th Street and Torrence Avenue to fit under two new bridges carrying NS tracks. The two streets and the tracks currently intersect, resulting in more than 200 hours in delay for the 32,000 vehicles that drive through the crossing daily. Trucks leaving the Ford Motor Company assembly plant nearby can wait as long as 20 minutes because of passing trains.

Other components of the project include lowering Brainard Avenue to connect directly to 130th Street and Torrence Avenue, realigning the South Shore commuter line over Torrence Avenue and the NS tracks and adding pedestrian bridges and paths. Construction will be complete in 2015.

Funding for the project includes $64.8 million from Governor Quinn’s "Illinois Jobs Now!" capital program. The remaining project funds come from the federal government, the city, NS, the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District and the Ford Motor Company.

 

BART partners with BMW to create Fleet of the Future

Bay Area Rapid Transit in California is partnering with a subsidiary of BMW Group, DeisgnworksUSA, to create the Fleet of the Future, a new generation of train cars going into service starting in 2017.

DesignworksUSA is the design-consulting division of BMW Group. In collaboration with BART, it will conceptualize the next generation of BART trains from the inside out, conveying a style, shape and functionality that reflects the needs of customers and the future of transportation in the Bay Area.

"BART is excited to announce its partnership with BMW Group DesignworksUSA," BART Board President Bob Franklin said. "With 75 percent of our customers having the option of choosing another way to get to their destinations, we figured what better way to lure the drivers of the future onto BART than to hire the company who knows motorists best. That’s why we turned to DesignworksUSA, which has been instrumental in the design of many BMW vehicles presently on the road, to design a BART car that’s modern, elegant, comfortable yet practical, economical and clean so that even more people will choose BART."

BART has been conducting Seat Labs to gather public input on the project. DesignworksUSA will use this feedback when it creates the new designs. The resulting work will be available for review by the public this summer.

"DesignworksUSA is excited to join BART in its continued commitment to deliver a premium ridership experience to its passengers," Laurenz Schaffer, president, BMW Group DesignworksUSA said. "DesignworksUSA is passionate about creating innovative solutions for mobility in increasingly dense urban centers such as the Bay Area and we are excited to see the results of our collaborative partnership with BART."

Agreement reached for CREATE program’s Englewood Flyover

Norfolk Southern, the Illinois Department of Transportation and Amtrak have reached a development agreement that will bring the Federal Railroad Administration one step closer to obligating $133 million in funding for the Englewood Flyover. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said this agreement will move the project forward and help prevent any future attempts by House Republicans to rescind this funding that was appropriated through the Recovery Act.

"Earlier this year, I joined with my colleagues to stop an attempt by the House Republicans to rescind nearly $400 million in Illinois transportation funding, $133 million for the Englewood Flyover project," said Durbin. "We were successful then, but the House threat remains. Just last week, House Republicans passed an appropriations bill out of committee that included a provision to rescind unobligated high-speed rail funds. The sooner we can obligate the funds, the sooner we can begin putting people to work and moving these important projects forward while creating the good paying jobs we desperately need in Illinois."

The Englewood Flyover project will create an estimated 1,450 jobs in Chicago and is the linchpin for the CREATE rail modernization program. CREATE will ensure that the Chicago region is prepared to handle future increases in rail traffic. It will reduce congestion with track, switch and signal upgrades and by constructing overpasses and underpasses to end conflicts at both rail-rail and highway-rail crossings. It will also limit locomotive engine idling and improve air quality.

Earlier this year, Durbin sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, urging him to obligate as soon as possible nearly $400 million in Illinois transportation funding. This funding would have kept eight Illinois projects safe from rescission under the House Republican’s 2011 Budget plan.

CREATE update: 71st Street underpass project breaks ground

Congressman Dan Lipinski (IL-3), Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, Bridgeview, Illinois Mayor Steven Landek and CREATE partners joined together at a groundbreaking ceremony for a $27 million underpass to take 71st St. under the Indiana Harbor Belt/CSXT railroad tracks adjacent to Toyota Park. This project will create 290 jobs, eliminate long delays for drivers, enhance safety and improve air quality.

"Not only will this project create hundreds of jobs at a time when jobs are desperately needed, it will permanently eliminate delays and improve safety for the thousands of people that pass through this crossing on a daily basis," Congressman Lipinski said. "I’m very pleased to have helped secure funding for the 71st St. underpass."

The 71st St. underpass is part of the CREATE rail modernization program. Congressman Lipinski is a leading advocate for CREATE, having obtained the first $100 million in federal funding for the project in 2005. He led the Illinois Congressional delegation in supporting Illinois’ TIGER grant application, which yielded $80 million for other CREATE projects throughout the Chicago region.

Rep. McNerney introduces bill to create new rail project for Altamont Corridor

Representative Jerry McNerney (D-CA) introduced legislation to help fund the Altamont Corridor Rail Project, which will expand rail services between the Central Valley and the Bay Area, Calif. H.R. 1504, the Altamont Corridor Rail Improvement Act, invests in a project that will serve thousands of people, create jobs and reduce traffic along some of the region’s most heavily traveled highways.

"The Altamont Corridor Rail Project is an important part of improving both our area’s economic future and our quality of life," said Rep. McNerney.

Currently, the Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) runs weekday trains from the Central Valley to the Bay Area and shares tracks with freight trains and Amtrak. Use of these shared tracks limits travel speed and adds delays to the ACE system. The Altamont Corridor Rail Project establishes a dedicated track for passenger rail services. This 85-mile corridor has the potential to carry 35,000 people each way once completed and could cut commute time between Stockton and San Jose, Calif., in half.

H.R. 1504, the legislation introduced by Rep. McNerney, authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to provide up to $450 million in grants over the next decade for preliminary engineering, final design and construction of the Altamont Corridor Rail Project.

Scott Haggerty, Alameda County Supervisor, and Brent Ives, Mayor of Tracy, both of who also serve on the San Joaquin County Rail Commission, offered words of support for the project and Rep. McNerney’s legislation.

"The Altamont Corridor Rail Project is a key part of expanding our region’s transportation network, working hand in hand with BART improvements and the development of high speed rail," said Haggerty.

"This project is vitally important to our region and for Northern California in general," said Ives. "Establishing a dedicated rail line that provides service between San Joaquin County and the Bay Area will decrease travel time for commuters and stimulate economic growth in our area. I appreciate Rep. McNerney’s leadership in introducing legislation that will provide funding needed to help make this project a reality."

H.R. 1504 is now expected to be referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for further consideration.

Gov. Quinn signs bill to create new transit district

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn joined southeast suburban officials to sign House Bill 1644, which establishes the Southeast Commuter Rail Transit District. The new district will give local officials the tools they needto help build the SouthEast Service Line, a proposed Metra line connecting nearly 20 communities with downtown Chicago.

"Accessible commuter rail is an essential component of our transportation system," said Governor Quinn. "The SouthEast Service Line will provide access to an underserved area while creating jobs, sparking economic development and improving the quality of life in the southeast suburbs."

The planned SouthEast Service Line will link the 33 miles between Crete’s Balmoral Park and downtown Chicago’s LaSalle Street Station, with additional stops in Crete, Steger, South Chicago Heights, Chicago Heights, Glenwood, Thornton, South Holland, Dolton, 115th Street, Gresham and 35th Street stations on Chicago’s South Side. The project will cost an estimated $778 million and will open up service to one of the last regions of the metropolitan area without access to Metra.

The new line will provide greater access to jobs, reduce highway congestion and enable towns and neighborhoods along the route to pursue transit-oriented developments. Among the anticipated locations served will be St. James Hospital and Health Centers in Chicago Heights, the Ford Motor Co. plant on the South Side, U.S. Cellular Field and Chicago’s Loop.

The project was authorized in the 2005 federal transportation bill. Metra completed the last of the in-depth studies of the line in 2010. A final proposal is expected to be submitted to the Federal Transit Administration later this year.

"The Southeast Commuter Rail Transit District will bring commuter rail to an area with few transportation options," said Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig. "By creating this district, we are reaffirming our commitment to the SouthEast Service Line and giving communities a greater voice in the planning process."

 

Illinois Democrats vow to fight for CREATE funding

Congressman Dan Lipinski (IL-03) and Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin vowed to fight to preserve $133 million in federal funding for the Englewood Flyover, a linchpin of the CREATE rail modernization program that will reduce Metra delays, create 1,450 jobs and boost long-term economic growth. The project’s funding would be immediately eliminated in the spending bill for the current fiscal year that the House approved and Congressman Lipinski opposed. The legislation now heads to the Senate for consideration.

"As my record reflects, I believe that the national debt is a threat to America’s long-term economic health and that we need to cut unnecessary spending to assure our future prosperity," Lipinski said. "But we can’t cut with our eyes closed; we must continue to make investments that are critical for the future of our nation, especially our middle class. The Englewood Flyover provides a tremendous bang for the buck, and cutting it now would be incredibly shortsighted. It will create 1,450 jobs at a time when there aren’t nearly enough middle class jobs available. It will reduce delays on Metra’s Rock Island District line and is the critical first step toward eliminating delays on the Southwest Service line, benefiting 40,000 riders every weekday. As a linchpin of the CREATE rail modernization program, it will boost economic growth for years to come. It’s vital we continue to move the program forward."

"Yes, we need to cut spending, but we need to do so in a responsible manner," Durbin said. "We shouldn’t abandon our commitments to creating jobs and economic development in the midst of this recession."

The Englewood Flyover will build a bridge to carry Metra’s Rock Island line over the Norfolk Southern/Amtrak tracks at 63rd Street in Chicago, ending delays that occur when trains must wait for other trains to cross at the rail-rail intersection before proceeding. Failure to increase freight rail capacity through CREATE would mean missing out on 17,000 jobs and $2 billion in annual economic production in the Chicago metropolitan area.



CSXT to grow, create jobs

Leveraging the economic and environmental benefits of rail, customers committed to 130 new or expanded facilities on CSXT lines in 2010. Upon completion, these projects will create as many as 5,200 new jobs.

The facilities are located in 18 states, and include markets such as energy, consumer goods and manufacturing. They represent more than $3.6 billion in customer investments, and ultimately will contribute $216 million in annual revenue to CSXT, said Clark Robertson, assistant vice president-regional development.

The facilities will be built on both CSXT lines and on some of the more than 240 shortlines and regional railroads that connect to CSXT.

"CSXT is playing an important role in our nation’s economic recovery, providing the critical link to connect producers, distributors and consumers," Robertson said. "Just as important, we’re helping to stimulate community investment and jobs."

In addition, 98 customers who had committed to new or increased rail traffic in 2010 and prior years began moving goods and commodities that at full production will result in more than $168 million in revenue.

Trains are capable of moving a ton of freight nearly 500 miles on a gallon of fuel. That fuel efficiency, coupled with CSXT’s market reach that includes connections to more than 70 ocean, lake and river ports, is important to customers and economic development agencies as they look for sites for a variety of businesses.

 

CREATE grade separation receives funding to relieve vehicle and rail congestion

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn announced a $64 million investment from Illinois Jobs Now! to build a grade separation in Bensenville, a key component of the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program. The project will improve regional transportation by separating Irving Park Road from the Canadian Pacific Railroad east of York Road and will support more than 830 jobs.

"As North America’s largest inland port, Illinois must make investments to move passengers and freight more quickly through our region," said Governor Quinn. "A world-class transportation system will not only keep jobs in Chicago, but attract new manufacturers who aim to reach the global marketplace more quickly."

The grade separation will reduce roadway congestion and improve safety along Irving Park Road (IL-19), a primary arterial road. The improvements include reconstructing the intersection by lowering Irving Park Road and raising the Canadian Pacific Railroad Bridge. Every day 37,000 vehicles pass through the Bensenville crossing, which includes 25 freight trains. Nearly 6,400 vehicles are delayed at this location every day, leading to 1,500 daily motorist hours of delay that would be alleviated through this project.

This grade separation is located at the southwestern edge of O’Hare Airport, and is being coordinated with construction of the adjacent grade separation of the Union Pacific Railroad over Irving Park Road, as part of the O’Hare Modernization Program. Construction is anticipated to begin in the spring and will be completed in the fall of 2013.

"In Bensenville, we have planes, trains and automobiles, and we must make sure all three modes operate as efficiently and safely as possible," said Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Secretary Gary Hannig. "These improvements will address regional growth and transportation demand, improve traffic safety and promote economic development."

CREATE signalization project begins construction






In February, U.S. DOT
announced that the CREATE Program would receive $100 million in Transportation
Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) funds under the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to complete five projects. Work on the
first of those five projects began in July. The Broadview/LaGrange
signalization (Projects B4/B5) will install a new bi-directional computerized
Traffic Control System (TCS) along a seven-mile segment of the Indiana Harbor
Belt. This project will upgrade 21 hand-thrown switches to power switches. The
TIGER grant funded $11.7 million of the $13.7 million project. The remainder of
the funds was contributed by the freight railroads.

UP issues invitation to bid on CREATE B2 project near Proviso Yard






In-Channel Work Press Release

Union Pacific has posted an
invitation to bid for work on the CREATE B2 Project. Work includes track
roadbed, drainage, bridge and retaining wall construction to add a railroad
flyover connection between the Union Pacific line and Indiana Harbor Belt
Railroad near Proviso Yard in the near west suburbs of Chicago..