The work includes an $8.1 million contract for a new pedestrian tunnel, retaining walls, ADA ramps, stairways, platform shelters, canopies over both inbound and outbound platforms, landscaping and other ancillary items for the station.
Chicago’s Metra commuter rail, Union Pacific Railroad (UP), Lombard and DuPage County officials broke ground Wednesday on more than $9.7 million in improvements along the UP West Line, including a new pedestrian underpass, rebuilt platforms and new platform canopies.
The work includes an $8.1 million contract with John Burns Construction for the new pedestrian tunnel, retaining walls, ADA ramps, stairways, platform shelters, canopies over both inbound and outbound platforms, landscaping and other ancillary items for the station. The work is expected to take about 10 months.
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Under a separate project, the platforms also will be reconstructed, at an estimated cost of $1.6 million. Some of that work will be done in conjunction with the tunnel project. The station will remain open during construction, and all work will be staged to minimize the disruption to riders.
Rendering provided by Metra
The tunnel is a component of a multi-million dollar Metra/UP project designed to improve the flow of commuter and freight traffic on the heavily used line. Another component was the installation of the “Another Train Warning System” at eight stations along the line. That system uses audible and visual alerts to warn pedestrians at crossings near the stations that another train — in addition to the one that is stopped at the station — is approaching or present.
Other grade crossing protections include new paths that safely guide pedestrians to a gated crossing, more pedestrian gates and more inter-track fencing to discourage pedestrians from crossing at unsafe and unauthorized locations.
Caltrain and its partners have implemented safety improvements at specific locations in response to known risk conditions, operational needs, and available funding since the agency’s founding.
On a recent episode of METROspectives, METRO Magazine’s Executive Editor Alex Roman sat down with Ana-Maria Tomlinson, Director of Strategic & Cross-Sector Programs at the CSA Group, to explore a bold initiative aimed at addressing those challenges: the development of a National Code for Transit and Passenger Rail Systems in Canada.
Competitive FTA grants will support accessibility upgrades, family-friendly improvements, and cost-efficient capital projects at some of the nation’s oldest and busiest transit hubs.
The 3.92-mile addition will soon take riders west beyond its current Wilshire and Western station in Koreatown, continuing under Wilshire Boulevard through neighborhoods and communities including Hancock Park, Windsor Square, the Fairfax District, and Carthay Circle into Beverly Hills.
Under the plan, all long-distance routes will transition to a universal single-level fleet, replacing today’s mix of bi-level and single-level equipment.
The milestone is a significant step toward modernizing the MAX Blue Line’s power infrastructure, one of the oldest components of the region’s light rail system.
The firm will lead the Tier 2 environmental review program for the Coachella Valley Rail Corridor, including the conceptual and preliminary engineering needed to develop project-level environmental clearance.
