The rail overpass near Ravenswood and Winnemac avenues on the North Side is one of several aging structures due for a facelift on the Metra Union Pacific North line. (Abel Uribe, Chicago Tribune / July 14, 2010) |
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A major program to rebuild nearly two dozen century-old railroad bridges on Metra's Union Pacific North line is expected to start next month and will mean schedule changes for thousands of commuters.
Although the bridges are on Chicago's North Side, the entire line will be affected because the project will force northbound and southbound trains onto a single track at work sites, officials said.
As a result, Metra is revising UP North arrivals and departures, and some trains will skip certain stops. Rush-hour commutes will be affected most, Metra said.
With nearly 10 million passenger trips a year, the UP North is Metra's third-busiest line, after the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and the Electric lines.
Metra will officially announce the first phase of the eight-year, $185 million program Friday. The new schedules will start about the third week of August and be available by next week. Train times will vary by about two minutes, Metra said.
"The staff has been working on preparing a phased program that will be done with the least disruption in terms of schedules," said Jim Labelle, a Metra board member who represents Lake County.
"Metra riders are creatures of habit. If I'm used to getting on the 8:03 [train] and its now 8:05, that's a big change in my lifestyle."
Commuters on Thursday said schedule changes are worth it to keep bridges in good repair.
"Safety first. I want to get there. I want it to work," said Debra Kujbida, who commutes to Evanston every weekday.
Metra is also building a new Ravenswood station, the most-used stop on the UP North and ninth-busiest of all stations. Currently, passengers must wait on an open platform south of Lawrence Avenue. The new station will be accessible for the disabled and will also accommodate longer trains.
Metra had planned to build the new station north of Lawrence, but community concerns prompted a review by Metra and a final decision has not been made, spokeswoman Judy Pardonnet said Thursday.
At a recent open house for area residents, concerns were raised about the loss of landscaping and neighborhood gardens that line the tracks.
Metra had previously planned to keep double-track service by building new retaining walls and widening the right-of-way to accommodate a temporary track.
The plan would have wiped out some gardens, but was scrapped because it would have cost an additional $80 million, Metra said.
Some money for the project is coming from federal job-stimulus funds. Metra awarded the contract to Walsh Construction, which has already been paid $67 million. The rail line estimates the project will create 358 jobs.
Metra plans a series of public meetings to discuss the project and schedule changes.
Steven Lichti, who commutes between Kenosha and Evanston, was unfazed by the prospect of changing his routine.
"I'd rather not sit in a derailment," Lichti said. "If they need to repair something, I'd rather they repair it, and if it takes me 20 minutes longer to get home, so be it."
Freelance reporter Brian Cox contributed to this report.
rwronski@tribune.com
Although the bridges are on Chicago's North Side, the entire line will be affected because the project will force northbound and southbound trains onto a single track at work sites, officials said.
As a result, Metra is revising UP North arrivals and departures, and some trains will skip certain stops. Rush-hour commutes will be affected most, Metra said.
With nearly 10 million passenger trips a year, the UP North is Metra's third-busiest line, after the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and the Electric lines.
Metra will officially announce the first phase of the eight-year, $185 million program Friday. The new schedules will start about the third week of August and be available by next week. Train times will vary by about two minutes, Metra said.
"The staff has been working on preparing a phased program that will be done with the least disruption in terms of schedules," said Jim Labelle, a Metra board member who represents Lake County.
"Metra riders are creatures of habit. If I'm used to getting on the 8:03 [train] and its now 8:05, that's a big change in my lifestyle."
Commuters on Thursday said schedule changes are worth it to keep bridges in good repair.
"Safety first. I want to get there. I want it to work," said Debra Kujbida, who commutes to Evanston every weekday.
Metra is also building a new Ravenswood station, the most-used stop on the UP North and ninth-busiest of all stations. Currently, passengers must wait on an open platform south of Lawrence Avenue. The new station will be accessible for the disabled and will also accommodate longer trains.
Metra had planned to build the new station north of Lawrence, but community concerns prompted a review by Metra and a final decision has not been made, spokeswoman Judy Pardonnet said Thursday.
At a recent open house for area residents, concerns were raised about the loss of landscaping and neighborhood gardens that line the tracks.
Metra had previously planned to keep double-track service by building new retaining walls and widening the right-of-way to accommodate a temporary track.
The plan would have wiped out some gardens, but was scrapped because it would have cost an additional $80 million, Metra said.
Some money for the project is coming from federal job-stimulus funds. Metra awarded the contract to Walsh Construction, which has already been paid $67 million. The rail line estimates the project will create 358 jobs.
Metra plans a series of public meetings to discuss the project and schedule changes.
Steven Lichti, who commutes between Kenosha and Evanston, was unfazed by the prospect of changing his routine.
"I'd rather not sit in a derailment," Lichti said. "If they need to repair something, I'd rather they repair it, and if it takes me 20 minutes longer to get home, so be it."
Freelance reporter Brian Cox contributed to this report.
rwronski@tribune.com
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