Metra UP North Rebuild: Fullerton to Addison

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    April 27 Open House Materials

    Metra hosted a public open house on April 27 to provide project updates to the community, including the modernization process and proposed shifts in track locations, environmental analysis results, timeline, and next steps. Please see below for all materials shared with the community.

    At the Community Voices table at the public open house, the community was encouraged to provide comments that would be shared with the project design team, the city, and the alderman’s office to inform the design efforts for retaining walls and fencing and changes to vegetation in the public way. To submit your comments online, click the link here.

    Comment deadline extended: Comments are encouraged to be submitted by May 23 to be incorporated into the environmental review process and for design considerations.

    For any additional comments or questions, please email us at upnrebuild@metrarr.com.

    Project Update - April 2022

    Getting you correct information

    Metra is thoughtfully assessing and responding to questions received from the public and adjacent residents and striving to provide the most accurate, up-to-date information. Metra is posting updates and FAQ responses based on project information. Please see new FAQ information here. The project team also acknowledges we may not be able to answer every question at this current stage of design. The project is currently only at preliminary 30% design plans. As the project design is refined, Metra will provide additional information moving forward.

    Metra is also actively assessing and reviewing alternate design and construction suggestions provided by the public. Metra will review and consider these suggestions to inform the final design phase. The public meeting on April 27, 2022 also incorporated an entire Community Voices section dedicated to seeking community feedback on design elements.

    Metra asks that you continue to refer this project website as a source of information and sign up for email updates about the Project. We thank you for your continued interest in the project.

    Project Update - February 2022

    Metra is committed to providing the community with updates regarding the UP North Rebuild: Fullerton to Addison Project and would like to provide you with a brief project update.

    Since the first public meeting in September, Metra has been coordinating with public agencies and aldermanic offices and has met with some residents immediately adjacent to the railroad. Metra held a second public meeting in April to provide Project updates. A third public meeting will be held prior to construction to provide preconstruction-related information to prepare the community for the Project. The community is welcome to provide comments and ask questions via email at UPNrebuild@metrarr.com.

    Updated FAQs
    The Project website will continue to be updated with additional information to address questions as part of the environmental review process and ahead of construction. The Frequently Asked Questions section of the website has been updated to address newly asked questions.

    Project Stage
    The Project is currently in the engineering design and environmental review phase. Construction is anticipated to begin in summer 2023.

    Recent Union Pacific Railroad Track Maintenance
    During the week of February 7, Union Pacific (UP) conducted required tree, brush, and vegetation removal within its railroad property. Vegetation had become overgrown and posed safety concerns for train operations as sight lines were becoming blocked along the railroad. This vegetation removal activity was not related to the UP North Rebuild: Fullerton to Addison Project. UP needs to regularly maintain and upgrade track infrastructure on their property as well as conduct non-planned work on an emergency basis. If you are an adjacent property owner with questions regarding this recent maintenance work, please contact Liisa Stark, Assistant Vice President of Public Affairs – Northern Region at llstark@up.com.

    Adjacent Property Owners

    We understand some adjacent property owners may have questions specific to their property. Each property is unique; therefore, we are offering one-on-one sessions to meet with Project staff. To sign up for a session, contact the Adjacent Property Owner Liaison, Melody Carvajal, at carvajalma@cdmsmith.com.

    Overview

    The Metra UP North Rebuild: Fullerton to Addison Project along Metra’s Union Pacific North (UP-N) Line consists of the following project elements:

    • The replacement of 11 railroad bridges from Fullerton Avenue to Cornelia Avenue;
    • The replacement of retaining walls where required from Fullerton Avenue to Addison Street;
    • Shifting tracks west between Fullerton Avenue and Addison Street to align with the existing tracks north and south of the project area;
    • The lowering of Roscoe Street and Cornelia Avenue to maintain current clearance under the roadway and the CTA Brown Line;
    • Refurbish, including painting, the existing Lincoln/Addison bridge; and
    • Some utility work along the project corridor.

    Further project details and updates are provided in the Project’s Frequently Asked Questions section here.

    Purpose

    The UP-N Line bridges are 120 years old. Along with the adjacent retaining walls, these bridges have surpassed their functional lifespan and can no longer be economically repaired and maintained. This project will modernize the existing infrastructure, reduce maintenance needs along the UP-N Line, create efficiencies and reduce operating costs, and improve the customer experience with increased reliability and passenger comfort.

    Benefits

    The project will result in new bridge structures that enhance the resiliency and reliability of Metra UP North rail service and improve accessibility at railroad underpasses. More specifically, the benefits of the Project include:

    • Modernized infrastructure along the corridor through the replacement of outdated structures.
    • Improved accessibility from reconstructed underpasses with increased lighting and ADA accessible pedestrian travel paths, where applicable.
    • Improved energy efficiency, reduction of oil and diesel fuel dependence, and improved air quality through a reduction in congestion-related emissions due to less service delays and the ability to maintain consistent locomotive speeds.
    • Improvements to the customer experience through increased passenger comfort and reliability. Although there will not be an increase in the number of trains or service on the line, infrastructure improvements will reduce potential service interruptions and delays.

    Funding

    The total estimated cost of the project is $262.3 million. Funds totaling $162.1 million are currently allocated for its implementation. 

    • $6 million from 2019 Federal Transit Authority 5337 State of Good Repair Funds
    • $156.1 million from Rebuild Illinois Bond Funds

    Metra is currently reviewing additional funding opportunities for this Project, including transit improvement funding in the 2021 federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

    UP North Line Background

    The UP North Line provides rail service to passengers between downtown Chicago, suburban communities in Cook and Lake counties, and Kenosha, Wisconsin. Most of its 27 stations throughout 15 communities have been in their existing general location for more than a century. Based on 2018 to 2019 passenger ridership data, the UP North Line carried 70 passenger trains per day, and more than 29,500 passengers passed through the Project corridor on an average weekday. This Project will secure another century of connectivity for rail passengers and the local community.

    Timeline

    This project is currently in the design and planning stage. An environmental review process is being conducted in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, which also includes a noise and vibration analysis. The project is anticipated to be constructed in three stages. Construction is expected to begin in 2023, with completion expected in 2027. Further details on the Project’s timeline and construction stages are provided in the Project’s Frequently Asked Questions section here.

    Construction in the Community

    The project is anticipated to be constructed in three stages to maintain all rail operations and reduce disruptions to pedestrian, bicycle, and auto traffic. There will be some street and sidewalk closures throughout the project, in which the community will be notified beforehand. Additionally, property owners with backyards, gardens or other property adjacent to the railroad may be impacted by construction. Metra is currently conducting outreach and coordination with these property owners.

    If you are an adjacent property owner or resident and have any specific questions or concerns about the Project, please contact the Adjacent Property Owner Liaison, Melody Carvajal, at carvajalma@cdmsmith.com.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Click here to read answers to frequently asked questions about this Project.

    Public Outreach

    Current Outreach
    Since the first public meeting in September, Metra has been coordinating with public agencies and aldermanic offices and has met with some residents immediately adjacent to the railroad. Metra is offering brief one-on-one sessions with residents immediately adjacent to the railroad in early March to address specific property questions/concerns. To sign up for a session, please contact the Adjacent Property Owner Liaison, Melody Carvajal, at carvajalma@cdmsmith.com.

    Second Public Meeting – 4/27/2022

    Materials from the Public Open House held on April 27, 2022 are posted at the top of this page.

    First Public Meeting – 9/9/2021

    An initial public meeting was held on September 9, 2021, to introduce the project and to hear from the team details on how we plan to modernize our 120-year-old bridges, project scope, benefits, and timeline.

    Watch the recording of the public meeting below:

    Video con subtítulos en español:

     

    Review 9/9/2021 presentation slides here.

    Stay Informed

    The community is welcome to provide comments and ask questions via email at  UPNrebuild@metrarr.com

    For adjacent property concerns, email Melody Carvajal at carvajalma@cdmsmith.com

    For media inquiries, please contact Michael Gillis at mgillis@metrarr.com.