New! Materials from Open House
Metra held an open house regarding this project on March 21, 2024, in the Woodstock Opera House Community Room, 121 W. Van Buren St. in Woodstock.
Click here for a self-guided Online Meeting
The following information was shared at the open house:
Community members and stakeholders play an important role in the project. Public participation helps the project team develop solutions that are the best fit for the community. Comments and questions about the Woodstock Layover Project can be shared through our online comment form, by email at WoodstockYardProject@metrarr.com, by mail, and in-person at our project public meetings.
About the Project
Metra is developing a railyard relocation and expansion project to improve operational efficiency and maximize safety, security, personnel time, and customer convenience. The Woodstock Layover Yard project would consolidate operations across multiple existing yard locations to a larger, modern maintenance facility near Woodstock, Illinois. The project will increase Metra’s current train service along the Union Pacific Northwest (UP-NW) Line, generate cost savings on equipment maintenance and replacement, bring new jobs to the area, and support anticipated growth in ridership.
Project Area Map
Project Timeline
Existing Conditions
The UP-NW Line is Metra's second-busiest and one of its most capacity-constrained. Today, trains used on the line are stored at the Harvard, Crystal Lake, McHenry, and Barrington yards as well as on sidings along the mainline tracks. The existing yards are surrounded by commercial and residential developments, significantly limiting opportunities for expansion of train storage. With current storage at capacity and limited options to expand the current yards, Metra is developing a new railyard to provide the storage needed for additional trains to support growth and ridership along the UP-NW Line.
Goals, Objectives and Benefits
The goal of the Woodstock Layover Yard Project is to provide a modernized layover yard in an optimal location that will allow for efficient consolidated operations.
The project is intended to meet the following objectives:
- Support expanded commuter rail service and serve anticipated demand
- Provide expanded train storage
- Improve operational efficiencies
- Maximize safety and security
- Encourage transit-supportive land use in station areas
- Promote sustainable travel patterns in McHenry County
The project is anticipated to provide the following benefits to Metra customers and the community:
- Increased rail service
- Operational cost savings
- Job opportunities at layover yard
- Reduced train idling at Crystal Lake station
- Opportunity for future development in station areas
- Shift in commuting patterns from car to commuter rail
Potential Site Alternatives
Our project team has evaluated 13 sites along the UP-NW Line between Harvard and Barrington based on criteria including:
- Available acreage
- Current and future land use
- Environmental considerations
- Potential to meet the project goals and objectives.
Environmental Considerations
Environmental considerations are a key component of our project team’s site evaluation criteria. For each location reviewed, our team assessed potential impacts to the following:
- Community impacts such as noise and light
- Cultural resources
- Emergency response access
- Wetlands
- Wildlife
Site Recommendations
Through the site screening process, our project team has identified two recommended sites near the City of Woodstock for further study and your input. These two sites received the most positive rankings toward meeting the project goals and objectives.
Next Steps
The Woodstock Layover Yard Project is early in development. Our project team is performing preliminary engineering and preparing the project for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. The NEPA process is anticipated to be completed in early 2025 along with approximately 30 percent of the project design.
Get Involved
Community members and stakeholders play an important role in the project. Public participation helps the project team develop solutions that are the best fit for the community. Comments and questions about the Woodstock Layover Project can be shared through our online comment form, by email at WoodstockYardProject@metrarr.com, by mail, and in-person at our project public meetings.