Metra, black lawmakers clash over minority hiring

Metra defended itself Thursday against accusations of disenfranchising black contractors over a $141.6 million track improvement project known as the Englewood Flyover located on the South Side of Chicago.

U.S. Reps. Bobby Rush, Jesse Jackson Jr. and Danny Davis contend the agency is shortchanging the Englewood community by awarding “less than one half percent of the winning construction contract to an African American firm.” The Chicago Democrats led protesters outside Metra’s offices in downtown Chicago Thursday.

Metra countered by saying it is committed to ensuring 25 percent of the contract goes to a “disadvantaged business” or DBE firm, and is following federal and state guidelines. Disadvantaged businesses include companies owned by blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans and women.

The agency “is always sensitive to the community’s goal of providing opportunities for local businesses to participate in the project, however, in doing so Metra must operate within the constraints of governing law,” officials said in a statement. They also pointed to contractor recruiting efforts in Engelwood.

The flyover project involves constructing elevated track that will ease freight and commuter train congestion. Metra was supposed to have voted on the contract May 11 but will push back the decision until June.

Rush said in a statement this showed the protest was effective. “We are sick and tired of construction contracts in our communities that bring us all the dust, all the dirt, all the delay but none of the dough,” he said.

Metra is waiting for the Illinois Department of Transportation to respond to a construction deadline extension request and that is what caused the delay, a spokesman said.