News

Metra, Lombard hosting open house for pedestrian underpass project

Posted June 23, 2014 1:01 am

By Jessica Cilella

This rendering shows a new pedestrian underpass that will be built near Park Avenue in downtown Lombard later this year. COUrtesy of Village of Lombard

Anyone curious about a pedestrian underpass project slated to begin next week in downtown Lombard is welcome to attend an open house Wednesday evening to meet with officials and ask questions.

The open house - which will be hosted by officials from Metra, the Union Pacific Railroad, the village and John Burns Construction - will run from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the community room of the Helen Plum Memorial Library, 110 W. Maple Ave.

Residents, business owners and commuters can stop in any time during the three-hour window.

The nearly $8 million underpass project is part of an extensive makeover of Lombard's Metra station that includes the addition of canopies and shelters on the platforms, new retaining walls, accessible ramps and stairs to the platform and tunnel, and landscaping.

Pedestrians currently use an at-grade crossing to go from one side of the tracks to the other. The tunnel - which is part of a series of safety upgrades along the Union Pacific West Line - will be just east of Park Avenue.

Metra officials said in May that Metra is providing about $3.8 million for the project while Union Pacific is contributing about $3.3 million.

In addition, the Illinois Commerce Commission is spending about $750,000 on the project and the village of Lombard is putting $294,000 toward the costs associated with the upgraded aesthetics, such as lighting and bronze medallions featuring the village's logo.

Pre-construction activities for the project are scheduled to begin next week. Construction is slated to be fully underway by the week of July 7 and completed by late February.

The station will remain open during construction. It is estimated that about 1,300 riders use the station each weekday.

For information and updates on the underpass project, visit www.villageoflombard.org/metraproject.

This rendering shows the north side of a new pedestrian underpass that will be built later this year near Park Avenue in downtown Lombard. COUrtesy of Village of Lombard

This rendering shows the south side of a new pedestrian underpass that will be built near Park Avenue in downtown Lombard. COUrtesy of Village of Lombard

If you go

What: Lombard pedestrian underpass project open house

When: 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 25

Where: Community room at Helen Plum Memorial Library, 110 W. Maple St. Lombard

Who: Residents, business owners and commuters are welcome to stop in and meet with representatives from Metra, the Union Pacific Railroad, the village of Lombard and John Burns Construction

Why: The open house will give community members an opportunity to ask questions about the underpass project before construction begins the week of July 7

Info: www.villageoflombard.org/metraproject

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