Lombard Metra station pedestrian underpass opens next week
The much-anticipated pedestrian underpass at the Lombard Metra station is scheduled to open Wednesday morning, after nearly a year of construction.
Some finishing touches - such as landscaping, lighting and the completion of accessible ramps - remain, but the opening will mark a "significant milestone" in the project and achieves the ultimate goal of "separating the crossing of trains and pedestrians," Director of Public Works Carl Goldsmith said.
At 9 a.m. the underpass, just east of Park Avenue, will open, and the track-level pedestrian crossing will be permanently closed.
Goldsmith noted, however, that no accessible ramps will be available from Wednesday until about July 1, when new ramps on both sides of the tunnel are expected to be complete.
"We're all hopeful the project comes to a close soon," he said, adding that final details likely won't be finished until mid-August.
The underpass project is part of an extensive $9.7 million makeover of Lombard's Metra station that also includes the addition of canopies and shelters on the platforms and new retaining walls.
Metra and Union Pacific each spent more than $3 million on the project. The Illinois Commerce Commission contributed about $750,000, and the village put in about $294,000, mostly toward upgraded aesthetics such as bronze medallions featuring the village's logo.
Village staff members will be on site early next week to help educate commuters about the changes. Goldsmith said Monday has been designated as Commuter Appreciation Day, to thank commuters and nearby businesses for their patience during the construction.
Goldsmith said he hopes that with the presence of village staffers on site early in the week, temporary signage and continuing village communications there will be little confusion when the tunnel opens. An estimated 1,300 riders use the station each weekday.
In addition, starting Monday, daily parking fees can be paid on a mobile device or at new pay stations that accept coins, bills, credit cards and debit cards. In the past, commuters have only been able to pay with coins or cash.
Pay boxes are on the south side of the pedestrian underpass and just west of the Hammerschmidt daily fee lot. Additional boxes will be available starting June 6 on the north side of the pedestrian underpass.
The mobile payment option has a 37 cents transaction fee in addition to the daily parking fee. Smartphone users can make mobile payments by downloading the Passport Parking app or registering online at passportparking.com/park.
Starting Monday, users can enter Zone Number 60148 and the number of their parking space into the app to pay their parking fee.
Users are required, however, to first add a minimum of $10 to their Passport Parking account before using the mobile pay option.
The daily parking rate in all downtown commuter parking lots will remain at $1.25.
Free parking is also available on Saturday and Sundays, certain holidays and after 3 p.m. on weekdays.