Union Pacific to close Winfield crosswalk

Winfield trustees last week stalled any talks of building a pedestrian underpass for Metra rail commuters near the village's train station.

By March, those commuters will be losing the above-grade crosswalk allowing passengers to cross the tracks at the station. Passengers instead will be forced to cross the tracks at Winfield Road, which has crossing gates.

Winfield officials Wednesday received a letter from Michael Payette, an assistant vice president for Union Pacific, notifying them of the pending closure.

Wire fencing will be extended across the crosswalk on March 1 to stop its continued use.

Two years ago, Union Pacific closed several uncontrolled crossings around Metra stations -- including one in Glen Ellyn -- citing safety concerns.

Winfield was on the list for closure, but Union Pacific officials allowed the crosswalk to stay open until officials could construct the underpass.

Payette specifically cited last week's village board decision to hold off on approving state grants to fund the pedestrian underpass project as a reason for the decision.

"The Union Pacific Railroad is convinced that pedestrian crosswalks at stations are not the safest alternative," he wrote.

Winfield trustees were supposed to vote last week on accepting a $300,000 grant from the state that would help finance the underpass.

Instead, the trustees tabled the measure after several residents urged them to drop the proposal. Residents argued the underpass, which would be located just a few yards away from the police station, would pose an unacceptable safety risk for commuters.

Some residents questioned whether the village would receive the grant money, which officials have said was secured long ago.

The village's share of the $3.1 million project is estimated at between $100,000 and $160,000, village officials said.

Village Manager William Barlow said about 400 to 500 commuters use Winfield's train station daily.

"Union Pacific held back on closing this crosswalk because of the progress we made with the underpass," Barlow said. "This letter is a direct function of their disappointment of where we're at" with the underpass.

Last fall, the village board approved the purchase of the Winfield Place Salon to make room for the underpass as well as provide space for a future parking garage in the town center.

Past officials have argued the project was needed to ensure the safety of schoolchildren crossing the tracks to Winfield Primary and Central schools as well as the elementary school run by St. John the Baptist Catholic Church.