Train underpass at standstill again in Winfield

Long-debated plans for a train underpass near Winfield's village hall and Metra station have been stalled yet again.

Village trustees on Thursday put off a vote on an agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation that would have allowed the village to seek bidders for the project.

The village has several state and federal grants to help pay for the underpass, which has been estimated at $4 million, but would need to borrow money to fund the work.

To do that, the seven-member board -- which includes six trustees and Village President Rudy Czech -- would need to convince one of the three trustees opposed to the project to support the plan. Trustees Vade Bon Coeur, Deborah Birutis and Joel Kunesh are opposed to the construction of the train underpass.

"Every time we try and stick a shovel into the ground, somebody's trying to throw dirt back in," Trustee Jack Bajor said. "I think we need a week to pull together on this."

The true cost of the underpass won't be known until the village approves the project and begins soliciting construction bids. That isn't likely to happen until at least November or later, Village Manager William Barlow has said.

Union Pacific has already told the village it intends to close an above-grade crosswalk at the Metra station, located just steps away from the rear of the village hall and police station at 27W465 Jewell Road.

The railroad company threatened to close the crossing by March when village trustees tried to stall the project earlier in the year.

Several residents, teachers and school officials from Winfield Elementary District 34 have urged trustees to pursue the plan, arguing the crosswalk would provide a safe route for children crossing the train tracks daily to go to school at Winfield Primary and Central schools, as well as the elementary school run by St. John the Baptist Catholic Church.