Third St. parking deck's new third level opens this weekend

The Third Street commuter parking deck's capacity will officially increase by 180 spaces this weekend with the opening of the new third tier expansion.

Construction on the $4.5 million project began in August and was funded entirely by grants through Metra.

The structure was shut down for six months before work was substantially completed in late January.

The first two levels reopened to commuters and downtown visitors Feb. 1, but the third tier remained closed as crews had to wait for warmer weather to seal, stripe and paint the new addition; perform landscaping work; and finish other miscellaneous punch list items.

"The city is delighted to open the new third level of the Third Street parking deck and anticipates that it will be of great assistance for downtown and commuter parking," said City Administrator Mary McKittrick. "We appreciate everyone's patience throughout the project. We have outstanding partners in the community who graciously worked with the city while the deck was under construction, and we cannot thank them enough. We also are very grateful for the financial assistance provided by Metra and Union Pacific to fund this much needed project."

The daily fee parking at the deck remains $2. Parking is free during the evening and weekends.

The total deck capacity is now 540 spaces. The facility was expanded in order to accommodate parking that will be lost as part of Union Pacific's future plans to add a third rail line, which will remove some existing surface parking lots.

Union Pacific has performed some soil testing in the area and has begun some preliminary engineering on the project. No construction timetable has been presented to the city regarding the third rail line.

For information about parking in downtown Geneva, visit the city's website at www.geneva.il.us.

Located 40 miles west of Chicago along the Fox River, Geneva is home to 21,495 residents and serves as the seat of Kane County government. Geneva's character is found in its historic architecture, adaptive re-use of historic buildings, mature landscapes and open space with more than 700 acres of park land. With festivals and events year-round, Geneva is a place to connect with others for shopping, dining or browsing art galleries. Home to excellent schools, library and parks, Geneva continues to be one of the premier cities in the Chicago area to live, work, play and raise a family. For the latest news, visit the city's website at www.geneva.il.us.