Route 31 underpass in Geneva to close for Union Pacific rail project

Union Pacific announced the Route 31 underpass in Geneva will be shut down for approximately four months starting Monday, March 4, as part of the rail company’s Third Main Line project.

The official detour route will direct motorists/trucks heading north on Route 31 in Batavia to turn east on Fabyan Parkway, north on Route 25 and west on Route 64 in St. Charles. The detour will be vice versa for drivers traveling south on Route 31.

Local traffic can use Third Street in Geneva, but drivers should be alert for pedestrians crossing the road throughout the downtown.

This is the second of two Route 31 underpass closures associated with the Third Main Line project. Work will involve the construction of a new train bridge and pavement modifications. The underpass is anticipated to be closed to traffic until Monday, June 24, weather permitting.

The first phase underpass construction, which occurred last summer, included crews building abutments, wing walls and other support structures south of the existing train bridge.

Union Pacific began the Third Main Line project in 2022. The company is installing a third railroad line near the current U.P.-West railway tracks spanning from Peck Road in Geneva to West Chicago. Construction is expected to be completed in late 2024.

The project also will require temporary shutdowns of the Third Street (tentatively scheduled for late June) and Western Avenue (tentatively slated for mid-September) grade crossings. The closures are being staggered so only one crossing will be impacted at a given time.

The public can visit “Notify Me” on the city’s website to subscribe to future construction updates on the “Pardon The Progress” blog. For more project information, visit the Third Main Line construction webpage.

While the city of Geneva is providing information to the community, the city has no authority or control over the Union Pacific project. The details shared by the city are only as good as the information provided by Union Pacific.