Barrington exploring underpass, overpass at railroad tracks near high school

Barrington is in the exploratory phase of a project that could improve safety at a railroad crossing near Barrington High School.

The village board Monday approved a more than $821,000 contract with Civiltech Engineering Inc. for a study of a grade separation where Main Street meets the Canadian National tracks.

It would be the village’s second grade separation project. Work is already underway on an underpass beneath the Canadian National Railway tracks on Route 14 between Valencia Avenue and Hough Street.

The village was already awarded $500,000 in federal funds, more than enough to cover the $425,000 cost of Civiltech’s study of a preferred alternative, Deputy Village Manager Marie Hansen said. The options are an overpass, an underpass or at-grade improvements.

“We work with the state to navigate their potential approval of that selected alternative,” Hansen said, adding there will be public involvement. “We anticipate that the earliest we would get to that stage is August of 2026, but likely a little bit later in that year.”

The question then is what to do about the remaining out-of-pocket costs. It was an issue that concerned Trustee Jennifer Wondrasek, who was concerned about what happened if the village did not move ahead with the project.

Hansen said by approving the entire contract, the village would not have to come back to a new board and try to secure the remaining funds.

“This would allow that to happen seamlessly,” she said.

If the village board did not choose to move ahead with the preferred alternative, it could elect to terminate the contract, Hansen added.

Trustee Brian Prigge said he was also concerned about the cost and wanted to approve the contract in two phases.

The engineering firm’s tasks will include data collection, crash and traffic analyses, environmental studies, agency coordination, public involvement and cost estimates as it prepares a “Phase I Project Development Report.”

The total cost of the project is unknown because it varies depending on what is ultimately proposed.