Traffic headaches loom for downtown Des Plaines

If you're used to driving through downtown Des Plaines, you will want to change your route starting Monday to avert a traffic nightmare.

Two major railroad crossings in downtown Des Plaines will be closed for two weeks starting Monday. Metra and Union Pacific Railroad said Lee Street and Graceland Avenue crossings will be closed from Monday to Aug. 3 to make way for work to shift the tracks.

When work is completed, trains will stop at a different point so traffic will move better along Pearson Street and Graceland Avenue.

About 21,000 vehicles traverse these crossings on a typical day, Des Plaines officials said. If those cars instead used Des Plaines River Road and Miner Street - already busy roadways - officials anticipate a surge in traffic delays so they are recommending that drivers avoid those streets if they have no need to conduct business in downtown Des Plaines.

Detour signs and message boards will alert the public of the closings. Pedestrians should cross at Pearson Street during this construction, officials said.

This is part of the final phase of the Metra platform work in downtown Des Plaines. The project includes the demolition and reconstruction of the existing center platform, between Pearson Street and Lee Street, and the construction of a new center platform, between Lee Street and Graceland Avenue.