How new crossings aim to make Hanover Park Metra station safer for pedestrians

Local leaders will join commuters Thursday to celebrate the completion of a pair of pedestrian safety crossings at the Hanover Park Metra station.

The nine months of work - funded by a reimbursement grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity - added lights and bells to the pedestrian crossings, one of which was relocated to inhibit people from proceeding directly across the tracks from the parking lot.

Making those new arrivals turn right first before crossing the tracks is another way to keep them aware of their surroundings, Hanover Park Mayor Rod Craig said.

"They're looking at their phones, too, so the bells and the lights really help," he added. "This has been a goal of mine for some time and I'm ecstatic that it's completed."

The village's public safety employees will be handing out informational materials from 7 to 9 a.m. Thursday at the station at 1975 W. Lake St. Craig will make comments at 8 a.m., when he'll be joined by Democratic state Rep. Michelle Rep. Michelle Mussman of Schaumburg, members of the DuPage Railroad Safety Council and others to mark completion of the $873,000 project.

Mussman was instrumental in securing the reimbursement grant from the state that will ultimately cover the full expense, Craig said.

Craig is on Metra's board of directors, and Metra spokeswoman Meg Reile said this type of improvement is consistent with his concerns about safety.

The pedestrian crossing improvements were specifically requested by Hanover Park rather than part of a series of routine upgrades, she added.