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Metra UP North bridge replacement project


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#1 KevinKorell

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Posted 16 March 2011 - 08:01 PM

Rail, Transit, & Structures, 3/15/11:

Chicago area Metra will resume work in April on a major project to replace 22 aging bridges along the Union Pacific North line on the north side of Chicago, as well as to build a completely new Ravenswood Station.

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#2 KevinKorell

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Posted 23 March 2011 - 12:53 AM

Progressive Railroading, 3/22/11:

Metra, UP schedule public meeting to review project


Metra, Union Pacific Railroad and Chicago officials have scheduled a March 29 public forum to review proposed plans for streetscape, station and other improvements related to the scheduled replacement of railroad bridges and rail line upgrades along Ravenswood Avenue.

Here is your story.


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#3 CNJRoss

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Posted 30 August 2011 - 10:47 AM

ProgressiveRailroading.com, 8/30:

Metra to begin replacing 22 bridges on UP North line

Metra plans to begin replacing 22 bridges along the Union Pacific North line and start rebuilding Ravenswood Station in the next two weeks.

Replacement of the century-old bridges will be done in two phases comprising 11 bridges each, with the first phase slated for completion in 2015.

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#4 CNJRoss

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Posted 06 May 2015 - 11:16 PM

Metra news release, 5/6/15:

 

 

First half of new Ravenswood Station to open May 10

UP North trains to use a single track in the area this weekend so work can be completed

 

(May 6, 2015) – The first half of a bigger and better Ravenswood Station on the Union Pacific North Line is scheduled to open for riders on Sunday, May 10, and will welcome the first rush-hour commuters on Monday, May 11.

 

The new station is being built in stages as part of a major project to replace aging bridges along the UP North Line on the North Side of Chicago. The newly completed first half, the outbound side, was built in conjunction with the construction of new bridges for the outbound tracks over 11 streets between Balmoral and Grace. Metra officials took U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05) and FTA Regional Administrator Marisol Simon on a tour of the station today.

 

Union Pacific Railroad has laid new tracks over the new outbound bridges and this weekend it will do the final work necessary to put those tracks into operation. The work will begin after Friday evening’s rush hour and is expected to last until Sunday afternoon/evening.

 

While that work is underway, all UP North trains will be using a single track through the area and Ravenswood riders will board inbound and outbound trains from the inbound platform. There will be announcements at the station Sunday to guide riders to the new outbound platforms when the switch is complete.

 

The next stage of the project, expected to start in 2016, will include the inbound half of the new station and new bridges for the inbound tracks over the same 11 streets. The stages are necessary in order to keep two tracks in operation during the project so regular UP North service is not impacted.

 

When fully complete, the station will have longer, covered platforms and warming shelters on both sides, improved lighting, space for a ticket office and a vendor, ramps, stairs and landscaping. It will be fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

 

Ravenswood Station serves about 2,400 riders a day, making it the busiest outlying station on the UP North Line and the fourth-busiest Metra station outside of downtown. It also has a substantial number of reverse commuters, mandating the need for new shelters on both platforms. The new station with its longer platforms will better serve the growing number of Ravenswood riders and improve loading times at the station, which will result in more timely and efficient train service.

 

“For too long the Ravenswood Station has been far too small for growing ridership demands of this neighborhood,” said Metra Executive Director/CEO Don Orseno. “We’re glad to be halfway towards giving our riders the station they deserve, and we ask them for just a little more patience and understanding as we move on to the inbound side.”

 

“Transit and passenger rail alone generates $12 billion in annual economic activity and creates 120,000 jobs in the region, but we can’t continue to reap and grow those benefits without making long term investments in our area’s transportation infrastructure,” Quigley said. “I thank Metra, along with the federal, state and local governments, for their commitment to invest in our public transportation. These much-needed improvements made at the Ravenswood Metra station will directly benefit our region’s commuters by increasing capacity and accessibility while reducing traffic congestion.”

 

Inbound riders will continue to use the temporary boarding platform north of Lawrence until the inbound half of the new station is completed.

Metra is paying for the new Ravenswood Station and the inbound and outbound bridges over the 11 streets between Balmoral and Grace with a combination of federal, state and local funds.

 

In the last phases of the UP North bridge project, bridges over 11 additional streets between Fullerton and Addison will be built. That phase is not yet funded, and Metra will be working with federal, state and local officials to secure the funds to do the work.

 

 



#5 CNJRoss

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Posted 08 March 2017 - 09:11 PM

Railway Age, 3/7/17:
 

Metra seeks bids for Chicago bridge project

 

 

Chicago’s Metra transit agency is seeking bids for the next phase of the multi-year Union Pacific North bridge project, which will replace 100-year-old bridges over 11 streets on the North Side of Chicago, as well as construct the inbound half of the new Ravenswood Station.

 

The $45 million second phase consists of new bridges for the inbound tracks over Grace, Irving Park, Berteau, Montrose, Sunnyside, Wilson, Leland, Lawrence, Winnemac, Foster and Balmoral. Construction of the bridges for the outbound tracks over the same 11 streets and related retaining wall work on the west side was completed in the first phase.

 

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#6 CNJRoss

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Posted 09 March 2017 - 10:46 PM

Railway Track & Structures, 3/7/17:

 

Metra seeks bids for next phase of bridge project
 
 
fcbbf97ac999a4fa8fc39e3b3b1fcbbe_L.jpg
An image of one of the bridges along Metra's Union Pacific North line that requires replacement. Metra

 

Metra is seeking bids for the next phase of the multi-year Union Pacific North bridge project, which will replace bridges over 11 streets on the North Side of Chicago, as well as construct the inbound half of the new Ravenswood Station.

 

"We see this project as a major investment in the future of the UP North Line," said Metra Executive Director/CEO Don Orseno. "Our riders, both from the city and the northern suburbs, will reap the benefits for many years to come."

 

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#7 CNJRoss

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Posted 12 February 2020 - 02:57 PM

Metra news release

 
Montrose Avenue to close temporarily (Feb. 10 - Feb. 21) for UP North Line bridge project

 

 
(February 5, 2020) - Metra’s project to replace 11 bridges along its Union Pacific North Line on Chicago’s North Side will require the closure of Montrose Avenue for 12 days in mid-February.

 

Montrose Avenue will be closed at the UP North Line railroad tracks along Ravenswood Avenue beginning Monday, Feb. 10 through Friday, Feb. 21. East-west automobile traffic will be diverted south along either Damen or Ashland avenues to Irving Park Road during the closure.

 

During the closure, Metra’s contractor, Lisle-based Judlau Contracting Inc., will erect the new steel bridge span over the roadway as part of a $17.2 million project to replace 11 century-old rail bridges from Grace Street north to Balmoral Avenue on Chicago’s North Side.

 



#8 CNJRoss

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Posted 25 August 2021 - 10:48 AM

Metra press release

 
Metra to hold virtual meeting on UP North bridge project
 
Tuesday, August 24, 2021
 

 

Metra will hold a virtual public meeting on Sept. 9 to introduce the next phase of its project to replace 120-year-old bridges along the Union Pacific North Line on the North Side of Chicago. This phase includes the replacement of 11 bridges and retaining walls as required between Fullerton and Addison.

 

The Metra UP North Rebuild: Fullerton to Addison Project is currently in the design and planning stage with construction expected to begin in 2023 and completion expected in 2027.

 

“These bridges have surpassed their functional lifespan and can no longer be economically repaired and maintained,” said Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski. “The Metra UP North Rebuild Project will modernize the existing infrastructure, reduce maintenance needs and operating costs, and improve the customer experience with increased reliability and resiliency. This is a major project that will benefit My Metra riders for decades.”

 

To introduce the project to adjacent communities, Metra will be holding a virtual public meeting on Thursday, Sept. 9 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.  Meeting attendees will hear about Metra plans to modernize the bridges and track structures and learn additional details about the project’s timeline and benefits. To register for the virtual public meeting click here or to learn more about Metra UP North Rebuild: Fullerton to Addison, click here.

 

The project will reduce Metra’s carbon footprint by improving energy efficiency, reducing oil and diesel fuel dependence and improving air quality, because it will result in fewer service delays and a greater ability to maintain consistent locomotive speeds.

 

Additional project elements include shifting the tracks west within the existing railroad right-of-way to align with the tracks north and south of the project area; reconstructing underpasses with increased lighting and ADA accessible travel paths; lowering of Roscoe and Cornelia Streets to maintain current clearance under the UP North Line and the CTA Brown Line; refurbishing and painting of the existing Lincoln/Addison bridge; and some utility work along the project corridor.

 

The project is anticipated to be constructed in two phases to maintain all rail operations and reduce impacts to pedestrian, bicycle, and automobile traffic. There will be some street and sidewalk closures throughout the project and the community will be notified beforehand. Additionally, property owners with backyards, gardens, or other property adjacent to the railroad may be impacted by the construction. Metra will be conducting outreach and coordination with these property owners.

 

The total estimated cost of the project is $262.3 million and has been included in Metra’s Capital Program for the past three years. Funds totaling $161.2 million are currently allocated, including $6 million from federal sources and $156.1 million from Rebuild Illinois bond funds. Metra continues to pursue additional project funding.

 

In the first phase of the project, bridges over 11 streets from Grace to Balmoral were replaced. The reconstruction of the Ravenswood Station, which should be complete next year, was also part of that phase which cost $166 million.

 

 



#9 CNJRoss

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Posted 25 August 2021 - 11:20 AM

Progressive Railroading, 8/25/21

 
Metra sets meeting to discuss UP North bridge project

 

 

Metra will hold a virtual public meeting on Sept. 9 to introduce the next phase of its project to replace 120-year-old bridges along the Union Pacific North Line on Chicago's north side.

 

The Fullerton-to-Addison portion of the project calls for replacing 11 bridges and retaining walls. The next

phase is in the design and planning stage, with construction expected to begin in 2023 and conclude in 2027.

 

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#10 CNJRoss

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Posted 01 June 2022 - 07:13 AM

RT&S 5/26/22

 

 

How close is too close? Residents not happy about future Metra track construction

 

If you want anything fixed, you need to fix it yourself.

 

Many residents on the north side of Chicago would prefer choosing the repair method for the railroad line that is behind their homes.

 

SNIP

 

Metra will soon start a $263 million project on the Union Pacific North Line that will include work on 12 bridges between Addison and Fullerton. Construction is set to begin next summer and will last five years.

 

Workers are expected to execute bridge repairs in a phased approach and train service will continue on the two main tracks. A new track will be built to the west, and everything will shift in that direction.

More here.  






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