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#1 CNJRoss

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Posted 12 December 2014 - 08:18 AM

WLS-TV (ABC) Chicago, 12/11:
 

Metra eyes 75th Street Corridor flyover

 

CHICAGO (WLS) -- One of the biggest railroad bottlenecks in the country is located on the city's Southwest Side. Metra needs $1 billion to fix it.

 

The commuter rail agency is asking for $1 billion to solve the problems in what is called the 75th Street Corridor along Metra's Southwest Service line.

 

It's often said that it takes more time for a freight train to get through Chicago than it does to cross half the country. The nation's busiest rail hub has many bottlenecks. One of the worst is at the 75th Street Corridor on the city's South Side. Four freight railroads use it, as does Metra's Southwest Service line, which runs 30 trains a day.

 

"This is one of the places where our Metra Southwest Service trains are frequently delayed," Metra Assistant Supt. Rich Oppenheim said.

 

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#2 CNJRoss

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Posted 14 December 2014 - 07:21 PM

Metra news release, 12/12:

 

Metra urges support for major rail project
Proposal aims to unclog major rail bottleneck on Chicago’s South Side
 

(Dec. 12, 2014) – The Metra Board of Directors today highlighted the need for a $1 billion project that aims to untangle a knot of railroad tracks on the South Side of Chicago that causes significant delays for Metra, Amtrak and several freight railroads.

 

The project, known as the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project (CIP), is a major component of the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program, a public-private effort to increase the efficiency of the region's passenger and freight rail infrastructure and enhance the quality of life for Chicago area residents. Members of CREATE include the U.S. Department of Transportation, the State of Illinois, City of Chicago, Metra, Amtrak, and the nation's freight railroads.

 

In a resolution that it approved today, the Metra Board affirmed its support for the 75th St. CIP and urged officers, legislators and agencies of the state and federal government to work to promote and fund the CREATE project. The resolution noted the project will support “greatly increased efficiency in Metra’s commuter rail operations, Amtrak’s intercity services and freight movement through the Chicago rail hub.”

 

“Now that we are essentially finished with the Englewood Flyover – another CREATE project – we need to turn our attention to the 75th St. Corridor Improvement Project,” said Metra Chairman Martin Oberman. “By fixing this tangle of railroad tracks, we can reduce delays to Metra trains and freight trains and help ensure Chicago retains its position as the nation’s railroad capital.”

 

Several different freight rail lines, including Norfolk Southern, CSX, Belt Railroad and Union Pacific, converge in an area just north of 75th Street roughly between Kedzie and the Dan Ryan Expressway. There are three rail-rail crossings in the project area that are significant choke points for Metra trains and/or freight trains. The project proposes to unclog those choke points with a combination of realigned tracks, new tracks and new bridges.

 

The project will be particularly beneficial for 30 trains each weekday on Metra’s SouthWest Service Line, which traverse the area on freight tracks on their way between Chicago Union Station and the Will County community of Manhattan. Those trains must pass through two of the rail-rail crossings – known as Belt Junction and Forest Hill Junction – and often see significant delays due to freight interference. Untangling Belt Junction, the most congested rail choke point in Chicago, and Forest Hill Junction therefore will greatly benefit SWS riders.

 

Two other components of the plan will address other choke points for SWS trains. The project would add a second track to a nearly 2-mile section of the SWS that now has only one, sometimes forcing inbound and outbound trains to wait for each other.

 

And it would build a bridge connection between the SWS and Rock Island Line near 75th Street so SWS trains could get downtown via the Rock. That accomplishes two things: First, SWS trains no longer would conflict with freight trains between 75th Street and downtown. Second, SWS trains would terminate at LaSalle Street Station instead of Union Station, which would free up some capacity at Union Station.

 

“Many Metra commuters don’t know that we share tracks with a significant amount of freight traffic,” Oberman said. “The good news is that freight traffic brings jobs and economic vitality to the region, but the challenge is delays when this traffic clogs up the system. This investment is expected to go a long way in reducing commuter delays while maintaining the important freight movement in and out of the Chicago area.” 

 

About CREATE
For almost 150 years, Chicago has been the nation's rail hub due to its critical location at the nexus of the North American railroad network. Six of the seven largest rail carriers access the region: the eastern railroads, Norfolk Southern (NS) and CSX; the western railroads, BNSF Railway (BNSF) and Union Pacific (UP); and the two Canadian railroads, Canadian Pacific (CPR) and Canadian National (CN).

The rail lines built more than a century ago were not configured for the volumes and types of freight being carried currently, and Chicago has become the largest U.S. rail freight chokepoint. A train that may take as little as 48 hours to travel the 2,200 miles from Los Angeles to Chicago spends an average of 30 hours traversing the Chicago region. 

 

Over the next 30 years, demand for freight rail service in Chicago is expected to nearly double. That means more jobs for Illinois workers and increased economic opportunity for Illinois businesses, but only if we can meet the growing need for rail service. Delays in rail freight threaten the economic vitality of the region, lead to increased traffic congestion on roadways, generate unnecessary levels of air pollution, raise safety concerns and adversely affect the reliability and speed of rail passenger service.

 

CREATE, which was launched in 2003, is the first program in which so many competing railroads have come together as partners to increase the efficiency of an urban rail network.



#3 KevinKorell

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Posted 15 December 2014 - 12:46 PM

The freeing up of capacity at Union Station is a good thing.  At it also frees up capacity on the trunk line immediately to the south of the station up to the point where Southwest Service (SWS) trains currently branch off.

 

The other side of this is the decentralization of commuter rail lines, which might hurt through ridership. In other words, if one needs to travel from Manhattan (SWS) to Fox Lake on the Milwaukee North line, they simply change trains at Union Station.   Once SWS moves to LaSalle Street Station, one will have to get between stations by walking or taking the elevated loop subway for a couple of stops.  There is no good solution in Chicago with its four terminal stations (and arguably five since Union Station is really two back to back terminals) to better tie in the different railroads into an easier to navigate network.



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#4 CNJRoss

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Posted 16 December 2015 - 10:26 PM

Crain's Chicago Business, 12/12:
 

No fast cure for delays on South Side rail network

 

One of the worst chokepoints in Chicago's famously congested rail network is an area where six railroads cut through a string of South Side neighborhoods along and near 75th Street.

 

“I would say that this is the railroad industry's version of the rebuilding of the Circle Interchange,” says Tom Livingston, a Chicago-based regional vice president at CSX. Railroads using track in the area handle “both freight and passengers . . . and you're moving in every direction on the compass.”

 

A bit after 8 a.m. last week, for example, a Norfolk Southern train with hundreds of shipping containers crept west from a spot above 75th Street and Racine Avenue into what's called the Belt Junction, where five tracks suddenly shrink to two.

 

Soon it came to a complete stop. Five minutes passed before the train could resume its journey. Then a Belt Railway train pulled up to 75th and Racine, only to stop for six minutes before moving out. Such waits are common in the congested area.

 

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#5 CNJRoss

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Posted 09 May 2016 - 07:22 AM

Crain's Chicago Business, 5/4/16:
 

Why the big rail work on 75th Street will have to wait

 

No one said finding more than $1 billion to fix a South Side rail knot would be easy. Earlier this year, transportation officials and representatives from the biggest railroads in North America tried to figure out how to pay for about half of the work. They came up short.

 

During negotiations that kicked off in January, representatives from the Illinois Department of Transportation, the city and six railroads failed to agree on a financing package worth as much as $500 million that would pay for work related to what's called the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project, according to a person familiar with the talks.

 

The general idea, this person said, was the Illinois Department of Transportation would seek $190 million to $200 million from the federal government, with the railroads and the state picking up the rest.

 

The state, of course, doesn't have its own transportation funding bill right now, leaving the freight companies—  .  .  .  —potentially looking at a $300 million bill between them. It was a big ask, with little time to make decisions before the application to the federal government was due, and a final agreement wasn't in the offing.

 

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#6 CNJRoss

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Posted 22 July 2016 - 09:31 AM

Business Insider, 7/21:
 

This spot in Chicago is the epitome of a more than $100 billion problem facing America

 

A freight train more than 10,000 feet long, hauling hundreds of shipping containers, sits idle in residential Chicago. It's the middle of the afternoon, and the CSX train is just parked there. Waiting.

 

At this stretch of railroad, known as the 75th Street Corridor, that scene plays out day after day. Freight trains spend hours waiting for commuter and Amtrak trains to clear a single intersection, blocking their path and preventing the delivery of goods.

 

The corridor sits in an urban neighborhood southwest of downtown Chicago. It's widely considered the worst choke point for rail movement in the city, which is the busiest rail hub in the nation. With hundreds of billions of dollars in goods traveling through Chicago by rail every year, each minute those freight trains are stalled, companies and consumers alike are losing money or being forced to spend more for the goods those trains haul.

 

75th%20st%20corridor_diamonds_overhead.j The cause of so many delays: the Forest Hill Junction. Andrew Stern

 

 

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#7 CNJRoss

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Posted 30 June 2017 - 02:45 PM

ChicagoNow, 6/28/17:
 

Taking a Second Look

 

The Future Waits As We Wait At The 75th St Corridor

 
By Jack Spatafora

 

 

If you live in Metropolitan Chicago, picture the stretch of railroad known as the 75th Street Corridor on the city's south side. Now hold that image while we consider its international importance far far beyond its trains, tracks and local residents. We'll come back to it...

 

If it's true all politics are local, the same may be true of all economies. Whereas conservatives often point to the last election as proof Americans prefer economic localism, many liberals consider economic globalism one of the great inevitabilities of our century. As you and I sit impatiently at the next 100-car freight train delaying our idling car, lets take a grudging opportunity to reflect on what localism and globalism may actually mean to us.

 

SNIP

 

Now back the 75th Street Corridor. A freight train more than 10,000 feet long hauling hundreds of containers stuck here while it makes way for this morning's Amtrack commuter train. And for us. What's lost by each here is time and money. Oh, and the future of economic globalism. The point, fellow driver, is this. If globalism is our future, much of it is on hold here in Chicago. If localism is your idea of the future, it's already here. Either way, the way is congested....

 

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#8 CNJRoss

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Posted 11 November 2017 - 03:59 PM

Crain's Chicago Business, 11/2/17:
 

Illinois bids again for feds' help in easing a national rail headache

 

 

Hoping that the third time is the charm, state and local officials have submitted a new plan to finally begin work on unsnarling the notorious 75th Street corridor on the South Side where six different sets of railroad tracks converge and traffic often snarls, with a big impact both on freight users nationally and Metra commuters here in town.

 

But whether something finally happens depends on President Donald Trump's administration—and on local officials and railroads hanging together.

 

Under an application filed by the Illinois Department of Transportation and others, the federal government would provide $160 million for new flyovers, underpasses and track. That amounts to roughly a third of the funds needed for the first phase of what is envisioned as a $1 billion project, one of the key elements in the Create anti-congestion plan to shore up Chicago's status as a prime intermodal center.

 

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#9 CNJRoss

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Posted 07 June 2018 - 06:33 PM

CREATE Program email 6/7/18:
 

 

4f26a921-f0f2-4457-9cc6-4aab704b18a7.jpg

 

CREATE PARTNERS ANNOUNCE $132 MILLION INFRA GRANT TO IMPROVE RAIL CONGESTION

 

The CREATE partners have received a $132 million federal grant for the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project (CIP). This investment from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) will help separate several freight and passenger rail lines in the Englewood, Auburn Gresham and West Chatham neighborhoods that currently intersect and create significant delays, train idling and congestion. This project is an important step in updating the region's rail infrastructure for the 21st Century and will help increase reliability and efficiency nationally.

 

"This award will result in a significant advance for our transportation system," Gov. Rauner said. "It means we can finally eliminate the 75th Street bottleneck and start enjoying the commercial benefits that come with modernization and more efficient movement of goods and people through Chicago and Illinois, the nation's most important transportation hub. It is a tremendous achievement by all of the partners involved."

 

"Transportation is not just Chicago's historic strength; it is our competitive advantage for the future," said Mayor Emanuel. "Federal investments in Chicago's rail system, roadways, waterways and airports create jobs for Chicago residents, strengthen our economy and benefit the entire country. I want to thank all the local, state and federal partners, and the passenger and freight railroads, who came together to move full steam ahead on modernizing Chicago's rail system."

 

"As the newest member of the CREATE Program, I am grateful for U.S. Department of Transportation's Infrastructure For Rebuilding America Grant," said Cook County Board President Preckwinkle. "My administration has prioritized supporting our region's role as North America's freight capital and this $132 million enables improved freight and passenger mobility for the most congested rail bottleneck in Cook County and the nation. Creating additional capacity for rail will enable businesses to move their products to market in the U.S. and overseas efficiently and support thousands of jobs." 

 

The 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project will eliminate the most congested rail chokepoint in the region, Belt Junction, where 32 commuter and passenger (Metra, Amtrak) and 98 freight trains per day cross each other's paths. This directly impacts CSX, UP, NS, CP and BRC. Currently, only one or two trains can pass through each of these crossings at any given time. By physically separating these crossings, this project will allow many more trains to pass through without delays, eliminating the choke points that today back up trains for miles beyond the project area and into many other City neighborhoods.

 

The CREATE Program is a first-of-its-kind multimodal public-private partnership to improve the rail and roadway transportation network within the Chicago region through the completion of 70 interrelated infrastructure projects. To date, 29 CREATE projects have been completed, with five more projects under construction and 17 in various stages of design.

 

The INFRA Grant Application for CREATE's 75th Street CIP was submitted by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) on behalf of the CREATE partners, including IDOT, Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), Cook County, Association of American Railroads (AAR), Metra, Amtrak and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). The AAR represents ten of the freight, passenger and commuter railroads serving the Chicago region. These railroads include freight carriers BNSF Railway, CN Railway, Canadian Pacific, CSX, Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, Belt Railway of Chicago, and Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad, as well as Amtrak and Metra.

 

The $132 million federal award leverages $111 million from the Illinois Department of Transportation, $116 million from the Association of American Railroads, $78 million from Cook County, $23 million from Metra, $9 million from the City of Chicago and $5 million from Amtrak for a total investment of $474 million. This investment will complete the first half of the overall 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project.

 

"This unique partnership improves service for both Chicagoland rail commuters as well as freight rail customers across the country," said Edward R. Hamberger, President and CEO of the AAR. "By leveraging the private-sector investments of the freight railroads, with the contributions of Metra and Amtrak and state, city, county and federal funds, the goals of both the private and public sector partners can be achieved. Today's funding combined with existing partner commitments will put shovels in the ground to improve the flow of rail traffic through the city and the nation."

 

When the 75th Street CIP is complete it will eliminate 18,500 annual passenger hours of delay by removing conflicts between freight and commuter trains, increase capacity at Union Station, decrease train idling, improve air quality in the surrounding neighborhoods and replace or rehabilitate 36 viaducts for increased mobility.

 

"There is no more important freight project in the nation," said Joseph Szabo, executive director of CMAP. "By eliminating conflicts for some two million-plus freight cars each year, the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Program will benefit the city's, region's, and nation's economies."

 

"Funding the 75th Street CIP represents an incredible opportunity to improve the flow of rail traffic for the entire northeast Illinois region, reducing delays for Metra riders by eliminating a major bottleneck for both commuter and freight trains," said Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski. "We're grateful for the support of our Illinois Congressional delegation who clearly recognize the value of this project to the region's economy and quality of life."

 

"Hundreds of freight trains travel through Illinois each day using the same tracks as passenger rail, causing significant delays for rail and highway traffic," Senator Tammy Duckworth said. "This critical funding for the 75th Street CIP will relieve bottlenecks, improve safety and bring hundreds of local jobs to the South Side of Chicago, while also updating our regional and national transportation systems. I am committed to working together with Senator Durbin and our colleagues in the House to secure more wins like this one and bring as many federal dollars as possible to our great state of Illinois."

 

"Today's funding through the federal INFRA grant program is great news for both freight and commuter rail and the communities surrounding the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project. Completion of this critical transportation link will improve safety, reduce rail and vehicle congestion, and create good paying jobs. I've been proud to support this federal funding program, which aids Mayor Emanuel and the City's efforts to improve safety and alleviate congestion in a region that desperately needs it," said Senator Durbin.

 

"This grant will greatly reduce traffic congestion and improve vehicular and train movement and provide tremendous benefit to our constituents," said Congressman Bobby Rush. "I will continue to work with my congressional colleagues to ensure these types of federal investments continue. Improving our infrastructure and providing jobs will guarantee that Illinois remains at the forefront of transportation in our nation."

 

"This is a big win for our region. The CREATE Program is critical to our region in creating jobs, boosting the economy, improving Metra and Amtrak service, and alleviating blocked rail crossings. Since I was able to secure the initial $100 million grant to begin CREATE in 2005, we have made significant progress in this public-private partnership with federal funding leading the way. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to secure further funding and completing CREATE," said Congressman Dan Lipinski. 

 

"This funding will help modernize both the freight and commuter rail systems in Chicago, making Chicago more livable and economically competitive by increasing quality jobs, reducing congestion and improving safety," said Congressman Danny Davis. "I look forward to working with my Congressional colleagues to continue to secure these critical grants for Chicago and Illinois."

 

To learn more about the CREATE Program's benefits and projects go to www.createprogram.org

 



#10 CNJRoss

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Posted 11 October 2018 - 02:27 PM

Progressive Railroading,10/2/18:
 

Rail, government officials mark 75th Street Corridor project in Chicago

 

 

U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner yesterday joined other public officials and rail industry representatives at a ceremony to mark the funding of the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project in Chicago.

The $474 million project is a linchpin in the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) program, which aims to eliminate a chokepoint at a critical South Side Chicago junction for freight and passenger trains.

When completed in 2025, the project is expected to yield $3.8 billion in new economic benefits by eliminating conflicts and increasing capacity in one of the busiest U.S. rail intersections, according to a press release issued by Rauner's office.

 

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