First half of new Ravenswood Station to open May 10

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.