The City of Elmhurst is excited to announce the beginning of Phase 2 of the Elmhurst Metra Station Improvement Project. At the Elmhurst City Council meeting held on August 3rd, CDM Smith presented details on the next steps of the process, which include various ways of gathering public input on site plans and final design concepts.
The Elmhurst Metra Station was last updated in the 1980’s. The facility currently consists of a depot building with a ticket agent office, waiting room, coffee shop and public restrooms located on the inbound side of the tracks. An open sided shelter is located along the inbound platform east of the existing station and a shelter/pedestrian underpass access area is located on the outbound side of the tracks.
The Elmhurst Metra Station Improvement Project will include the construction of new inbound and outbound stations and warming shelters to expand commuter-waiting areas. A new pedestrian tunnel is proposed at York Street to provide a mid-platform crossing for commuters and a pedestrian by-pass at a busy crossing in downtown Elmhurst. ADA access improvements will be added to all areas of the station. Dedicated bus and vehicular drop off zones are proposed to reduce traffic congestion during peak hours. Increased bike parking and improved pedestrian crossings and sidewalks are also proposed to provide safer routes to the new station(s) and warming shelters. The improvements will create more green space, reducing storm water runoff.
In Phase 1, the project was studied, multiple alternatives were developed, and a preferred alternative was developed with input from the City and residents through public meetings and workshops. In Phase 2, the project will begin final engineering design after City and public involvement to influence the architectural character of the new station. This will begin in late August 2020 and continue through the fall and into winter.
The City received multiple federal, state, and agency grants totaling over $20M to help fund the project. These grants were through competitive selection and currently are programmed to be spent starting in fiscal year 2022. This includes support from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program allocated by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the Surface Transportation Program, the Illinois Commerce Commission, and Metra. The grants received will provide the majority of funds needed to complete this project.
To help ensure Elmhurst continues to have a vibrant competitive downtown and multi-model transit system, the City is requesting input from residents, the business community, Metra commuters, and others who have a vested interest in the City’s future. Stay connected to City news releases and calendar events for upcoming ways to provide input to this important Metra Station improvement project.