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Metra 147th/Sibley station


renardo870

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Monday, April 18, 2022

Metra will close the 147th Street/Sibley Boulevard Station in Harvey beginning May 16 as the agency undertakes a complete redo of the station that will replace the platforms and add an elevator to make the station accessible to people with disabilities. The station is expected to be closed to passengers for 12 to 15 months.


The project is the first major upgrade to the facility in three decades. For the duration of the project, passengers are advised to use either the Ivanhoe Station at 144th Street or the Harvey Station at 154th Street for access to Metra trains.


“We understand that closing a station for any length of time can be a major inconvenience for our riders; however, the nature of the project won’t allow us to accommodate passengers during construction,” said Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski. “We apologize for this short-term disruption, but we firmly believe that My Metra riders will be very pleased with the result.”


The project will replace the station’s existing concrete platform with a longer-lasting composite material. The existing headhouse and passenger shelters will also be replaced, and a canopy covering most of the platform area will be added. The new facility will also include elevator access to the platform, making it accessible to people with disabilities.


The 147th Street project also includes significant improvements at street-level, including a new entrance with a covered staircase, converting the gravel parking area near the station entrance to a paved kiss-n-ride and adding bicycle parking. The project will also improve pathways to the main parking lot on the east side of the tracks, and new lighting will be installed on the platform and along the sidewalk under the tracks.


Elgin-based IHC Construction Companies LLC was awarded a $13 million contract for the construction work through a competitive bidding process. IHC has committed to subcontracting 25% of the work to minority and women-owned firms. The total project is budgeted at $20 million with the remainder covering construction management, railroad labor costs and contingencies.


Design and construction of the project is being funded by the state’s Rebuild Illinois program, the Federal Transit Administration, and a Cook County Invest in Cook grant.

 

 

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1 hour ago, renardo870 said:

Monday, April 18, 2022

Metra will close the 147th Street/Sibley Boulevard Station in Harvey beginning May 16 as the agency undertakes a complete redo of the station that will replace the platforms and add an elevator to make the station accessible to people with disabilities. The station is expected to be closed to passengers for 12 to 15 months.


The project is the first major upgrade to the facility in three decades. For the duration of the project, passengers are advised to use either the Ivanhoe Station at 144th Street or the Harvey Station at 154th Street for access to Metra trains.


“We understand that closing a station for any length of time can be a major inconvenience for our riders; however, the nature of the project won’t allow us to accommodate passengers during construction,” said Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski. “We apologize for this short-term disruption, but we firmly believe that My Metra riders will be very pleased with the result.”


The project will replace the station’s existing concrete platform with a longer-lasting composite material. The existing headhouse and passenger shelters will also be replaced, and a canopy covering most of the platform area will be added. The new facility will also include elevator access to the platform, making it accessible to people with disabilities.


The 147th Street project also includes significant improvements at street-level, including a new entrance with a covered staircase, converting the gravel parking area near the station entrance to a paved kiss-n-ride and adding bicycle parking. The project will also improve pathways to the main parking lot on the east side of the tracks, and new lighting will be installed on the platform and along the sidewalk under the tracks.


Elgin-based IHC Construction Companies LLC was awarded a $13 million contract for the construction work through a competitive bidding process. IHC has committed to subcontracting 25% of the work to minority and women-owned firms. The total project is budgeted at $20 million with the remainder covering construction management, railroad labor costs and contingencies.


Design and construction of the project is being funded by the state’s Rebuild Illinois program, the Federal Transit Administration, and a Cook County Invest in Cook grant.

 

 

Most of the ME stations on the main line south of 57th are in less than desirable conditions and are ripe for criminal activity.   Part of that maybe can be attributed to having no street level headphones and being under dark viaduct.  The inner city Metra stations like Gresham on the RI, Western Ave and Cicero on the BNSF, and the MD North stations don't scream safety either  but at least the suburban stations are on ground level for the most part.  

I wouldn't want to catch a train at Ivanhoe or Harvey euther.

  

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Metra is planning to make improvements to 79th, 87th, 95th, 103rd, and 111th on the ME. It does make me wonder what's in store for 75th, 83rd, 91st, and 107th, because those stations aren't planned for improvements and many of the in-city ME stations came up in the optimization plan a few years ago.

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48 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

Most of the ME stations on the main line south of 57th are in less than desirable conditions and are ripe for criminal activity.   Part of that maybe can be attributed to having no street level headphones and being under dark viaduct.  The inner city Metra stations like Gresham on the RI, Western Ave and Cicero on the BNSF, and the MD North stations don't scream safety either  but at least the suburban stations are on ground level for the most part.  

I wouldn't want to catch a train at Ivanhoe or Harvey euther.

  

That's where a Metra police officer was killed (story) although it was in 2006 and it took until 2015 to bring the defendant to trial.

At least Harvey (154th St.) was rebuilt.

25 minutes ago, Tcmetro said:

Metra is planning to make improvements to 79th, 87th, 95th, 103rd, and 111th on the ME. It does make me wonder what's in store for 75th, 83rd, 91st, and 107th, because those stations aren't planned for improvements and many of the in-city ME stations came up in the optimization plan a few years ago.

Unless Cook County paying Metra for half fare service is having any results, those stations have not typically had any ridership. 95th was supposed to get improvements to serve Chicago State University.

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24 minutes ago, renardo870 said:

So I would think a schedule update will be in order for the ME...at least the main line within the next few weeks.

either. Don't know if a schedule adjustment is needed for one station closure.  It is easy for a train to leave Harvey a couple of minutes late.  Also, trains probably won't be speeding past a station under construction.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 4/28/2022 at 8:20 PM, artthouwill said:

either. Don't know if a schedule adjustment is needed for one station closure.  It is easy for a train to leave Harvey a couple of minutes late.  Also, trains probably won't be speeding past a station under construction.

adjustments on Metra Electric Line to start May 23

Publication Date

Thursday, May 12, 2022

Body

 Metra will introduce a new Metra Electric Line schedule on May 23 that adds some express service and makes a variety of other modifications to reflect actual operating conditions and to accommodate rehabilitation work on the 147th St./Sibley Station.


“These changes are part of our ongoing efforts to adjust our schedules as we recover from the pandemic and meet the changing needs of My Metra riders,” said Metra Executive Director/CEO Jim Derwinski. “We will continue to make periodic schedule adjustments to our lines as the situation changes.”


The changes include:
•    A new inbound Train 710 will depart from University Park at 7:27 a.m. and make all stops to Kensington, then express to 59th St. (U. of Chicago), and then make stops at 11th St., Van Buren, and Millennium, arriving at 8:33 a.m. This train was added in response to rider requests for a new option in the peak period.


•    Outbound Train 131 will be split into two trains: The train that retains that number, Train 131, will depart from Millennium at 4:08 p.m., make stops at Van Buren St. and Museum Campus/11th St., express to 55th-56th-57th St., express to Homewood and then make all stops to University Park; and a new Train 165 will depart from Millennium at 4:11 p.m., make stops at Van Buren and Museum Campus/11th St., then express to 51st/53rd St. (Hyde Park), make stops at 55th-56th-57th St., 59th St. (U. of Chicago), flag stop at 63rd St., then express to Kensington and make all stops between Kensington and Homewood.


•    Outbound Trains 117 and 121 will become express trains serving Kensington to University Park, and new Trains 617 and 621 will serve Millennium to Kensington.


•    Inbound Trains 120 and 124 will become express trains serving University Park to Kensington and new Trains 620 and 624 will serve Kensington to Millennium.


•    Midday inbound Trains 158 and 160 and midday outbound Trains 161 and 163 will be eliminated to lengthen work windows around the 147th St./Sibley Station rehabilitation project. That station is closed until fall 2023 while the work proceeds.


•    Minor changes were made to several other trains to add stops at McCormick Place, 47th St., 27th St., 51st/53rd St. (Hyde Park) and 59th St. (U. of Chicago) or to reflect operating conditions; riders are advised to check their train’s schedule here to see if it changed.


The Metra Electric Line currently provides about 10,000 passenger trips on weekdays, about 35 percent of its pre-COVID ridership. Compared to the pre-COVID schedule, this new schedule will provide 82 percent of the trips

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