A collection of four community meetings the Illinois Department of Transportation is internet hosting this week retains the flame alive that Governor JB Pritzker's promise of Metra service between Chicago and Rockford was not only a cheap trick.
The service has been mentioned for over twenty years, initially as a part of the restoration of Amtrak service between Chicago and Dubuque, Iowa. Disagreements with Canadian National Railway, which owns the tracks IDOT most well-liked, led the state to shift to the one various that might not less than get the prepare so far as Rockford. This includes taking the Milwaukee District West line to Elgin, and a Union Pacific freight line the remainder of the best way.
In July 2023, the state introduced that Metra commuter rail will function the service as a substitute of Amtrak, however beneath the identical association that IDOT at the moment has with the intercity railroad for state-supported providers. Metra will function the Rockford trains utilizing its personal crews, and IDOT will cowl a lot of the prices.
The present hearings are happening in the Forest City and the three municipalities the place the brand new service could have intermediate stops: Belvedere, Huntley and Elgin. The conferences had been a possibility for residents to hear about how the route planning goes, and ask questions.
The Tuesday afternoon occasion, held in downtown Elgin at The Centre of Elgin leisure house, was calmly attended, however informative.
So far, IDOT has largely been finding out the tracks and the prevailing freight service patterns, and mapped out the place tracks would wish to be upgraded. While these particulars are vital, they are a bit “inside baseball” for the common would-be passenger. But state officers additionally shared some particulars on what the stations will probably be like, and the way the service will function.
Service patterns
Scott Speegle, IDOT’s passenger rail communications supervisor, stated that, whereas the precise schedule continues to be being developed, the Chicago-Rockford prepare could have two morning journeys and two afternoon journeys, one in every route. That' comparable to how Amtrak's state-supported Carl Sandburg/Illinois Zephyr and Illini/Saluki prepare pairs at the moment function. The Windy City-Furniture City journey will take round two hours every method. Speegle confirmed that riders touring between Chicago and Rockford will probably be ready to board and disembark at Elgin it doesn't matter what route they go.
(Amtrak state-supported Hiawatha and Lincoln Service trains make common stops at Glenview and Joliet, respectively. But Carl Sandburg/Illinois Zephyr and Illini/Saluki don’t transport riders between Chicago and any of the stations it shares with Metra.)
A show board at Tuesday's assembly talked about that Metra and IDOT are at the moment holding negotiations in regards to the fares. Speegle stated that the very fact the brand new Chicago-Rockford service will enable riders to journey specific between Elgin and Chicago is without doubt one of the the explanation why.
“One of the considerations is what to charge people to get on at Elgin to [reach] Chicago and vice-versa,” he stated. “Travel there will be quicker, and [we need to] to balance the express trains vs more local [trains].”
While Metra has a number of rush hour specific choices on most strains, generally in each instructions, this would be the first time Metra has run specific between two terminals with none intermediate stops by any means.
Another challenge is that the brand new service will go far past Metra’s fare zones. So even when Metra simply fees the common fare for Chicago-Elgin journeys, it is going to nonetheless want to work out what to cost for journey additional northwest.
Speegle stated he expects the fares to be someplace between common Metra fares and Amtrak state-supported service fares. One-way Metra tickets between fare zones 1-4 price $6.75. One-way Amtrak fares southwest-northeast between Chicago and Mendota (the closest Chicago-Rockford equal when it comes to distance) can vary between $17-$30 relying on the time of day and the way far prematurely you e-book.
The stations
Speegle stated that the station places are “about 90 percent there… It’s pretty much decided, but there’s still some wiggle room.” He added that he expects the places to be settled by 2025.
The solely station location Speegle confirmed was that the Elgin cease could be the downtown Chicago Street station. When the service was initially introduced, Metra declined to say which of the three Elgin stations could be the Second City-Reaper City line's Elgin cease, however the downtown station was all the time essentially the most logical selection. It has essentially the most capability, with two thorough tracks and two stub tracks, and it’s proper subsequent to Elgin Transportation Center, a serious Pace suburban bus hub.
While Rockford Mass Transit District stopped offering bus service to Belvedere in July, it nonetheless offers in depth service to Rockford correct. Speegle stated that IDOT intends to work with RMTD on planning intermodal service coordination as soon as the schedules and station places are finalized.
Speegle stated that the stations could be spartan in design: a single platform with tactile edges and a bus-style shelter with seats. He stated that every station would have bicycle parking, automotive parking, and passenger data shows. The shows, which Metra has been regularly putting in all through the system, reveals real-time arrival data, in addition to public service bulletins.
The presentation boards talked about that the downtown Elgin station would get enhancements, however each Speegle and Metra spokesperson Michael Gillis stated they couldn’t converse to what that might entail.
Asked whether or not Chicago-Rockford riders may deliver bikes on board, Speegle and Gillis each stated that, whereas IDOT and Metra hasn’t mentioned that matter, they “didn’t see why not,” since Metra will use its common prepare vehicles. Last winter, the railroad made its “bikes on all trains” pilot coverage everlasting.
The subsequent steps
Speegle stated IDOT expects to maintain comparable conferences on the 4 related municipalities round this time subsequent 12 months. He added that he understands that, given all of the false begins the challenge has had, it it is vital to reassure residents that there was progress.
According to the timeline introduced on the assembly, the design will probably be finalized by 2026, with building slated for completion by 2027.
Speegle stated that there could also be some intermediate stops, mentioning that town of Marengo, about midway between Elgin and the Screw Capital of the World, “expressed some interest” in having a station on the brand new line. Transit fans know Marengo because the city about 3.8 miles west of the Illinois Railway Museum, the largest railroad museum in United States. Speegle stated that any extra stations could be one thing municipalities and Metra would have to negotiate.
Kane County commissioner Chris Kious, who serves on the board’s transportation committee, was amongst a handful of people that popped in on the Elgin assembly. He stated he was cautiously optimistic. “It’s obviously in the very starting states, but I think it’s very exciting,” Kious stated, including that something that might enhance transit choices within the county and enhance alternatives for multimodal connections “is a good thing.”
For more information, visit the project Chicago-Rockford project website.
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