Quote:
Originally Posted by Baronvonellis
|
Metra: New UP North plan won't change schedule
Rebuilding bridges will cost $40 million more than original plan
By Richard Wronski, Tribune reporter
7:51 PM CST, March 11, 2011
Metra officials Friday unveiled their new plan to replace century-old bridges on the Union Pacific North Line, avoiding the train schedule changes that stirred up a rider revolt last year.
The revised project, now pegged at $215 million, will cost $40 million more than originally estimated, however, because new retaining walls will be built along the western edge of the tracks on Chicago's North Side.
The new plan will allow Metra to
keep two tracks in service while the bridges are reconstructed,
unlike the single-track scheme attempted last year, which prompted an uproar among commuters.
Running 70 trains a day through a single set of tracks
proved a scheduling nightmare. Commuters complained, and UP North ridership dropped 10 percent in September,
forcing Metra to scrap the plan.
Metra Chairwoman Carole Doris said staffers "went back to the drawing board," and she was optimistic the new plan would succeed.
...
The bridges date as far back as 1898, with abutments built out of limestone blocks. Although the line is owned by the Union Pacific Railway, which operates the commuter trains, Metra must pick up the tab for the project, officials said.
Metra awarded the contract to Walsh Construction Co. last year.
The rail right-of-way once contained three sets of tracks, and
the new plan leaves room for replacement of the third track, although there are no plans or money to do so, officials said.
UP North riders, railroad experts and at least one board member, James LaBelle,
had criticized the original plan for not including room for the third track.