West Chicago station

West Chicago

Metra station at West Chicago.
Location 508 West Main Street
West Chicago, Illinois
Coordinates 41°52′52″N 88°11′56″W / 41.8811°N 88.1989°W / 41.8811; -88.1989Coordinates: 41°52′52″N 88°11′56″W / 41.8811°N 88.1989°W / 41.8811; -88.1989
Owned by Union Pacific
Line(s)
  Union Pacific West
Platforms 1 side platform, 1 island platform
Tracks 3
Construction
Parking Yes
Disabled access Yes
Other information
Fare zone F
History
Opened 1912
Rebuilt 1990
Traffic
Passengers (2014) 576 (avg. weekday)[1]
Rank 89 out of 236[2]
Services
Preceding station   Metra   Following station
toward Elburn
Union Pacific West
toward Ogilvie

West Chicago is a station on Metra's Union Pacific/West Line, located in West Chicago, Illinois. The station is 29.7 miles (47.8 km) away from Ogilvie Transportation Center, the eastern terminus of the West Line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, West Chicago is in zone F.

West Chicago station lies south of the West Chicago City Hall and next to the Wilson Avenue Bridge. It is located at ground level and consists of two platforms and three tracks. Two tracks separate the side and island platforms, and one track lies south of the island platform. The island platform is accessed via an underground tunnel between the parking lot and the tracks. There is an unstaffed station house at the north side of the station, with a waiting room that is open from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Along with Elmwood Park and River Grove stations this station will get a ticket office in 2016.

History

The original West Chicago station served the main line of the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad which never reached its western terminus before being acquired by the Chicago and North Western Railway in 1864. The line became part of Metra during the 1980s.

In 1988, the West Chicago City Council announced plans to build a new commuter train station to replace a waiting room leased by the rail company at the West Chicago Community Center.

Metra budgeted $1.69 million for projects including the station building, new lighting, track drainage, and parking spaces for 200 cars. Metra allocated $235,000 of that funding to the station building. According to policy, Metra allocated only enough money to fund a standard commuter station. West Chicago added an extra $25,000 from the city's capital projects fund to alter the modern architectural style to a vintage, 19th-century look.[3]

The station officially opened on July 14, 1990. The opening coincided with the city's annual "Railroad Days" celebration, celebrating West Chicago's heritage as a railroad town.[4]

A new parking lot was opened in 2001 and added more than 170 spots, doubling the commuter parking available at the station.[5] City officials had hoped that expansion would attract more traffic to the train station and bring commercial development to the nearby downtown area.[6] The second lot is located east of the first lot, and started to provide daily parking at $1 per day. The original parking lot was changed to permit parking only.[7]

References

  1. ↑ http://metrarail.com/content/dam/metra/documents/Planning/2014Count_Summary10.pdf
  2. ↑ http://metrarail.com/content/dam/metra/documents/Planning/2014Count_Summary10.pdf
  3. ↑ Szymczaks, Patricia (December 22, 1988). "West Chicago plans old-time rail station". The Chicago Tribune. p. 8.
  4. ↑ Handley, John (September 26, 1990). "West Chicago demonstrates the approach Metra takes toward its commuter stations". The Chicago Tribune. p. 24.
  5. ↑ Griffin, Jake (January 18, 2001). "Metra parking lot expands to meet W. Chicago needs". The Daily Herald. p. 4.
  6. ↑ Greco Jr., Carmen (April 29, 1998). "City hopes expanded lot adds up to more More parking for Metra riders may lead to redevelopment in West Chicago". The Daily Herald. p. 6.
  7. ↑ Gibula, Gary (January 18, 2001). "Parking lot eases crowding at Metra stop". The Chicago Tribune. p. 3.
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