Our Projects
Grade Separations
115th Street & Indiana Harbor Belt Grade Separation
Topline Community Benefits
Safety and environmental improvments will benefit the local community, freight rail operators, and passenger rail operators and users.
Improved mobility for all roadway and rail users, benefitting over 80 freight trains.
Idling vehicle reductions will result in an emissions reduction and localized air quality improvements.
Project Funding Needs
Project Location Map
This map highlights the project's location within the region.
To learn more about other CREATE projects, zoom out to explore the map.
Municipality
Alsip
Project Area
| North Limit | S Avon Ave. |
|---|---|
| South Limit | W 116th St. |
| East Limit | S Lamon Ave. |
| West Limit | S Lawler Ave |
Project Overview & Impact
The 115th Street & Indiana Harbor Belt Grade Separation will consider eliminating the at-grade crossing of 115th Street and two Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad (IHB) tracks. Daily, nearly 10,000 vehicles pass through the crossing. 115th Street is a primary arterial roadway and this project will reduce roadway congestion and improve safety at this location.
The grade crossing separation will eliminate delay to nearly 1,200 vehicles daily, resulting in alleviation of over 9,600 annual motorist hours of delay. It will also eliminate the potential for collisions between vehicles and trains. This will be accomplished by creating either an overpass or underpass for vehicles at this location.
Project Benefits
CommunitiesThe 115th Street & Indiana Harbor Belt Grade Separation will create substantial time saving and safety improvements. It will eliminate delay to over 1,2000 vehicles daily, resulting in alleviation of nearly 10,000 hours of annual motorist hours of delay.
Chicago, IL Community Areas: Alsip
Jobs & EconomicsThis crossing’s improvements will boost local and regional economic throughput by carrying goods more efficiently. Over 80 freight trains will also benefit from the grade separation.
EnvironmentalThis project will be accomplished by creating either an overpass or underpass for vehicles, creating a more fuel efficient condition for both roadway and freight/passenger rail operators.
Passenger Rail ServicesFreight rail infrastructure projects benefit the entire system.
Get Involved
If your organization is interested in working with the CREATE Program, please refer to our Bid Advertisements and RFP page to apply for active projects.
We also encourage you to attend our Get On Board: Business-to-Business networking events, Union Outreach events, and other relevant events to learn more about the Program and build connections. Please see our Events page for the latest information on upcoming events.
CREATE partners also fund on-the-job training on construction projects for entry-level positions who have graduated from IDOT’s Highway Construction Careers Training Program (HCCTP). For more information on the program, please click here to learn more.
Project Status
| Phase I | Upcoming |
|---|
| Phase II | Upcoming |
|---|
| Phase III | Upcoming |
|---|
Project Status Definitions:
– Phase I: Environmental & Preliminary Engineering
– Phase II: Final Design (Plans, Specifications & Estimates)
– Phase III: Construction
Stay Informed About These Projects
Want to stay in the know? Sign up for the CREATE newsletter to receive the latest project updates and ongoing project information.