Our Projects

Passenger Corridor
P4

Grand Crossing Flyover

Topline Community Benefits

A new direct route for Amtrak trains from New Orleans or Carbondale into Chicago Union Station will be created, benefitting passenger rail riders nationally as well as freight operators.

New mainline capacity will be added and all associated signal work, grading work, crossovers and other bridge work.

Reduced travel times and increased capacity.

Realignment of outdated rail configurations will accomodate future rail and land use demands.

Project Funding Needs

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Project initiation pending funding availability (Phase I)

Project Location Map

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Municipality

Chicago

Project Area

North Limit Pershing Rd.
South Limit 117th St.
East Limit I-90/I-94
West Limit Western Ave.

Project Overview & Impact

This project will allow the 6 current Amtrak trains serving Champaign, Carbondale and points south to reroute from the CN Lakefront and St. Charles Airline route to the Norfolk Southern Chicago Line. This routing will eliminate the time-consuming back-up move at 16th Street near Halsted, which the current track configuration requires for these Amtrak trains to access Chicago Union Station. The re-route will reduce travel times by approximatelly 10-15 minutes each way. The project will also increase capacity on a congested section of the Norfolk Southern mainline that currently serves 14 daily Amtrak trains between Chicago and points east. This project will also allow for the space currently occupied by the St. Charles Airline in Chicago and the CN mainline tracks along the Lakefront north of Grand Crossing to be used to serve future public needs.

The purpose of this project is to provide a new direct route for Amtrak trains from New Orleans or Carbondale into Chicago Union Station, and to provide sufficient mainline capacity to accommodate additional Amtrak trains along with freight traffic.

Construct new main line capacity between Grand Crossing and Control Point 518 (at Pershing Rd.) Work may include shifting rail operations to a new alignment. Includes all associated signal work, grading work, crossovers, and other bridge work. Also includes connection from CN to unused NS bridge in the Grand Crossing Area.

Project Benefits

Project P4 will provide a new direct route for Amtrak trains from New Orleans or Carbondale into Chicago Union Station, and to provide sufficient mainline capacity to accommodate additional Amtrak trains along with freight traffic. This will eliminate delays and reconfigure the land use to serve future needs.

Chicago, IL Community Areas: Avalon Park, Chatham, Englewood, Fuller Park, Grand Boulevard, Greater Grand Crossing, New City, Woodlawn, Douglas, Hyde Park, Kenwood, Oakland, Near South Side, Armour Square, and Bridgeport.

Communities served by Amtrak Illini/Saluki through Champaign and Carbondale, IL and City of New Orleans service between Chicago and New Orleans, LA

This project has a local, regional, and national impact, benefitting commuters, freight and passenger rail operators alike. These improved efficiencies will enable higher levels of goods and passenger throughput.

Faster, more direct passenger and freight rail services will mitigate idling locomotives, improving local air quality and public health outcomes.

This project will allow the six current Amtrak trains serving Champaign, Carbondale and points south to reroute more directly. The updated route will eliminate the current configuration required for Amtrak trains to access Chicago Union Station and eliminate the motor vehicle back-up caused at 16th Street near Halsted. This re-route will reduce travel times by approximately 10-15 minutes each way. The project will also increase capacity on a congested section of the Norfolk Southern mainline which currently serves 14 daily Amtrak trains between Chicago and points east.

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Project Status

Phase I On Hold
Phase II Upcoming
Phase III Upcoming

Project Status Definitions:
– Phase I: Environmental & Preliminary Engineering
– Phase II: Final Design (Plans, Specifications & Estimates)
– Phase III: Construction

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