; What We Do - CREATE Program

What We Do

Our Current Projects

Everyone in the Chicago region deserves to breathe clean air, receive their packages on time and get where they need to go without being delayed at railway crossings. Yet, some of our railroad infrastructure needs improvement to unleash the economic potential of our region’s neighborhoods and communities.

The CREATE Program is fixing this.

We’re untangling our rail system to improve regional mobility, promote economic growth and address environmental impacts. Fixing Chicago’s railroads is a significant endeavor, requiring close coordination and partnership between the railroads, city, state and federal government. We’re honored to lead this nationally recognized effort.

The CREATE Program is a public-private partnership to complete 70 railroad-related infrastructure improvement projects in the Chicago region. These projects include building and repairing tracks and structures, upgrading signals and technology improving safety and dealy at railroad crossings. CREATE projects are located in many Chicago neighborhoods and suburban communities and are concentrated along four rail corridors: the Beltway Corridor, the East-West Corridor, the Western Avenue Corridor and the Passenger Corridor.

Where is the CREATE Program improving railroad-related infrastructure near me?

The CREATE Program is:

  • Constructing 25 new roadway overpasses or underpasses at locations where people walking, bicycling, riding transit or driving currently must cross railroad tracks.
  • Building 6 new rail overpasses or underpasses to separate passenger and freight tracks, which will keep trains running faster and avoid delays.
  • Upgrading tracks, switches and signal systems to keep trains running efficiently and safely.
  • Improving streets and sidewalks under viaducts in Chicago to increase travel safety and comfort for people walking, bicycling, riding transit and driving.
  • Making railroad grade crossings safer to reduce train and vehicle crashes.
  • Creating the Common Operational Picture (COP), an integration of railroad dispatch systems into one display so operators and staff can communicate more efficiently and respond to problems quickly. 

For more details on each CREATE project, please check out our fact sheets

How will CREATE projects benefit communities throughout the Chicago region, the Midwest and across the United States?