Project Management Oversight (PMO) Capital Projects

This project will provide design and construction funds for large-scale yard improvement projects at the various yards utilized by Metra. Sub-projects may include, but may not be limited to, the improvement or replacement of machines and equipment, upgrades to buildings and crew facilities, and the construction of new equipment and systems. Project activities may include, but are not limited to, HVAC and MEP system upgrades, securing hazardous and flammable materials, fire suppression system improvements, track renewal, new crosswalks, and yard platforms, replacing switch machines and components, and other activities. This project will allow for flexibility to implement high-priority yard improvements between districts that are integral to the continuation of Metra’s safe and reliable operations.

This project will fund the installation of shelters at stations across the system, which will provide on-demand heat. Specific locations are to be determined, based on existing conditions and demand. Shelters will be pre-fabricated structures and may include on-demand heating elements.

Program would address the most immediate critical needs at CTA facilities systemwide to enable theirsafe and reliable operation. The goal would be to have an annual appropriation in the CIP that wouldbe solely dedicated toward addressing this Program. Transit service safety and reliability is affected byout-of-date rail, bus, and maintenance facilities.The project will complete roof replacements at five CTA substations: Calvary, Lotus, Des Plaines,Ashland, and O’Hare. The project will also complete exterior façade repair at the O’Hare Substation,including wall panel and louver replacement, masonry wall and expansion joint repairs, painting, doors,and new surface mounted exterior light fixtures. Design will be completed in-house by CTAengineering staff.

This project funds the continued rehabilitation of self-propelled electric cars used on the Metra Electric. The cars delivered between 2005 and 2007. This first rehabilitation may include, but is not limited to, repair of the car body structure, interior components, and overhaul of propulsion control systems.

The new station in the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago will be built to modern standards and feature a platform-length canopy and a heated headhouse. Four ADA-compliant pedestrian ramps and six staircases will provide numerous access points that are accessible to all. A landscaped plaza with benches and bicycle parking will be installed at the station entrance. A passenger drop-off drive aisle, five accessible parking stalls, and 50 parking stalls will be constructed.

The CTA's Forest Park Blue Line Upgrades Project is the first of four phases of the Forest Park Branch. This project will provide for new trackwork from Halsted to IMD, an accessible station at Racine, advanced utility work, and a new substation and traction power equipment upgrades at Hermitage. This work will enhance service quality via speed, reliability, and comfort, and improve operational efficiency on the Forest Park Branch of CTA's rapid transit Blue Line service.

This project will provide for the expansion of four areas that are currently situated in the West Building of Skokie Shops to support the 5000 and 7000-series railcars maintenance cycles. All areas will be upgraded to new “clean” rooms that require the space to be enclosed, well lit, properly grounded, and air conditioned.

Blue Line O'Hare Branch Traction Power Improvements GTT - Project will include targeted track repairs to remove existing slow zones on the Congress Branch of the Blue Line. CTA has identified traction power voltage drop issues along the Blue Line. Scope of work will include but not limited to the following elements: New infill substations, infill wayside energy storage systems, infill tie houses, third rail replacement, addition of auxiliary negative rail; work will be performed by an outside contractor. In addition project will aslo provide for the replacement of ties, track fasteners, footwalks, and incidental signal and traction power; this part of work will be performed by CTA Field Forces.

This project will fund the professional services of a consultant team to provide additional program management capacity made necessary by the extra funding from the state of Illinois. Funds programmed in 2022 will finance the second year of a five-year agreement with WSP Inc. for professional services under the Project Management Oversight (PMO) contract awarded by Metra’s Board in August 2020.

Rehabilitate Rail Stations - ASAP (AUSTIN): This project is part of CTA’s All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP). The goal of ASAP is to create a vertically accessible rail system within 20 years. ASAP also adds accessibility features to vertically inaccessible stations such as sidewalks and crosswalks, power-assisted doors, accessible fare array, braille and signage, accessible Customer Assistance (CA) kiosks and staff toilet rooms, enhanced lighting as appropriate, and expanded platform clearances for wheelchair maneuverability.This project is to improve the vertical accessibility at the Lake Line Austin station (Austin station). The original street level station opened on April 15, 1899 as a section of the “Lake Street Elevated Railroad’s” surface level extension. The current stationhouse was rebuilt in 1962 as part of the project that moved the western end of the Lake Street line from a street level alignment to an abandoned strip of the parallel “Chicago and Northwestern Railway” embankment. The Lake Line began using this elevated right-of-way on the CN&W (today’s Union Pacific) embankment between Laramie and Harlem on Sunday, October 28, 1962. This station has not been upgraded since it was rebuilt. The Austin station has been identified as a station that is not vertically accessible for all customers and will require the installation of an elevator to serve this center platform configuration. Work on this project will also bring elements of the station up to current Chicago Building Code requirements and meet the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 130 Standard for Fixed Guideway Transit and Passenger Rail Systems emergency egress requirements.